This article is dedicated to that rarefied and underappreciated skill known as "yukducking.
"What pray tell is yukducking? Well, it combines the word "yuk" defined as a boisterous laugh and the word "ducking" which is self-explanatory.
It is the ability to use humor to blunt a verbal attack.
It is particularly useful to politicians and corporate executives who are under attack.
One of the best yukduckers was Ronald Reagan.
Described as the "Teflon President," he was able to blunt and reframe an attack better than almost anyone.
Media experts often wondered why attacks wouldn't stick to this jovial President.
I suggest that it was his skill at yukducking-let me give you a couple ofexamples.
Reagan was on the ropes after a poor showing against Mondale in their first debate in 1984.
With the media speculating whether Reagan's age had made him unfit for office, he yukducked the issue into oblivion by unleashing, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign.
I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience.
" This was followed by a laugh, and poof the issue went away.
During the same 1984 Democratic campaign, Presidential nominee Walter Mondale accused Reagan of "government by amnesia.
" President Reagan countered with, "I thought that remark accusing me of having amnesia was uncalled for.
I just wish I could remember who said it.
" Again a laugh and the issue went away.
Doesn't this seem strange? Why should issues this serious be defused by a humorous statement?I'm not sure why it works but I know that it does.
I have uncovered countless other examples and I believe that is a teachable skill.
Mike Huckabee used the technique in his under-funded but formidable challenge to John McCain for the Republican nomination President.
Again in a debate, Governor Huckabee was asked what role his strong belief in Jesus would play if he were to achieve the Presidency.
Given that Huckabee is a Baptist minister and a fundamentalist, this was a landmine type of question.
But with good humor, the candidate yukducked the issue away.
He said, "Jesus was too smart to run for political office.
" Again, a big laugh and the issue went away, never to return.
This works in other contexts as well.
During a 1963 Presidential news conference, President Kennedy was asked the following question by a reporter named Mrs.
Craig.
"Mr.
President, do you think that Mrs.
Murphy should have to take into her home a lodger she does not want, regardless of her reason, or would you accept a change in the Civil Rights Bill to exempt small boardinghouses like Mrs.
Murphy's?" With a classic yukduck, the President replied, "The question would be, it seems to me Mrs.
Craig, whether Mrs.
Murphy had a substantial impact on interstate commerce.
" I have observed several instances of the use of yukducks and they seem to share several things in common.
Reporters and other questioners show a decided disinclination to follow up on the question.
It's almost as if they are saying, "Okay, you're a good sport, you've given us a good laugh and we're going to give you a pass on this one.
" Yukducks are also reframes.
They get us to look at the issue differently.
For example, there is a story about an Oklahoma Congressman who was accused of being out of touch with his constituents.
Interestingly, the Congressman's opponent made the accusation in an ad while walking in under the blue skies and the great open spaces of Oklahoma.
The Congressman yukducked, "Anyone walking in an Oklahoma cow pasture while looking up doesn't know much about Oklahoma!" The issue was no longer about being out of touch.
Finally, yukducks tend to be good natured.
They acknowledge the challenge but they are not mean about it.
This can be difficult because the attack can be vicious.
I am reminded of the swift boat attack that questioned John Kerry's patriotism when he was a Presidential nominee.
As you may recall, several "swift boat captains" stated that Kerry did not perform his duty.
Possibly, Senator Kerry could have tried this yukduck, "I don't know those swift boat captains and I know they don't know me.
If it were up to me, I'd give them a swift kick.
" Would this have worked? Well it meets the criteria of a yukduck.
It acknowledges the issue, it reframes it, and it uses humor.
Maybe more politicians and corporate executives should consider the mighty yukduck.
"What pray tell is yukducking? Well, it combines the word "yuk" defined as a boisterous laugh and the word "ducking" which is self-explanatory.
It is the ability to use humor to blunt a verbal attack.
It is particularly useful to politicians and corporate executives who are under attack.
One of the best yukduckers was Ronald Reagan.
Described as the "Teflon President," he was able to blunt and reframe an attack better than almost anyone.
Media experts often wondered why attacks wouldn't stick to this jovial President.
I suggest that it was his skill at yukducking-let me give you a couple ofexamples.
Reagan was on the ropes after a poor showing against Mondale in their first debate in 1984.
With the media speculating whether Reagan's age had made him unfit for office, he yukducked the issue into oblivion by unleashing, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign.
I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience.
" This was followed by a laugh, and poof the issue went away.
During the same 1984 Democratic campaign, Presidential nominee Walter Mondale accused Reagan of "government by amnesia.
" President Reagan countered with, "I thought that remark accusing me of having amnesia was uncalled for.
I just wish I could remember who said it.
" Again a laugh and the issue went away.
Doesn't this seem strange? Why should issues this serious be defused by a humorous statement?I'm not sure why it works but I know that it does.
I have uncovered countless other examples and I believe that is a teachable skill.
Mike Huckabee used the technique in his under-funded but formidable challenge to John McCain for the Republican nomination President.
Again in a debate, Governor Huckabee was asked what role his strong belief in Jesus would play if he were to achieve the Presidency.
Given that Huckabee is a Baptist minister and a fundamentalist, this was a landmine type of question.
But with good humor, the candidate yukducked the issue away.
He said, "Jesus was too smart to run for political office.
" Again, a big laugh and the issue went away, never to return.
This works in other contexts as well.
During a 1963 Presidential news conference, President Kennedy was asked the following question by a reporter named Mrs.
Craig.
"Mr.
President, do you think that Mrs.
Murphy should have to take into her home a lodger she does not want, regardless of her reason, or would you accept a change in the Civil Rights Bill to exempt small boardinghouses like Mrs.
Murphy's?" With a classic yukduck, the President replied, "The question would be, it seems to me Mrs.
Craig, whether Mrs.
Murphy had a substantial impact on interstate commerce.
" I have observed several instances of the use of yukducks and they seem to share several things in common.
Reporters and other questioners show a decided disinclination to follow up on the question.
It's almost as if they are saying, "Okay, you're a good sport, you've given us a good laugh and we're going to give you a pass on this one.
" Yukducks are also reframes.
They get us to look at the issue differently.
For example, there is a story about an Oklahoma Congressman who was accused of being out of touch with his constituents.
Interestingly, the Congressman's opponent made the accusation in an ad while walking in under the blue skies and the great open spaces of Oklahoma.
The Congressman yukducked, "Anyone walking in an Oklahoma cow pasture while looking up doesn't know much about Oklahoma!" The issue was no longer about being out of touch.
Finally, yukducks tend to be good natured.
They acknowledge the challenge but they are not mean about it.
This can be difficult because the attack can be vicious.
I am reminded of the swift boat attack that questioned John Kerry's patriotism when he was a Presidential nominee.
As you may recall, several "swift boat captains" stated that Kerry did not perform his duty.
Possibly, Senator Kerry could have tried this yukduck, "I don't know those swift boat captains and I know they don't know me.
If it were up to me, I'd give them a swift kick.
" Would this have worked? Well it meets the criteria of a yukduck.
It acknowledges the issue, it reframes it, and it uses humor.
Maybe more politicians and corporate executives should consider the mighty yukduck.
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