"How I can stop embarrassing myself in interviews."

“How I can stop embarrassing myself in interviews.”

About right now we’re wondering if Sen. Mark Udall can see Alaska from his home.  In 2008 Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin was mercilessly pilloried for not being able to name at the drop of the hat the newspapers she read for information.  What reaction will Udall receive for putting in a much worse performance under less stressful conditions by someone not even out to get him?

In what has to be the worst interview in Colorado this election cycle, Udall shows off those amazing critical thinking skills that got him into elitist institution Williams College.  Given the simple task (so simple, his interviewer Marc Stewart says sarcastically beforehand, “ these are the tough questions now”) to name three books that have influenced him, Udall goes full deer in headlights, going so far as to ask for a do-over.  Oh, how many of us in Colorado wish we could have a 2008 Senatorial do-over but will just have to settle for booting Udall out now.

Hints of Udall’s self-confessed “brain-dead” moment (maybe he should have smoked less pot in the 70’s before his brain was fully developed) come early in the video when Udall has a very bizarre answer to whether Common Core is good or bad for Colorado kids:

Marc Stewart: Is Common Core good or bad for Colorado students?

Mark Udall: Yes.

Exclusively to the Peak we have some other questions Udall answered that got cut:

Stewart: Pepsi or Coke?

Udall: Yes.

Stewart: 2 + 2 equals?

Udall: Yes.

Stewart: How would you like your burger cooked?

Udall: Yes.

Stewart: Were you caught with 2 ounces, or 3 ounces?

Udall: Yes.

Stewart: How do you spell your name?

Udall: Yes.

Stewart: How many mountains have you climbed?

Udall: Yes.

Stewart: What other issues do you care about besides women reproductive issues?

Udall: Yes.

Looks like Udall forgot the “pass” part of “puff, puff” before this interview.

As for the golden moment, well it pretty much speaks for itself:

Stewart: Name three of the most influential books in your life and the last song you listened to.

Udall: Oh wow, uh… the three most influential books in my life [classic stall technique: repeat the question].  Profiles in courage, um, the, uh… … … let me think.  We can play this over, right?  I mean re-tape this, um…

Stewart: (realizing Udall is not all with it today and his softball question is about to mess up a sitting Senator) well, let, how, well, well let’s go to the, what about, what about music, what’s the last song you listened to?

Udall: Um, I’m brain-dead today.

Just today?  Udall went on to say (we imagine):

Udall: Three books that have influenced me?  Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, and, um, what’s the third one? Oh yes, I remember now; I can see Russia from my house.

Since Boulder was up in arms about Gov. John Hickenlooper putting human-sized lab rat cages on their street corners as an anti-marijuana measure, perhaps they’ll accept Udall standing on their street corners showing kids the dangers of using pot when your brain is still developing.  We mean, come November he’ll have to find a new gig.  What better way to give back to Colorado?