cloud the issue

cloud the issue

To obfuscate or distract from the topic at hand by introducing irrelevant and/or misleading information. Politicians are always clouding the issue during debates by pointing out their opponents' history in other issues. Don't cloud the issue with talk about your past achievements, stick to the question I'm asking you. His muddled explanation only served to cloud the issue further for his students.
See also: cloud, issue
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • confuse the issue
  • red herring
  • a red herring
  • push (something) to the back of (one's) mind
  • push something to the back of your mind
  • off at a tangent
  • off the track
  • off (the) track
  • shroud (something) in (something else)
  • shroud in
References in periodicals archive
There is no hard and fast rule about this issue and it's important not to let other people's judgements cloud the issue.
'More importantly, let there not be any political interference from any side that could cloud the issue or delay the investigation.
Some attempts have been made to cloud the issue with protests over "the gender pay gap" but this does not disguise the fact that Britain has become a grossly unequal country.
This is no surprise to anyone, but both parties seem to have chosen the facts that suit their arguments and ignore anything that may cloud the issue.
But you need to stick to it and, at the moment, it sounds like you're being co-dependent and letting sex cloud the issue.
Liz Mayes, assistant regional director, CBI North East, said: "There are conflicting messages about the low level of consumer confidence versus brighter prospects for certain sectors, which continue to cloud the issue.
It also said that the guidance on online tax returns are "confusing, cloud the issue of what precise iXBRL tagging is required to satisfy HMRC and fail to address satisfactorily the plight of those still struggling to implement software or failing to receive it".
He said: "The short-term data continue to cloud the issue."
He highlighted the significance of the Head of State's address which called for assuming responsibilities and preserving gains and institutions, stressing the need for all the components of the civil society, all the parties in charge of regional development and the media to contribute to preserve and increase national gains so as to protect citizens, to face all the schemes aimed to sow doubt and foil the attempts of all those who want to cloud the issue.
Blame IT vendors trying looking to cloud the issue, says Google's Abdul Wahid Bendaoua, the company's regional head of enterprise.
To cloud the issue and make you want to steer well clear, a point might be of no use to Bologna with another round of fixtures still to play..
Pfizer's behavior at the FDA meeting made it clear that the company plans to cloud the issue of risks versus benefits even further by promoting its use for other health problems, for which the drug won't have been approved and for which it may well have no effect, such as reducing the risk of breast cancer and heart disease.
DESPITE having the Indian sign over Wakefield in recent seasons - last term's four meetings all produced Giants victories - coach Jon Sharp is not about to let history cloud the issue for tonight's televised clash at the Galpharm (6.00).
They hope their relationship and others like it--gay or straight--won't be used by same-sex marriage opponents to cloud the issue. "We're as married as we could be," Weathers says.