John Battelle loves Google. He started his book The Search by calling Google clever. (And from then on it gets friendlier.) He went to Google to give a reading of the book. Nowadays he plays a Google expert on TV.

So, Mr. Forbes interviewer, when you ask about his web network, Federated Media:

Do you consider your business in competition with Google's AdSense?

And:

Has Google given you any reactions, since you're close with a lot of people there?

And:

But you represent sites that could be on the larger end of their advertising customers.

Then John Battelle's gonna have to gently spank you:

Very large company, Google. We're a tiny, itty, bitty company. I don't think we necessarily merit a lot of consideration.

Not that he won't let you keep asking, keep hearing "no," and still use the "Going Up Against Google?" headline.

Going Up Against Google? [Forbes]