Jan 11 2009
Offer Your Viewpoint Without Taunting
My Eighth Rule of Media Relations is Saying “no comment” means “feel free to put words in my mouth.”
Rod Blagojevich may have put his foot in his mouth with his odd poetry-reciting press conference last week. At least, he didn’t let the press put his words in his mouth.
The Seventh and Eighth rules are similar. The Seventh Rule warns against hiding from the media when caught in a scandal. Wishing problems to disappear doesn’t solve them.
The Eighth Rule admonishes against defiance. Saying “no comment” tells the media you think you are better than they. That you don’t need to answer their queries.
If you take that stance, you’ll regret it. Ask Gary Hart. He was a Colorado Senator in 1984. He was among the leading contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination. Rumors flew that he was cheating on his wife.
Hart denied everything and told the press to follow him if they didn’t believe him. He added that reporters would be bored if they tracked him since he wasn’t anything newsworthy.
In very short order, photos were printed of Hart with Jessica Hahn aboard the boat, Monkey Business. Hart quit his presidential bid and soon retired from the Senate.
People don’t like to be taunted. “No comment” is a celebrity’s way of taunting. If you tease “Catch me if you can,” your rivals will redouble their efforts to catch you. Don’t do it.
Coaches and athletes us the “No Comment” all the time, and I don’t like it.
I agree with that, Purple. I don’t see the reason why they do it. I guess they want to avoid offering “bulletin board” material to the opposition but one would think they could conjure a few sentences that don’t inflame the other team.