After almost five days of non-stop tributes to Tim Russert, none was as fascinating as the five-year-old article I found last night titled “How to Beat Tim Russert.”
Jack Shafer, who writes the press column for the online magazine Slate, dissected in step-by-step detail the strategy that any guest can use to disarm Russert, the toughest interviewer in broadcast journalism.
The article explains how David Duke, one-time grand wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, threw Russert off guard when he appeared on the show in March 1999 during his Louisiana campaign for a seat in the House of Representatives.
“Unable to stick it to Duke with his time-proven techniques, Russert sputtered, steamed, and almost boiled over,” Shafer wrote.
But few other politicians have come even close to rattling him. Here’s what Tim Russert taught Publicity Hounds about interviewing:
—Know your interviewer inside and out. If you agree to an interview and you have time, research clippings and past shows so you know what to expect. I suggest you even call other people who have been the subject of interviews by that reporter and ask questions like “What was the worst thing about the interview?” and “What was the biggest surprise?”
—Anticipate all the tough questions. Shafer’s suggestion to have somebody on your staff prepare a mock interview and compose answers for the most challenging questions you can imagine is the same advice every good media trainer recommends.
—Know what has been written about you and what hasn’t. That includes even the smallest morsel of information on the Internet. Pay attention to where you appear in public records like divorce proceedings, lawsuits, or arrests for things like driving while under the influence. Be ready to concede those issues if you must, and then move on.
—Put reporters on the defensive. Russert seldom fell for this trick, but your run-of-the-mill beat reporter for your daily newspaper certainly might. If reporters ask questions that include inaccurate facts or unfair assertions, call them on it and challenge them. Reporters aren’t the only ones who are allowed to ask questions. You can, too. But only if you understand how the game is played.
—If the interviewer askes you a question you don’t understand, feel free to interrupt. And don’t answer until you understand the question completely.
“Too many of Russert’s guests allow him to fling enormous, mattress-sized paragraphs at them that are far too complicated to answer on television. Interrupt him when a question needs clarification. Interrupt him when he’s startled you with something fresh. Interrupt him back when he interrupts you. Interrupt him for the hell of it. It drives him crazy, and when he’s crazy, he loses his place in the script, his face goes a tad red, and he loses his momentum.”
Crisis counselor Jonathan Bernstein, who I’m guessing would describe Russert as a “media wolf,” has another important piece of advice. It’s as relevant for you as it is for Russert’s guests, who were treated to snacks on the set at the end of each show and would chit-chat about things like their families.
Even if the cameras and microphones are turned off, you can talk with the journalist, but act as though everything you say is on the record. Hundreds of sources have been burned when they thought the interview was over and they could say anything they wanted and the journalist wouldn’t be able to use it because the camera was off or the reporter’s notebook was closed.
Jonathan was my guest during a teleseminar on “How to Keep the Media Wolves at Bay.” He makes his living counseling clients on how to confront the media, or stay out of trouble so they don’t see the wolves at their doorsteps.
Yes, Joan, you’re right, I would describe Tim Russert as a “media wolf,” one of the best there’s ever been. His loss is a tragic contribution to the degradation of TV journalism and I suspect his replacement won’t live up to his standards.
Great work as always in your ezine!
Jonathan Bernstein
President, Bernstein Crisis Management
and former “media wolf”
I have to totally DISAGREE with Jack Shafer’s assessment of Russert’s interview with David Duke. I remember wathcing that interview thinking to myself, “Wow, he’s smooth.” Instead of browbeating Duke on his “extracurricular” activities, Russert just plainly asked what he knew about the economy and issues facing the nation. Duke did the rest by coming off as an ill-informed and pathetic excuse for a presidential candidate. Russert’s Duke interview is one of the best interviews Russert EVER did and his interviewing savvy/style allowed David Duke to reveal his true, pathetic self without Tim ever badmouthing him at all.
Deanna Smith
Public Affairs Director
Tri-City Development Council
Washington State
Hi Joan –
I anxiously await your newsletters and find such good tips consistently.
However, I felt the need to give you some feedback on the most recent one in regard to the piece on Tim Russert. I know you have taught us to always piggy back on whatever is in the news and you have also taught to frame out an offering based on something in the news. However, in this particular instance, I found it in bad taste. I think it was the timing that was offensive.
I remember years ago, Johnny Carson made a joke about Viet Nam and had a lot of flack about it. He responded by apologizing and explaining that some subjects are just too delicate to be touched too early.
Though I have no personal connection to Tim Russert other than the majority of the US population, he clearly was a figure who a lot of people resonated with. This piggyback opportunity just didn’t feel right — at least to this one follower of yours.
Marriage Records search is common practice these days. It is available as a mandatory public service and is considered public information in most states. They are governed by state laws and on that account segregated by state. As a result, researching marital background through government agencies can get tedious if it involves multiple states as they have to be conducted one by one.
There are various alternative sources of conducting Public Marriage Records search to the central government agency. In fact, information on marriages prior to the centralization of their records is only retrievable at the particular county office where the marriage took place. Commercial operators are another viable option. Free torrent sites may work too although they are generally considered not worth the risks – spyware and viruses. At the end of the day, the choice is down to the individual.
As a database researcher and affiliated to the leading public records and people search engine on the Internet, I am biased of course, but I would not waste my time trying to look for so-called ‘free’ public records. They don’t exist.
Sorry, I should have mentioned that it goes without saying that Free Marriage Records are researchable only if they were filed by the courts, which means that they must be legitimate to start with. Details that will be helpful to the accuracy of the search are the specific location of the marriage such as the county or circuit court where the event occurred, the date, full name of the groom and/or bride (maiden) and other personal particulars. Searches are usually conducted based on the name of the individual.