Jagmeet Singh Needs Media Training

It's been quite the month for NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and we're only halfway through September.

It was at the news conference to announce that decision that he refused to answer simple questions from reporters, showing why he needs more media training.

No Answers

A couple of weeks ago, Singh announced he was ripping up the deal he had with Prime Minister Trudeau that saw the NDP constantly voting with the Liberals in the House of Commons, in return for passing legislation the NDP wanted.

It was the height of politics. Trudeau’s minority government needed the NDP’s support or it would have been forced to call another election. The NDP got some of legislation through that it wanted. The Liberals had to hold their noses and do what Singh wanted, although I’m sure there were lengthy backroom negotiation sessions between the two.

When Singh faced reporters to explain why he had ended the agreement, he should have been ready for a number of obvious questions, including “Do you still have confidence in the Liberal government?” Toronto Sun columnist Brian Lilley wasn’t about to let him off the hook.

Weak, Evasive and Unprepared

I think politicians look weak, evasive and unprepared when they don’t answer obvious questions from reporters. It seems to be happening more often than it used to and there are probably several reasons for that.

When I do media training, I tell participants they need to answer questions from reporters. I would never go into a session telling anyone I was working with to totally ignore the question and simply give the answer they want to give. If a media trainer tells you to do that, ask for your money back.

My sense is Singh didn’t want to answer the question about confidence, because if he said he lacked confidence in the Liberal government, then a reporter would have asked him why he has supported the government for years. Singh’s reasoning for his decision was vague and that question would have taken him back to defending the decision.

There are ways of answering that question so he wouldn’t have looked evasive. Perhaps he wasn’t prepared for the question (he should have been), or figured if he kept repeating the same “ripped up the agreement” line he would get away with it.

It didn’t work. He looked weak.

It's Not Rocket Science

I think people expect politicians to answer reasonable questions from reporters. It’s part of the job and the media keeps them accountable.

Some politicians think the better choice is to answer with the answer they want to give, even if it doesn’t answer the question. It serves their purposes because the sound bite might make it on the TV news.

The public doesn’t really care about the answer, but doesn’t want to see politicians refuse to answer questions because it looks like they have something to hide.

My advice for anyone is, figure out the questions you’ll be asked in advance and how you’ll answer those questions. Those who are good at it find ways to answer questions and then get into the areas they want to. Most reporters will allow you do that, as long as you answer the question.

That’s why I always talk about the need to answer first and explain second. Give your answer right at the beginning and then move into the explanation that supports your answer.

The real startling thing about this is that most of the people I do media training for learn how to answer the questions better than a lot of veteran politicians.

Maybe Jagmeet Singh just needs more media training?

Video source: CPAC