MEMO TO FRIENDS AND CLIENTS
THE WINNING BIMBO
The New York Times editor Bill Keller insists that their front page story about rumors from unidentified but “disillusioned” aides was “not a gotcha story about some kind of quid pro quo,” but rather about Senator John McCain’s possible – or possibly not -- romantic involvement with a lobbyist. (We call your attention to The Wall Street Journal’s columnist James Taranto’s excellent award of a “BIMBO” to this nonsensical claim. The New York Times’ ombudsman debunked the paper’s tortuous explanation in a column the following weekend stating they had printed unsubstantiated rumors.)
Editor and Publisher, “Keller Defends Story on NPR – As ‘NYT’ Asks Readers to Question Reporters – and McCain Declares ‘War’ on Paper?” Feb. 21, 2008
The Wall Street Journal, “The Old Gray Bimbo,” Feb. 22, 2008 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120369981494086111.html
Runners Up
“He was anything but a monster,” said Jessica Baty, who lived with Northern Illinois University shooter Steven Kazmierczak. (But his act was monstrous…)
USA Today, “Family, friends cope with tragedy,” February 18, 2008
“It’s not about ego ,” former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said explaining why he was staying in the race despite Sen. McCain’s overwhelming lead.
The Associated Press, “Huckabee Says Ego Not Motivation,” February 20, 2008
WINNING INTERNATIONAL BIMBO
“Of course I feel bad that the government is in this position, but I maintain I did absolutely nothing wrong. I had no role to play in his appointment,” said Australian Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi of an ally being investigated for corruption, while simultaneously being appointed to a $200,000 a year job at an agency he controls. (He is probably correct, but the denial only reinforces the allegation. He should have said, “Mr. Scimone apparently had the right credentials, and the NSW Maritime Ministry picked him on that basis.” Note that the denial also becomes the headline.)
The Sydney Morning Herald, “Tripodi: I did nothing wrong,” February 24, 2008
AND THE REST…
“This is not an end,” former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, told reporters. (But it was…)
MSNBC, “Romney vows to carry on campaign,” January 29, 2008
“I’ve never seen another team’s practice film prior to playing that team,” said Patriots coach Bill Belichick, about allegations that he had the St. Louis Rams’ practice taped before the 2002 Super Bowl. “I have never authorized, or heard of, or even seen in any way, shape or form another team’s walkthrough.” (The coach told a very muddled story, being fined $500,000 for being caught taping the Jets last year. He claimed he had misinterpreted the rule, then took responsibility for the controversy. The story ended with the team spokesperson not returning press calls for explanation. Bottom line: his denial isn’t credible, and his claim to have misinterpreted the rule seems shaky.)
Fox Sports News, “Belichick denies taping Rams before Super Bowl,” February 18, 2008
A story in the Nashville Scene was a veritable feast of BIMBOs. Tennessee House speaker Jimmy Naifeh is married to lobbyist Betty Anderson, and when she switched sides in a cable battle and joined AT&T, Naifeh suddenly started facilitating an outcome that would favor AT&T. Anderson was asked about this potential conflict of interest and said, “I do not use my relationship with the speaker for undue influence. I don’t view it as a conflict.” She added, “I can’t deny that I’m married to the speaker. Obviously, I am. Do I consider that to be an advantage to me as a lobbyist? The answer is no. There are upsides and downsides to it. I do not abuse my relationship with the speaker.” (This would be laughable if it weren’t true. And if you believe this…well shame on you. )
The Nashville Scene, “Marital Bliss: Are the House speaker and his lobbyist wife teaming up for AT&T?” Jan. 17, 2008
WRONG THING TO SAY
Roger Clemens’ lawyer, Rusty Hardin, told The New York Times that if federal agent Jeff Novitsky attended the Congressional hearing about steroids in baseball “I can tell you this, if he ever messes with Roger, Roger will eat his lunch.”
(The widely reprinted threat drew a rebuke from Committee chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif, to which Hardin disingenuously replied that “I was referring to a judicial proceeding, not a physical encounter.”)
The Houston Chronicle, “Clemens attorney Hardin warned over tough talk,” February 11, 2008
USA Today, “Canseco: Clemens’ ex-trainer is a liar,” February 11, 2008
“They’re sluts,” said Colorado Representative Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs, about pregnant teenagers. He was making the point about an absence of shame about pregnancy out of marriage, but outrage was swift. (We personally agree with the representative, and this is an example of how a word – ‘sluts’ – can drive the debate. If he had made the point without that word, he would have been more effective. Note again that the word makes it into the headline, with his apology, obscuring the point he was trying to make.)
The Associated Press, “Legislator: Sorry for calling unmarried teen parents ‘sluts,’” February 7, 2008
“The thought of him [McCain] being President sends a cold chill down my spine,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The senator was actually reading a quote from Republican Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi. Cochran added, and Reid gleefully repeated, “He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper, and he worries me.” (We feel fairly safe predicting that this sound bite will be endlessly replayed when Sen. McCain is the nominee. Where is President Reagan’s 11th Commandment, “thou shall not speak ill of another Republican,” when we need it?)
CNSNews.com, “McCain Sends “Chill Down Spine,” Reid Cites Cochran,” February 6, 2008
Lawyer Michael Rosenbluth tried to tell Superior Court Judge Michael Cruikshank that his client, Melissa Arrington, wasn’t being “cold, callous or flippant,” when she was caught on tape while in jail laughing about having killed a bicyclist by running him off the road while drunk and driving with a suspended license. The judge didn’t buy it and sentenced Arrington to ten and a half years in prison. (The interesting thing about this example is that Arrington wasn’t the one saying hateful things about the bicyclist. Another inmate was congratulating her about “taking out” a “tree hugger” who was also gay. She only laughed and agreed with his comments. Arrington told the judge she wants to share her story with MADD when she gets out of jail. Somehow I don’t think they’ll be interested. She should have told the judge that she was wrong to laugh and that she was trying to be civil with the other inmate, and she should have apologized. Her lawyer made a classic BIMBO.)
Fox News, “Woman Gets Maximum Prison Term After Laughing about Murder Victim’s Death,” January 24, 2008
Answering a question from Maria Bartiromo about whether “…it doesn’t matter how many risk controls you have in place if someone wants to commit fraud?” French Finance Minister Christina Legarde replied, “That’s what the president of the bank (Societe Generale which suffered a $7 billion unauthorized loss from a trader’s actions) said to me in the last couple of days.” (While this may be true, it’s an astounding thing for a regulator to say. Perception can create reality. She should have said, “Not necessarily. The investing public needs to have confidence that we are always diligent and always trying to improve our abilities.”)
Business Week, “Christine Lagarde on the Soc Gen Scandal,” February 11, 2008
AND THIS IS TEXAS
When asked by a reporter about where the nation would go with Hillary Clinton as president, Texas Gov. Rick Perry replied, “Hillary Clinton as President? I guess ‘to hell in a hand basket’ probably would not be a good quote, but that’s the first thing that came to mind.” (Give him points for being honest.)
KXAN.com, “Gov. Perry Endorses John McCain,” January 31, 2008
“Technology has forever changed the rules of engagement between media outlets and the companies they cover, with repercussions – and opportunities – for all those involved,” wrote Kevin Bumgarner, editor of the Dallas Business Journal about an interview with 3D Realms founder Scott Miller.
MORE ABOUT WHAT’S BEHIND THAT QUOTE FROM THE EDITOR OF THE DALLAS BUSINESS JOURNAL
A DBJ writer interviewed Dallas-area video game honcho Scott Miller. He asked when the sequel to a popular game, “Duke Nukem 3D,” would be released, and Miller told him it would probably be by year’s end. The nugget was buried in the Journal, which is now also online. That means the topic can be Googled, and Googled it was, causing Miller, who had closely guarded the release date, to accuse the Journal of violating an agreement to keep the information “off the record,” and going beyond that to question their motives and integrity. The Journal responded with its own statement, but it also posted the audio from the interview, so that listeners/readers could hear for themselves what Miller had said – and what he hadn’t said, such as keeping the information off the record. Bumgarner’s comment about how technology has altered communication should be posted on everyone’s desk. And the changes affect more than the media and how they cover companies. The changes affect, or should affect, how a company thinks about communication and how it communicates with key audiences.
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2008/02/18/editorial6.html?b=1203310800%5E1592169
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