Are Politicians Prompted by Hidden Earpieces?

Posted by T.A. Frank, Washington Monthly at 12:13 PM on September 11,
2008.

If earpieces are indeed so easy to wear and hide, then we should
expect that politicians to use them.

Not long ago, talk of stuff like hidden earpieces went more or less
hand-in-hand with talk of faked moon landings or the tyranny of
barcodes. Today, however, that's not the case. Newscasters regularly
use invisible earpieces, as do stage actors -- and exam cheats.

So what about politicians? Back in 2000, for instance, Rush Limbaugh
accused Al Gore of getting cues through an earpiece on Meet the Press.
In 2004, when Bush was spotted with a curious bulge under his jacket
during his debates with John Kerry, sites like Salon suggested
something similar. This year, Mitt Romney was accused by bloggers of
wearing one during his debates. And now, predictably, the same
speculation has begun for Sarah Palin in advance of her interview
tonight.

I can't weigh in these rumors, since I have no clue. But, more
broadly, I will say this: that if earpieces are indeed so easy to wear
and hide, then we should expect politicians to use them. Even if I
were an experienced pol, I imagine I'd want an emergency cue in case I
blanked on a question. (You remember the name of Zimbabwe's opposition
leader, right?) After all, a national politician is expected to have
thoughts on everything from our policy toward Cyprus to the legacy of
Earl Warren.

Of course, if politicians were indeed using earpieces, it'd be a bad
thing. Voters would be misled