Jan 13 2009
Keep Your Friends, Enemies Close
My Tenth Rule of Media Relations is The First Amendment applies to your supporters and opponents as well as you.
Sarah Palin has been talking a lot since Election Day about how the media was unfair to her during her vice-presidential bid. The Alaska governor must realize that not everyone likes her. Some of her rivals were willing to do almost anything to stop her from winning.
The more Palin belabors the point, the more she seems like she’s whining. As George W. Bush said during his final press conference Monday, self pity is pathetic.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew from consideration of Commerce Secretary after a “pay-for-play” scandal involving the state of New Mexico and a California company was discovered. Richardson maintained his office will be exonerated but he couldn’t let the incoming Obama administration suffer any damage from his problems.
Treasury Secretary-designate Tim Geithner forgot to pay some payroll taxes during a four-year span while he worked at the International Monetary Fund. He originally found the mistake and paid two years of back taxes. The Obama team then had him pay the outstanding two years’ worth of taxes.
Apparently, the mistakes came because Geithner thought his employer would withhold those taxes but didn’t do so. In any event, two of Barack Obama’s closest friends caused issues for him just as he is about to take office.
