LOOK vs. LISTEN
I've been watching the political debate going on in the nation and have noticed something...
To be effective in my job I've been trained in self expression and debate. One of the tactics that I've been taught - that most politians learn early on - is the use of converstational bridges. A conversational bridge is something that you use in order to maintain "the floor" in a conversation. Most people are polite enough that as long as you're still talking, they won't interrupt. So, as long as there are words coming out of your mouth, I'll keep my mouth shut. Knowing that, when I talk and I get to what seems to be the end of my idea, but I have ANOTHER idea that I want to express, I keep the words coming by sticking a "conversational bridge" in there. In the following statement, "I think blue cars are fast... BUT I bought a red car... AND I was able to drive even faster", the words BUT and AND are conversational bridges. If I hadn't stuck my BUT 
in there, you might have interjected and said that red cars were faster before I had a chance to complete my thought; you'd have looked smarter. Thus, I end up looking smarter than you. Some people use conversational bridges that display their stupidity. They use UM or UH or AAAAAAND (the long winded AND). It doesn't take long for someone who is listening to realize that this person is not very smart and they'll mentally stop listening. And eventually, in that conversation, everyone (even the dumb guy) knows that no one is going to listen to "that guy".
As I said, polititians learn the use of the conversational bridge early on. In fact, they learn "the art" of the conversational bridge. Let me state the obvious; Politians need votes. In order for them to get "the most" votes, they need to avoid offending everyone - they can't afford to offend anyone. Any tiny little thing that they can do to avoid offending, no matter how small, they'll do. For example, politians know that it is impolite to point, so when they use their hands to talk, they will not point their finger directly toward the person or people that they are addressing. If you've ever noticed, they use the back of their hand - or they will curl their fingers inward (toward themselves) and point with one of the knuckles. As long as they're not pointing the tip of their finger at anyone, they feel they're not offending anyone.
In order to maintain control of the conversation, polititians need to keep talking. In order to keep talking in a one on one conversation or when participating in a small group conversation (like a presidential debate), effective use of the conversational bridge is a necessity. But, as with pointing, polititians have to avoid offending. And, since it's impolite to interrupt, an effective politian will attempt to contiue talking (getting his or her point out) by using a conversational bridge that does not offend.
But there's a mine field of sorts when talking to people. You can't speak down to them, and you can't speak to them as an adult would speak to a child. But politians need to control the conversation, so.... what do they do?
They can not use the word "LISTEN" because that sounds like they are trying to control the listener. Many parents use the word "LISTEN" when they are speaking to their children because unless you use that word, some children won't "LISTEN". But as an adult, when someone says "LISTEN" we turn them off - we stop listening. So then, what can be done?
Use of the word "LOOK" seems to be a little less controlling. When someone uses the conversational bridge "LOOK" we hear "OK, I'm listening to you, but here's an alternative idea". And that's more palatable than hearing "LISTEN" because we hear that as "SHUT THE HELL UP, YOUR IDEAS ARE CRAP AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT I SAY".
So, when you hear a politian "glue" two sentences (or more) together by using the word "LOOK", just remember that it's a polite way of saying "SHUT THE HELL UP, MY IDEAS ARE BETTER".
in there, you might have interjected and said that red cars were faster before I had a chance to complete my thought; you'd have looked smarter. Thus, I end up looking smarter than you. Some people use conversational bridges that display their stupidity. They use UM or UH or AAAAAAND (the long winded AND). It doesn't take long for someone who is listening to realize that this person is not very smart and they'll mentally stop listening. And eventually, in that conversation, everyone (even the dumb guy) knows that no one is going to listen to "that guy".
As I said, polititians learn the use of the conversational bridge early on. In fact, they learn "the art" of the conversational bridge. Let me state the obvious; Politians need votes. In order for them to get "the most" votes, they need to avoid offending everyone - they can't afford to offend anyone. Any tiny little thing that they can do to avoid offending, no matter how small, they'll do. For example, politians know that it is impolite to point, so when they use their hands to talk, they will not point their finger directly toward the person or people that they are addressing. If you've ever noticed, they use the back of their hand - or they will curl their fingers inward (toward themselves) and point with one of the knuckles. As long as they're not pointing the tip of their finger at anyone, they feel they're not offending anyone.
In order to maintain control of the conversation, polititians need to keep talking. In order to keep talking in a one on one conversation or when participating in a small group conversation (like a presidential debate), effective use of the conversational bridge is a necessity. But, as with pointing, polititians have to avoid offending. And, since it's impolite to interrupt, an effective politian will attempt to contiue talking (getting his or her point out) by using a conversational bridge that does not offend.
But there's a mine field of sorts when talking to people. You can't speak down to them, and you can't speak to them as an adult would speak to a child. But politians need to control the conversation, so.... what do they do?
They can not use the word "LISTEN" because that sounds like they are trying to control the listener. Many parents use the word "LISTEN" when they are speaking to their children because unless you use that word, some children won't "LISTEN". But as an adult, when someone says "LISTEN" we turn them off - we stop listening. So then, what can be done?
Use of the word "LOOK" seems to be a little less controlling. When someone uses the conversational bridge "LOOK" we hear "OK, I'm listening to you, but here's an alternative idea". And that's more palatable than hearing "LISTEN" because we hear that as "SHUT THE HELL UP, YOUR IDEAS ARE CRAP AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT I SAY".
So, when you hear a politian "glue" two sentences (or more) together by using the word "LOOK", just remember that it's a polite way of saying "SHUT THE HELL UP, MY IDEAS ARE BETTER". 
you are right on with your observations. as someone who majored in political science in college and learned to "debate" for a living in law school, politicians (many of whom are lawyers anyway) do develop these specific type of communication patterns early on. the keys is to use them effectively without it being obvious.
you mentioned that you profession involves debate. what line of work are you in? just curious
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