Yes it would be a massive waste of time because it’s not a good faith question. If you really believe there is legitimate bias then the move is to file a motion for the judge to recuse themselves with an explanation that justifies the request, but she would have asked that question to literally any judge.

But to answer your question directly, yes he could have answered that way if he thought she was actually asking that question but she isn’t and he already knows that. Lots of people go into Court just wanting to ramble and its impossible for judges to let that happen because theres shit to get done. I can tell you from experience even non-sovereign citizen clients often think if they can just go into court and explain to the judge why the other side is stupid the case would just be instantly dismissed and why do they have to pay me so much money to whatever, but that’s not how it works. There’s a process and there has to be a process and there’s a time for statements to be made and evidence ,etc. and it’s not whenever the litigant wants it to be.