Politics and poker

If you play poker for twenty minutes and don't know who the mark is, you're the mark.
When a silver-tongued politician is hard to follow but seems to be for you, he's against you. This is neatly summarized by David Steinberg:

Little comes easier to a skilled speaker than clarity ..... Politicians require the ability, and generally have the personality type that draws one to public speaking. Ironically, these facts produce a wonderfully useful corollary: If a politician’s statements leave you unsure of his stance on an issue, you can be sure he opposes the popular stance of his electorate.

Before moving on, read some Mark Twain:

"All Congresses and Parliaments have a kindly feeling for idiots, and a compassion for them, on account of personal experience and heredity." –Mark Twain

"An honest man in politics shines more there than he would elsewhere." –Mark Twain

“There is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress." –Mark Twain