[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Every conversational slip-up/gaffe made by Republicans comes from accepting the proffered premise. All of them, every one, without exception. It is so flaming stupid and infinitely frustrating to get tripped up by this hidden need to be liked, to be “forthright” to people trying like hell to rip your guts out. It’s like losing a chess game in the first 4 moves, there are 3-4 ways to do this, and once you have learned those, you should never be subject to those blunders again, ever.

You NEVER EVER EVER see liberals do this. NEVER. They NEVER answer an question, no matter how pat, with a “yes” or “no”. They ALWAYS question the reporter’s premise. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to be gained by giving ANY answer to a MSM reporter. An aspiring GOP representative will NEVER be quoted accurately, or will NEVER be granted the proper consideration of context, or will actually be cut-and-pasted to give a negative impression.

I am full convinced that the GOP is above all, dedicated to losing to Democrats on my “Harlem Globetrotter” theory....with the idea that in a 2-party system, the job security of the #2 team is identical to the job security of the #1 team.

It absolutely kills me that GOP’ers will spend tens of millions trashing the conservative base and viciously undermining conservative candidates and will not spend $1000 or $2500 or whatever it takes to get the right kind of speaking and “reporter response” training to their candidates. Or even worse, that these candidates think they do not need it and spend their own damn money on themselves.

[mrsmel]

Well said. There is no excuse for Republican candidates and elected officials to be still getting tripped up like this. Any Freeper could do better in not accepting the false premise, why can't these professional politicians? That's one thing I like about Cruz, he's not prone to this kind of stupid mistake, that I can recall.

[Henry Hnyellar]

Yep. countless national incidents?

He should’ve rejected the premise and asked her why she is against the US Constitution.

[smokingfrog]

The person that wrote the headline may have considered it a “stumble” but I think he said what he said in order to turn the tables on the reporter.

The democrat candidate responds in the expected fashion. Universal background checks are fine with him. He doesn’t need an AR-15 to hunt pheasant, etc...

[Jane Long]

I am full convinced that the GOP is above all, dedicated to losing to Democrats on my “Harlem Globetrotter” theory....with the idea that in a 2-party system, the job security of the #2 team is identical to the job security of the #1 team.

Spot on analysis.