What’s Your Name?

Of Nukes, CO2 and Mastodons.

By Eric Seidel, CEO

The Media Trainers®, LLC

Contentious interviews can sometimes amuse, on occasion enlighten, and often simply frustrate. Here’s one you might find satisfies all three possibilities.

In light of the “Act-of-God”/nature-instigated nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, CNBC lined up an interview with Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA), a member of the House Energy & Power Subcommittee. But the conversation soon migrated into a disagreement over CO2 and global warming.

In the midst of the debate, the congressman suddenly asked anchor Joe Kernen, “What’s your name? I missed your name…” Kernen’s expression was priceless. This must have been a first in his years of experience. “It’s Joe,” he responded. (You can see and hear it by clicking on the video below.)

Inslee’s failure to know his interviewer’s name is difficult to excuse. But the fact that he stopped and asked is absolutely inexcusable. All he needed to do was continuing using “you” in addressing Joe. Instead, he sacrificed some of his credibility. Hopefully, someone in the congressman’s office had the guts to tell him.