I always watch NBC/MSNBC political correspondent Kasie Hunt because she asks the right probing questions, her presentation style is flawless, and because we worked together at our college newspaper, The GW Hatchet. Even during her college days, it was obvious that Kasie had the drive and the chops required to really make it in broadcast journalism, and that has never been more apparent to me than today.
Kasie, darling, all the world’s kudos to you for keeping your composure while interviewing Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson from the alarmingly close proximity of a D.C. park bench. The rest of us would have melted into hysterics, or run away bug-eyed and screaming the moment he stuck out his tongue and wagged it through a complete sentence in response to your question about how he might hypothetically perform if included in the upcoming Clinton/Trump debate.
But not you, Kasie. You barely even flinched. You kept your shoulders squared, your chin lifted, you held your gaze and flashed only a brief smile to acknowledge the lunacy of your subject’s “unusual performance.” You got your answer (a mouthful, at that), and seamlessly moved on to your next question.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is how it’s done. Congrats to Kasie on an exemplary demonstration of what to during a media interview.
As for Gary Johnson, will someone please sign him up for a media training package? Going in front of the cameras and gracefully interacting with the press is a skill that can be taught. Even the most eloquent public speakers could stand to learn a thing or two about camera angles, body language, enunciation and cadence. An interview with a member of the broadcast media is an amazing opportunity to promote your brand, your business, and yourself. But step out of line, and next thing you know, the entire Morning Joe roundtable will be calling you “yucky.”
Don’t be like Gary. Be like Kasie. Get trained to talk to the media.
