The habits described entails elected officers avoiding direct responses concerning potential nominees for high-level positions throughout the government department. This evasion usually manifests as non-answers, deflections to unrelated matters, or statements of basic rules with out addressing the particular {qualifications} or suitability of the people into consideration. As an example, a senator is perhaps requested a couple of nominee’s stance on a selected coverage however reply by discussing the significance of the Senate’s function in confirming presidential appointments usually.
This tactic will be employed for a number of causes, together with a want to keep away from public dedication earlier than additional info is on the market, to keep up occasion unity when inner disagreements exist, or to sidestep potential controversy related to a nominee’s previous statements or actions. Traditionally, such habits has been noticed throughout numerous presidential transitions, reflecting the advanced political calculations concerned within the affirmation course of and the strategic maneuvering that usually accompanies it. It could possibly impression public notion of transparency and accountability in authorities, probably fueling skepticism concerning the affirmation course of.
