[Editor's Note: For Utility Dive's report and analysis of what happened at the Binz Senate hearing, click here: FERC chair nominee Binz fends off attacks in Senate hearing]
The Senate Energy Committee questioned Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) chairman nominee Ron Binz on Tuesday. Aside from questions on FERC's role, renewable energy, coal plants and Binz's views on natural gas, there was one big question on everyone's mind—how exactly do you pronounce FERC?
Individual senators fluctuated between saying "FERC," "the FERC" and a spelled-out "the F-E-R-C." Ever the diplomat, Binz tried to make everyone happy and used all three. Reporters and energy policy analysts live-tweeting the hearing, however, were less than pleased. And that's how #TeamFERC and #TeamThe got started.
Here's a tweet-by-tweet breakdown of the entirely ridiculous FERC pronunciation controversy:
The first sign of a brewing pronunciation controversy...
Wyden should use this hearing to settle once and for all whether we're all going to call it "FERC" or "the FERC." #controversy
— Scott Thomasson (@scotthomasson) September 17, 2013
Binz is on the right track.
Binz consistently says "FERC," not "the FERC," as any god-fearing American should. So he's off to a good start.
— Scott Thomasson (@scotthomasson) September 17, 2013
Uh oh... #TeamFERC isn't going to happy about this.
Dammit. Now Binz just said "the FERC" four times in a row. What's happening here.
— Scott Thomasson (@scotthomasson) September 17, 2013
Here comes Binz's third variation on how he says "FERC." This may or may not be a brilliant move to keep everyone happy. Not only does Binz support an all-of-the-above energy policy, he supports an all-of-the-above pronounciation policy.
Uh-oh, @scotthomasson. Did I just hear "the FERC", or even worse, "the F-E-R-C"?
— Richard Caperton (@richardcaperton) September 17, 2013
@richardcaperton I'm losing my mind. He's totally at sea. Needs to pick a team. #TeamFERC
— Scott Thomasson (@scotthomasson) September 17, 2013
@hollyfletcher He's flip-flopping already. I'm pulling out what little hair I have left.
— Scott Thomasson (@scotthomasson) September 17, 2013
Come on, Ron. Get it together and drop the "The." You can do this! #TeamFERC
— Ben Springer (@b_springer) September 17, 2013
Senator Baldwin, however, knows what he's talking about. #TeamFERC
Senator Baldwin is not only adorably midwestern, but clinches the win by saying "FERC" correctly.
— Scott Thomasson (@scotthomasson) September 17, 2013
Some think Binz is being diplomatic with his pronunciation.
@scotthomasson is Binz taking a Buddhist middle way with his "F-E-R-C" antics? #TeamFERC
— Ben Springer (@b_springer) September 17, 2013
Others... not so much.
@b_springer That's not the middle. It's the lowest of roads. He's all over the map here.
— Scott Thomasson (@scotthomasson) September 17, 2013
@scotthomasson If you're in the room, talk to his parents. They'll set him straight.
— Ben Springer (@b_springer) September 17, 2013
You're not alone.
Wondering about Ron Binz's stylistic choice of referring to #FERC as "the F-E-R-C" throughout Senate Energy confirmation hearing.
— Emily Holden (@emilyhholden) September 17, 2013
In conclusion, there's nothing more important to a Senate hearing than pronunciation.
Binz hearing takeaway: two kinds of people in the world--those who say "FERC" without "the," and those who don't give a damn about anything.
— Scott Thomasson (@scotthomasson) September 17, 2013
All the while, radio silence from FERC's official Twitter account.