Why do reporters ask questions they know they shouldn't ask officials?

Reporters should always ask. In a nation where a free press is (at least used to be) encouraged, it is incumbent upon the interviewed person to keep their own counsel when it’s appropriate.

Because, “You never know until you ask.”

There is no such thing as “questions you should not ask”.

It puts those questions in the forefront of the mind of the public. It “primes the pump”, sort of. By definition, these questions are inflammatory, and they feed the gossip mill. News outlets have become giant gossip mills and propaganda machines.

You can’t ask the family person/s (at a funeral or something) “How do you feel?”. And there are a ton of other examples that shouldn’t be asked governenment officials or otherwise by reporters or otherwise, freedoms of the press, freedom of speech or not.

@snowberry You got it.

@flo Do you want government officials to be honest? Do you want the government’s actions to be in the best interest of society?

If you answered yes to either of those, then you want a free and robust press. Officials are honest, because they fear being exposed to scandal in the press and the public discovering their mendacious or illegal activities. Government actions must be widely debated by society especially in the press to allow us all to decide if they are in the best interest of society.

Knowing all this, the press must be allowed to ask any and all questions. Nothing must be off limits.

@flo: In what universe is a family member at a funeral an “official”? geez

You can’t ask for the Social Security Number, personal cell telephone number, weight or number of mistresses (well maybe).
Bona fide questions can and should be asked even if it might embarrass or show a less than stellar position of the person being questioned.

The questioning of officials to receive valid ininformation is okay, questions about, “What is you option?” during an on-going investigation is not.

@flo do you believe it is okay to hide the truth or conceal wrongdoing?

”…questions about What is you option?” during an on-going investigation is not.”

It’s a strategy. While crossing rhetorical swords, you negotiate between the lines. You start high, with a question that you suspect will not be answered. Even get the person off guard a bit, just from having the audacity. Then, you shoot a bit lower. Eventually, you will get the most information possible. Probably more than if you hadn’t asked the opening question.

People are wired to haggle. If they are pressed, they will give more than they were going to. As long as they have the information, or are allowed to discuss, or disclose it.

Some people can pull others through the hoops they want by manipulating someone through conversation.

It’s their job to ask questions.

There are no questions reporters should not ask. It’s their job to challenge officials and to press for information.

As to asking questions at funerals, you incorrectly assume all people do not want to speak about their loved ones. Sometimes, people want to take the opportunity to share their thoughts about whatever event has led to the death of someone they care about.

Reporters ask the questions their viewers or readers would ask. And the quality of those questions pretty much reflect the caliber of the audience for whom they are intended. There will of course be questions common to reporters regardless of the organization employing them, but you don’t expect the same agenda from the National Enquirer as you would the New York Times.

Reporters ask questions the public want answered. They don’t assume what the answer might be. Asking questions of officials isn’t propaganda it is the opposite of propaganda and the essence of democracy.

It’s their job.

To the extent that we’re living in a society where “certain questions shouldn’t be asked”, that’s a sign of the decay of the civilization.

It’s fine, and perfectly acceptable from time to time, to have questions that can’t be answered, but to have “questions that can’t be asked” is dangerous. I don’t want to live in that place.

It is the job of reporters to ask questions, to find out the truth. That is what they are there for. I am grateful to reporters for asking tough questions.

@flo I am curious to know why you would not want reporters to ask questions, to get at the truth?

”Mr. Obama, ...”, “Mr. Trump…” This is journalists, instead of “President Obama ..” ....“President Trump, .... ” Truth? Hi-lie-ree-yes. And that’s not even the half of it.

If there were tough questions by journalists, there would be no President Trump.
http://observer.com/2016/11/this-election-has-disgraced-the-entire-profession-of-journalism/