Why Lie When You Can Evade?

“You get to ask the questions you like. I get to give the answers I like,” Mitt Romney told a reporter dissatisfied with an evasive answer. The ensuing criticism – “How dare he not answer our questions?” – seemingly suggested that Romney’s efforts to dodge questions was out of the ordinary. In fact, the only thing unusual about Romney’s dodge attempt was that it failed. Successful politicians elevate dodging questions to an art form, and our research suggests that dodging can be a surprisingly easy – and effective – way for politicians to hoodwink voters without technically lying.