So you want to testify to a Senate committee…..
Rather than bore provide my dear readers with a blow-by-blow account of my Senate testimony, I thought I’d provide some useful advice to future generations of Senate testifiers: Don’t worry, you’ll forget about the klieg lights after a spell. This was a friendly invite, and there was no reason to expect anything but courteous treatment ...
Rather than bore provide my dear readers with a blow-by-blow account of my Senate testimony, I thought I'd provide some useful advice to future generations of Senate testifiers: Don't worry, you'll forget about the klieg lights after a spell. This was a friendly invite, and there was no reason to expect anything but courteous treatment from the committee. Still, when you sit in the witness chair, you're suddenly in the glare of two banks of klieg lights and looking up at the Senators. It's designed to be intimidating. Fortunately, this feeling should pass quickly. Expect the Senators to steal borrow your best lines. Before you ever have a chance to speak, the chairman and ranking minority member get to make their opening statements. Since they and their aides have your testimony in hand for about 24 hours beforehand, they're sure to cherry-pick all the good lines... leaving you trying not to sound like a copycat. Don't read your testimony verbatim. They have your written testimony. Just summarize. Oh, and.... Use some humor. That seems to go over well. Don't expect a packed house. I was told to expect Biden and Lugar to be there, and maybe one or two others. As it turned out, Chris Dodd (D-CT), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), James Webb (D-VA), Bob Corker (R-TN), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and John Barrasso (R-WY) showed up at various points. This is still less than half the committee. Don't expect to hold the Senator's attention while you're talking. Lugar and Biden had a nice chat while I gave my opening statement. On the other hand, it could have been worse -- Biden was reading a magazine at one point when someone else was talking. There are two tactics to take when a Senator asks a stupid question: First, you can train yourself to say, "good question" in response to any query, and patiently answer. Second, you can challenge the premise of the question. Warning: I now know that Jim Webb really doesn't like the second tactic.
Rather than bore provide my dear readers with a blow-by-blow account of my Senate testimony, I thought I’d provide some useful advice to future generations of Senate testifiers:
- Don’t worry, you’ll forget about the klieg lights after a spell. This was a friendly invite, and there was no reason to expect anything but courteous treatment from the committee. Still, when you sit in the witness chair, you’re suddenly in the glare of two banks of klieg lights and looking up at the Senators. It’s designed to be intimidating. Fortunately, this feeling should pass quickly.
- Expect the Senators to steal borrow your best lines. Before you ever have a chance to speak, the chairman and ranking minority member get to make their opening statements. Since they and their aides have your testimony in hand for about 24 hours beforehand, they’re sure to cherry-pick all the good lines… leaving you trying not to sound like a copycat.
- Don’t read your testimony verbatim. They have your written testimony. Just summarize. Oh, and….
- Use some humor. That seems to go over well.
- Don’t expect a packed house. I was told to expect Biden and Lugar to be there, and maybe one or two others. As it turned out, Chris Dodd (D-CT), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), James Webb (D-VA), Bob Corker (R-TN), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and John Barrasso (R-WY) showed up at various points. This is still less than half the committee.
- Don’t expect to hold the Senator’s attention while you’re talking. Lugar and Biden had a nice chat while I gave my opening statement. On the other hand, it could have been worse — Biden was reading a magazine at one point when someone else was talking.
- There are two tactics to take when a Senator asks a stupid question: First, you can train yourself to say, “good question” in response to any query, and patiently answer. Second, you can challenge the premise of the question. Warning: I now know that Jim Webb really doesn’t like the second tactic.
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner
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