Re politician's response: "he didn't say 'Boo.'"

He didn't say "Boo!", TEdRem, because he was too scared to say anything at all.

A politician really only has 2 choices when responding to a question in public.

He can supply the predictable, politically correct answer or he can pretend he didn't hear you in which case you go away saying "He didn't say Boo."

When a politician "doesn't say Boo", he is actually agreeing with you, but he doesn't want to be quoted on it. [Actually, you only think he is agreeing with you, which is precisely the genius of the "doesn't say Boo" answer.]

It is not generally understood that there are more "didn't say Boo" answers supplied on the hustings than there are politically correct answers.

That's the way most of the "undecided" votes get decided.

Most people think that politics is the art of "spinning doctoring". But, actually, spin doctoring is over-rated. It's mostly the art of ducking the question.

The only thing "undecided" voters have in common is the fact that they have virtually nothing in common at all. In fact, they can't agree on anything. The "doesn't say Boo" answer is tailor-made for them.

Most elections turn on the "undecided" vote. "Doesn't say Boo" answers usually turn the tide.