Tony Abbott has made an awkward appearance on Channel Seven's Sunrise, twice addressing host David Koch as "Chris".
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An increasingly tetchy Koch was forced to correct the Prime Minister, who was responding to today's disastrous poll figures.
Answering Koch's first question about the poll, which indicates voters trust him less than opposition leader Bill Shorten, Abbott responded, "Well, Chris ..." before, hastily reverting to "David" and then the matey "Kochie".
Later, after Koch offered him the chance to apologise for the stalled $7 GP co-payment and the planned de-regulation of university fees, Abbott once again gave the appearance of not knowing where he was, calling the veteran presenter and financial commentator "Chris".
Abbott had recorded an interview on AM with the ABC's Chris Uhlmann immediately prior to talking Koch, which may have led to the slip-up over the name.
Sunrise viewers wasted no time in taking to Twitter to make fun of the PM's gaffe.
@kochie_online good interview this morning 'Chris'
#sun7
@sunriseon7 — Kim :) (@Kimmyc1988)
December 7, 2014
@kochie_online Good morning Chris! Bahaha — Steve (@stevew1968)
December 7, 2014
@kochie_online great talk to the the prime minister today Chris I mean David
#fool — Kim Rogers (@kimborogers05)
December 7, 2014
@kochie_online Chris Koch good name
#call me Chris. Classic clanger from the leader of our country. — philip (@coastphil)
December 7, 2014
Abbott's uncomfortable interview with Koch follows on from an appearance he made last week on Channel Nine's Today show when he received a grilling from host Karl Stefanovic.
Breaking: Terry Abbott just called David Koch "Chris" on Sunrise. Kochie doing a Karl with hard Q's on his searing unpopularity and lies — cameron adams (@cameron_adams)
December 7, 2014
Stefanovic followed up that effort with a pugnacious interview with education minister Christopher Pyne.
This latest interview may leave some politicians reconsidering whether breakfast TV is the best choice for a "softer" interview as they try to present their message to voters.
Reminder to everyone surprised that
@karlstefanovic &
@kochie_online can do serious interviews: they're actual trained journalists! — Jo Ho Ho! (@eskimojo)
December 7, 2014
