Video lives forever

Faithful readers of danieldrezner.com may remember that around three months ago, I did an interview on tape for ABC World News Tonight on Kerry’s tax proposal and offshore outsourcing in general. At the time, I wrote:

Here’s the funny/scary thing — I have no idea how the interview will be framed. I was critical of Kerry on outsourcing but I also said that the corporate taxation proposal he announced today indicated a change in rhetoric from “Benedict Arnold CEO’s.” We talked for ten minutes, and there was a lot of tape — they could go either way with it.

In the end, ABC cut my interview. However, I have been informed by close friends that part of my interview was aired tonight on World News Tonight — nearly three months later. Why? Probably to follow up on the BLS data — but I still need to read the transcript. [UPDATE: I was finally able to watch the segment on the web by accessing this page, but you have to (temporarily) subscribe to RealOne to see it. The story was on the BLS report. All I say is, “People are panicking a lot over a very, very small part of the job picture.” But I look way smart saying it.] While it’s nice to get the airtime, it is somewhat unsettling to think that ABC will be playing bits and pieces of that interview if outsourcing should crop up again on World News Tonight. When I related this anecdote to someone way above my policymaking pay grade, they nodded sagely and said, “Always go live — avoid taped interviews, because then you’re at the mercy of the producer and the reporter.” So now I know. And you do too.