Posts Tagged ‘obama’
Friday, May 17th, 2013
The political tug of war between the Obama administration and Republicans has returned to its insane level of rhetoric that we remember prior to the November elections.
Some Republicans argue the administration misled the public about Benghazi to help ensure a victory in November. Some Democrats argue Republicans are making something out of nothing to tarnish Obama and Hillary Clinton’s potential presidential run in 2016.
Republicans want to know who knew what about the IRS. The administration also criticizes the IRS but points out the president does not run the agency.
And both sides of the aisle express unhappiness with subpoenas related to the Associated Press.
Some of the media seem to be complicit in a reality game show atmosphere, working side-by-side with politicians on whom can deliver the most sensational sound bites. These “scandals” raise some important discussions, but good grief. If only some politicians would work to solve our everyday problems with the same zeal that they try to call hearings and speak craziness into microphones.
For a moment, take off your political team’s bloodied uniform and acknowledge some of what’s really happening: In general, the administration wants to downplay any links to these issues as much as possible. On the other hand, some Republicans want to make these issues seem as dreadful as possible and portray the government as a stalker peaking through your bedroom window at night. Call it high stakes marketing far beyond the traditional press release. If some of these microphone huggers really wanted the truth, they would wait for their hearings to finish fleshing out the facts before demanding justice with their scary words.
The media are already analyzing how these current issues might impact Obama’s legacy without acknowledging our tug of war may likely have moved on to something new in six months. But Obama is taking some important steps for crisis communications:
- He showed concern about the IRS issue by saying, “Americans have a right to be angry about it, and I’m angry about it.”
- He took action by accepting the resignation of the top person of the IRS.
- The White House released e-mails related to Benghazi.
- He brought back legislation to help legally protect journalists.
- He answered questions at a news conference.
- He for the most part keeps his composure.
- He asked Congress to help improve security at American embassies.
I’m not saying he’s right. I’m saying those are some of the moves you make when opponents say you’re wrong.
Of course, others might share examples pointing out the administration put itself in this PR mess in the first place. Fair enough. But these latest steps help the president reach his larger goal of refocusing attention to his agenda. He is building a dam against gushing water. But some water will always leak through. His critics also have public relations firms armed with strategies. Even if Obama registered tomorrow as a Republican and shouted “pretty please with a cherry on top,” critics know to share phrases such as:
- “We demand more information.”
- “We reject the apologies as insufficient.”
- “This is politics at its worst.”
- “He is not going far enough.”
- “We are determined to get answers.”
So the tug of war continues with almost everyone landing in the mud. Some politicians hope to score points. The media hopes to improve ratings. Too much of the public is desperate for details that prove that the opposing party is truly the scum of the Earth.
And I, of course, write a blog, tired of grown-ups who can’t solve problems or controversies without acting like the sky is falling and it’s the other guy’s entire fault.
Tags: Associated Press, AZ, benghazi, crisis communications, hillary clinton, journalists, marketing, media, obama, politicians, politics, PR, press release, Public Relations, public relations firms, republicans
Posted in Public Relations | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 12th, 2013
Some of the most maddening story pitches businesses and PR firms sent me were those not offering interviews with customers exemplifying the issues. I wanted to interview more than a boss, executive and expert. I understand finding interviews that put a face on a company or issue can be tough. Too bad. Find the interview. Don’t be lazy. Don’t take a shortcut. If you can’t personalize a story, don’t pitch it until you can.
President Obama understands the power of telling stories. During his State of The Union address, he shared stories of people impacted by issues we debate. The camera showed us those people in the audience. Seeing them is more powerful than only hearing about them.
When reporting, I often found in only an hour or two such stories after the station assigned me a story. A business should certainly be able to find stories to share with much more time to prepare. And you don’t need the president’s staff to achieve success.
Tags: AZ, media, Media Relations, obama, PR, PR firm, pr firms, president obama, state of the union, state of the union address
Posted in Media Relations | No Comments »
Monday, October 22nd, 2012
- Both men nodded their heads while listening to the moderator. Executives should nod their head slightly when listening to a reporter’s question.
- Candidates looked and listened to each other while the other spoke. That’s better than looking down while taking notes.
- A foreign policy debate should remind executives that when discussing complex issues, focus on headlines and don’t go too deep into details.
- Both men tried to bridge back to the economy. Businesses should try practicing bridging to key messages no matter the question.
- Obama says this is not a game of battleship. Businesses can use simple phrases to help people relate to complicated issues.
- Obama used stories and experiences to personalize the foreign policy debate. He told the story of a medic to help personalize the Afghanistan situation and its effects on our country.
- Romney used his hands when talking about China trade. Executives should use their hands to visually drive home points.
Tags: afghanistan, china trade, Communications, executives, foreign policy, media, media training, obama, policy debate, PR, presidential debate, reporter, Romney
Posted in Media Training | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 16th, 2012
George Will of ABC News called the second presidential debate the best debate he has ever seen. Here’s what the debate should teach businesses:
Both men told stories to explain issues. Good lesson for businesses.
Many media trainers like their clients to tell journalists “great question.” But I think after a while, it’s cheesy. Just answer the question.
When Romney said his priority is to create jobs, he lifted his thumb up. I like using hands as visuals to reinforce your points.
President Obama turned the last question into an answer that hit on all his important points. That’s a huge lesson for all businesses.
Some media focused on Romney and a mistake they said he made on Libya. Executives: Careful with facts. It’s easier than ever to fact check on the spot.
Tags: abc news, Communications, executives, journalist, journalists, media, media trainers, media training, obama, PR, president obama, presidential debate, Romney, second presidential debate, visuals
Posted in Media Training | No Comments »
Friday, October 12th, 2012
Our guest blogger is Duncan Matheson, President and co-founder of BissettMatheson Communications in New Brunswick, Canada. Here’s what he has to share after reading our blog on media training and the vice presidential debate. This originally appeared at http://bissettmatheson.com/en/blog/
I mentioned in my last blog that I’m quite into the US election, and by extension, the debates. I must say that I was much more satisfied with the vice-presidential debate last night than I was with that awful performance by President Obama last week.
Joe Biden, I thought, did what Obama should have done – challenged his opponent at every opportunity, acted as on-the-spot fact checker when needed, reminded viewers of the 47% video, and generally came across as genuine and with solid messages, presented in a credible way.
But politics aside, there are lessons to be learned from both Biden’s and Ryan’s performances for anyone who ever needs to promote their business.
In his blog The Flip Side, Arizona communications consultant Keith Yaskin lists what he sees as these lessons. I think his assessment is bang on, so I’m pleased to share it here.
- Biden made crisp, key points on Libya. Businesses must do the same on the topics important to them.
- Biden spoke with passion and used his hands.
- Ryan made it personal early on by bringing up Scranton, Pennsylvania.
- Biden told a personal story. Businesses should tell their personal stories.
- Ryan told stories about his family. Business executives should not fear sharing personal stories to make a point.
- Biden used the letters CBO. Executives: Don’t use lingo that many people in the audience won’t understand.
- Both should have been more careful about facial expressions. Media love to show facial expressions which could have unspoken meanings.
- Ryan told a story about someone he met in the military. Again, the media like to hear personal stories.
- Both men got too detailed about Afghanistan. Afghanistan is very important, but too many details can lead to losing your audience. Concentrate on your headlines.
- Biden says “he’s talking about my mother and father.” That’s how you take complicated issues and make them personal.
Those points complements of Scottsdale, Arizona communications consultant Keith Yaskin. It’s a good list.
But it wasn’t all good examples. When Biden pushed Ryan to identify specifically what loopholes his government would eliminate to afford the tax breaks he and Romney were promising, as has been the case throughout the whole campaign, Ryan dodged the question.
People see through that kind of thing. If you are a business owner, don’t do that. It will hurt your credibility.
Tags: Arizona, biden, business executives, business owner, Communications, communications consultant, debates, joe biden, media, media training, new brunswick canada, obama, politics, PR, president obama, presidential debate, Scottsdale, scranton pennsylvania, vice presidential debate
Posted in Media Training | No Comments »
Thursday, October 4th, 2012
After the first presidential debate, some people complained voters and experts often award candidates points for style instead of substance. Well, duh!
I try to keep up with important issues as best as possible. But I couldn’t keep track of all the details or supposed details Obama and Romney exchanged. Am I expected to fully understand Frank-Dodd and realize how the campaigns offer different definitions of a small business? I’m not Encyclopedia Brown.
Mix in voters scrambling to fit in meetings and family time into a 24-hour day and you can’t expect many Americans to always know when a candidate is twisting the facts.
In an ideal world, reading would be everyone’s favorite pastime, people would check out full stories instead of simply headlines and water fountains would also offer chocolate milk.
We may not like it, but style, good looks and how you deliver your words play a key role in success. That’s why some scholars wonder if Abe Lincoln, in today’s world, could get himself elected.
So don’t feel disappointed when the other candidate comes out swinging and treats the debate moderator like a college intern who can be ignored. If substance mattered more, more TV reporters would be ugly, more people on Twitter would compliment broadcast journalists on their stories rather than their shoes and sound bites would be a whole lot longer.
Yes, in the end, substance matters most. So if you want candidates who support the views important to your everyday lives, ensure those politicians wrap their details in style. Because what you consider to be rude and testy might be viewed as passion by others.
Tags: abe lincoln, America, broadcast journalist, broadcast journalists, campaigns, Communications, debate moderator, first presidential debate, media, media training, obama, politicians, PR, presidential debate, press, small business, sound bites, tv reporter, tv reporters, Twitter
Posted in Media Relations | No Comments »
Saturday, September 22nd, 2012
I’m a former TV investigative reporter. People often called me to help resolve their problems. Some complaints were baseless. Some I resolved behind the scenes. Others led to on-air special reports. Now I sometimes share our consumer experiences, knowing others likely have faced similar situations. We also believe sharing these stories is part of the essence of social media.
A health insurance company says it declined me coverage due to information in my medical records I had never heard of before. How is this scenario possible?
Our healthcare broker indicated this is an important matter to resolve. The medical records information previously unknown to us could prevent me from obtaining in the future both health and life insurance.
“Obamacare!!!” wrote a Facebook fan.
I don’t understand why he connects my situation and healthcare reform.
“Someone stole your ID?” asked another Facebook fan.
I don’t think anyone stole my ID. Someone at the doctor’s office confirmed the information in question is in my records. She said she did not understand the meaning of the information. I asked to talk to the doctor. She said she would leave a message for the doctor’s medical assistant.
A Facebook friend wrote, “Our new insurance did the same thing to [my wife] and she is the single healthiest person I know…by a long shot.”
Another Facebook friend posted, “Unbelievable. Fight it!”
“Be very PRO ACTIVE!!!” wrote another on Facebook.
As of writing this, neither the doctor nor his medical assistant called me back. I’ll keep you posted.
Update: I talked on the phone with the doctor. He is surprised the insurance company denied me coverage due to the information in my medical records. He says the information in question falls within the normal range. He will write a letter I can submit to the insurance company as part of my appeal.
Update: Doctor writes letter stating I’m in excellent health and clarifies misinformation.
Tags: Communications, Facebook, health, health insurance, health insurance company, healthcare, healthcare reform, investigative report, investigative reporter, life insurance, media, medical assistant, medical records, obama, PR, Social Media
Posted in Consumers | No Comments »
Thursday, September 6th, 2012
Our guest blogger is Duncan Matheson, President and co-founder of BissettMatheson Communications in New Brunswick, Canada. Here’s what he has to share after reading our blog on media training and former President Bill Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. This originally appeared at http://bissettmatheson.com/en/blog/
I like speeches. Before I started writing them, I spent 20 years covering them as a reporter, and while many were great, some were dogs but the majority was mediocre. And despite all those times I was bored out of my gourd wishing to god the speaker would shut up, and even mediocre ones can do that, somewhere along the line I developed a fascination with speeches and how they were constructed and delivered.
I read books on speeches, I deconstruct speeches, I listen to speeches in a pretty weird way – I watch for the cadence, the alliteration, the pacing, how the stories are woven together, the optimism, the hope, whether the speaker is grabbing and holding the audience, the emotional ups and downs, how the key messages are resonating, the tone, and I look for what the audience is probably walking away with. In short, I’m pretty geeky when it comes to speeches.
So last night, sitting back in the lazyboy watching Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention, I couldn’t help but marvel. I knew he was good, but I have never seen anybody deliver a speech with such mastery.
I am tempted to go on about why I found it so good but that would be redundant with so much that has already been written about it.
So instead, I want to offer a guest blog – not because I entirely agree with it because I don’t, but he does offer a good lesson that can be taken from Clinton’s speech. I will offer my take afterwards. Here then is Keith Yaskin, a media consultant in Scottsdale, Arizona:
http://www.theflipsidecommunications.com/2012/09/media-training-bill-clinton-shows-businesses-why-they-must-address-their-critics/
Here’s my take. In this example, he’s absolutely right. Bill Clinton hit head-on the major criticisms of the Obama presidency, and he did it with a master’s stroke. In this case it was absolutely the right thing to do.
Such is not always the case. There is a downside to answering your critics. For one thing it can detract from your own agenda. For another it draws more attention to the criticism.
The better strategy is to objectively weigh the criticisms and decide whether there is more to be gained or lost by going there. If the criticism is the proverbial elephant in the room and it is the distraction, as was the case with Obama and how he handled the economy, then yes, you best deal with it.
But that’s not always the case.
Tags: Arizona, AZ, Communications, democratic national convention, former president bill clinton, media, media consultant, media training, new brunswick canada, obama, PR, president bill clinton, reporter, Scottsdale, scottsdale arizona, speech, speeches
Posted in Media Training | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 5th, 2012
After I left TV news, one of the first videos I put together was for an animal shelter. The shelter told me it suffered from misconceptions about the conditions of their animals. I edited the video and showed it to a colleague for review. He criticized the video for addressing the concerns about the animals. He recommended against reminding people of the “problem.”
I disagree. The video must address the problems and provide answers. The video’s purpose is to find new people to adopt those animals. The video must convert opinions and transform them. If you don’t address the critics, the viewers walk away with the same doubts they started with. Without addressing your critics, you’re simply speaking to your supporters. You’ve already got their votes! You want the votes you don’t have!
Many businesses don’t address the criticisms they face. They put on smiling faces and come up with clever lines. They hope those gimmicks are enough to persuade people to ignore the naysayers. Sometimes the approach works. However, sometimes the approach only makes one particular target audience happy … and that audience is the one already in your pocket.
On behalf of President Obama at the Democratic National Convention, former President Bill Clinton, as if checking off a to-do list, addressed one by one the political criticisms of the current White House. Clinton even spent a chunk of time directly discussing the biggest anchor weighing down Obama: the economy. Some media experts may have advised not talking about the economy. They may have argued “Let’s not remind them about that. Let’s focus on better achievements.” That plan doesn’t work.
Yes, you want to fire up your base. But most of your base will vote for you. Everyone in the convention hall likely will vote for you. That’s not your target audience. Your target audience: the people not in your corner. You know what they hear. You know how they feel. Hit the pink elephant in the room head on. Don’t pretend she’s not standing there. Everyone is thinking it.
You may quibble with some of Bill Clinton’s facts or analysis. You may dislike the man himself. That’s not the point. The point is this: If you want to win and if you want to make more money, one of your key goals is to convert the hearts and minds of those who simply don’t get you. And that works whether you’re running for president or running a little animal shelter.
Tags: animal shelter, democratic national convention, media, media experts, media training, money, news, obama, pink elephant, PR, president bill clinton, target audience, tv news, video, white house clinton
Posted in Media Training | 1 Comment »
