Questioning U.S. intelligence directors on Tuesday, Angus King, I-Maine, gave his fellow senators a lesson on how to question top government officials.

First off, he made his questions — not self-promoting speeches — the centerpiece of his allotted time. This is an all-too-rare quality for senators on television. Unfortunately, when it comes to others like Kamala Harris, Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders, and Rand Paul (although Paul claims he does the opposite), the temptation to play to their base often overrides the duty to seek necessary information from the executive branch.