Q-Tips

There's something about being asked a question by a public speaker—it's like you can't help but try and answer it in your head. Sometimes, the speaker will do it because he or she knows that the audience knows the answer, and sometimes, it's because the audience definitely doesn't.

Either way, it gets the audience to think a bit.

Here's the best example:

Why was the amendment expressly declaring the right of the people voted down? Plainly enough, now, the adoption of it would have spoiled the niche for the Dred Scott decision. Why was the Court decision held up? Why even a senator's individual opinion withheld till after the presidential election? Plainly enough, now, the speaking out then would have damaged the "perfectly free" argument upon which the election was to be carried. Why the outgoing President's felicitation on the endorsement? Why the delay of a reargument? Why the incoming President's advance exhortation in favor of the decision?...And why the hasty after-endorsement of the decision by the President and others? (62-69, 71)

That's a whole lotta "why."

Sometimes he answers the questions, sometimes he doesn't. By listing all these questions in a row, Lincoln illustrates how many things are wrong with the situation right now. Look how many things there are to question about it—clearly there's something fishy at hand.

Asking questions like this can also be a device to make people think about things that maybe they haven't thought to question. Why was that reargument delayed like that? When you're trying to convince people of something, stringing together questions like this can be an effective way to show them that they have things to ponder.

…why do you think that is?