Reporters are supposed to hunt for facts, to search for the truth, and their best tool is a good question. Knowing a good question and knowing how and when to ask it are skills prized by the wisest members of society from Talmudic times in Judea to the philosophers of ancient Greece and China. As Hillel the Elder, the philosopher Socrates, and many other wise thinkers knew, great truths reveal themselves to those who ask good questions. Making a bold statement or throwing an insult or a challenge will get you an opportunity for a photo -- a “photo-op,” but asking a good question gives you the chance for something deeper and longer-lasting.  As the great New Yorker cartoonist and humorist James Thurber once wrote: “It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.” At White House press briefings, you often hear questions from those who think they already know all the answers. Not surprisingly, those who already...(Read Full Post)