As a member of the Cleveland City Club, I had mixed emotions when I opened the announcement of Breakfast with Chuck Todd, host of Meet the Press. Here was someone I thought worth the drive and the time to see and ask my question. The bad news, I would have to leave my house by 6:30am, time for dog insulin to be injected. AND stay up during tonight’s Kol Nidre Eve services.
77N was the nightmare I feared, an accident having just happened before I entered the “parking lot”. But that is not what I confirmed.
He was knowledgeable and witty, entertaining and educated. But that is not what I confirmed.
He bemoaned potential Meet the Press guests who hijacked the interview. But that is not what I confirmed.
My theory is that communication is a wheel with many spokes. It is each person’s responsibility to be proficient at all spokes. Because someone is effective in a formal speech does not mean they are effective in a podcast.
He is a pro at asking questions. More than that, he is a pro at having the knowledge to ask credible questions in a historical context. But that is not what I confirmed.
Chuck Todd was not effective at answering questions. He did what he complained about some guests doing, hijacking the interview. His answers, while entertaining, were just too long and went off on tangents.
To answer effectively is a different spoke on the wheel than asking effective questions. Asking questions is hard, and he does it well.
To answer effectively, perhaps he should attend my Media Boot Camp on October 20! #cle #cityclub #meetthepress
