If you’ve been through a communications coaching or media training session, it’s likely you’ve heard the importance of this formula when asked a difficult question:
Answer → Bridge → Message
During coaching sessions I’ve conducted, I’ll often get asked “Is this what politicians do?” My stock answer: “Some adopt this formula. Many do not answer the questions, however. They simply bridge to their messages regardless of the questions. And you shouldn’t do that.”
This week, Rep. Anthony Weiner provides a vivid example of why “bridging from nowhere” is not recommended:
The public is tiresome of these shenanigans. It’s spin. I suspect most news outlets will only take a representative seven-second clip from this. Kudos for ABC News for showing the entire interview. In doing so, the public can see how Weiner tries several times to completely avoid the questions, often using the same (weak) bridges.
You’ve probably heard that body language is important when communicating. 
For spokespeople, being as repetitive as possible in a media interview is generally accepted as a pathway to success. Why? Perhaps the answer lies in 7s and 13s.