Matt Collins
08-11-2010, 11:28 PM
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Gotcha Journalism
Date: Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:12:09 -0700
From: Kirk Shelley <dnk@training4liberty.org>
Reply-To: dnk@training4liberty.org
http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/cimages/8dbac5d3199a7199c9b1055e59e9e768/facl_banner1.gif
“When they do it to you once—and you learn, you become a philosopher…but if they do it to you twice you’re an idiot.” (I’m not actually quoting someone, I just made that up.)
I recently downloaded a ton of emails from local tea party people upset because the local media had tried to link them to the militias.
Now keep in mind, this is in Oklahoma, where we just had services for the victims of the Murrah Building bombing 15 years ago.
It was bad enough that the story was published, but what made it worse was that “our people” were trying to force the press to print retractions and were working up press releases to respond.
Thankfully, I was able to get the tea party people to stop, shut up, and quit returning calls from reporters.
Based on my past experience with local political consultants, the reason for the news story was to get something in print they can use—for either a TV ad or slick, oversized postcards—against pro-liberty candidates.
Everything about this episode looked like the work of a particular consultant. He was putting this together so he could get a damning headline and a damaging quote. (If you thought the AP reporter was a sleaze for pulling words out of context, wait until you see the attack ad).
The reason I advised people to ignore this, say nothing, and move on was simple, although highly unsatisfying.
The longer the story continued, the more press clips would be available as visual proof that their target is an extremist, or somehow too far out of the mainstream to be elected.
It was smart timing on the consultant’s part. It was right around the April 19 anniversary, there were lots of tea parties going on, and it was far enough away from the primary that the AP reporter didn’t know he was being worked over and used.
What can you do about it? Well, not much. You can’t stop them from printing stuff, but you can quit bringing more rope to your own hanging.
If you are talking to the press about anything that isn’t your issue or something you don’t want to talk about—Shut Up. You can’t win an argument with a newspaper no matter how brilliant you are.
But at least you now have a clue about what some of the attacks against our candidates might be, so you do have some options:
1) Predict it. In this case that’s risky, but you can preemptively claim that your opponent will use slimy tactics and character assassination in order to get elected. It’s these types of tactics that got us ObamaCare and the Bailout.
2) Wait until it happens and counter punch as hard as you can with flyer drops, response ads, etc.
That’s what Rand Paul is doing so effectively in Kentucky right now. They have done good self-vetting and research on their opponent and they are on the air with really good response ads within hours of their opponent’s attack.
3) Don’t give them the chance to attack, but go on the offensive and keep it up from beginning to end, changing topics every three days so they can’t put together a response.
You can forgive your enemy, but DO NOT forget. At least you know what is coming.
And remember this is a long term problem. They will pull stuff out from 10 years ago to distract people and discredit their opponents.
If you were quoted in the press about this story, you need to keep a copy of it because it will probably come up again and some “gotcha journalist” will use it out of context unless you have a copy.
I can tell you, getting on TV and being quoted in the newspaper is intoxicating. But it doesn’t result in change and it can be used against you later on.
Think long and hard before you return a reporter’s call.
Sincerely,
Kirk Shelley
Foundation for Applied Conservative Leadership
http://training4liberty.org/facl/index.html
Subject: Gotcha Journalism
Date: Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:12:09 -0700
From: Kirk Shelley <dnk@training4liberty.org>
Reply-To: dnk@training4liberty.org
http://paracom.paramountcommunication.com/cimages/8dbac5d3199a7199c9b1055e59e9e768/facl_banner1.gif
“When they do it to you once—and you learn, you become a philosopher…but if they do it to you twice you’re an idiot.” (I’m not actually quoting someone, I just made that up.)
I recently downloaded a ton of emails from local tea party people upset because the local media had tried to link them to the militias.
Now keep in mind, this is in Oklahoma, where we just had services for the victims of the Murrah Building bombing 15 years ago.
It was bad enough that the story was published, but what made it worse was that “our people” were trying to force the press to print retractions and were working up press releases to respond.
Thankfully, I was able to get the tea party people to stop, shut up, and quit returning calls from reporters.
Based on my past experience with local political consultants, the reason for the news story was to get something in print they can use—for either a TV ad or slick, oversized postcards—against pro-liberty candidates.
Everything about this episode looked like the work of a particular consultant. He was putting this together so he could get a damning headline and a damaging quote. (If you thought the AP reporter was a sleaze for pulling words out of context, wait until you see the attack ad).
The reason I advised people to ignore this, say nothing, and move on was simple, although highly unsatisfying.
The longer the story continued, the more press clips would be available as visual proof that their target is an extremist, or somehow too far out of the mainstream to be elected.
It was smart timing on the consultant’s part. It was right around the April 19 anniversary, there were lots of tea parties going on, and it was far enough away from the primary that the AP reporter didn’t know he was being worked over and used.
What can you do about it? Well, not much. You can’t stop them from printing stuff, but you can quit bringing more rope to your own hanging.
If you are talking to the press about anything that isn’t your issue or something you don’t want to talk about—Shut Up. You can’t win an argument with a newspaper no matter how brilliant you are.
But at least you now have a clue about what some of the attacks against our candidates might be, so you do have some options:
1) Predict it. In this case that’s risky, but you can preemptively claim that your opponent will use slimy tactics and character assassination in order to get elected. It’s these types of tactics that got us ObamaCare and the Bailout.
2) Wait until it happens and counter punch as hard as you can with flyer drops, response ads, etc.
That’s what Rand Paul is doing so effectively in Kentucky right now. They have done good self-vetting and research on their opponent and they are on the air with really good response ads within hours of their opponent’s attack.
3) Don’t give them the chance to attack, but go on the offensive and keep it up from beginning to end, changing topics every three days so they can’t put together a response.
You can forgive your enemy, but DO NOT forget. At least you know what is coming.
And remember this is a long term problem. They will pull stuff out from 10 years ago to distract people and discredit their opponents.
If you were quoted in the press about this story, you need to keep a copy of it because it will probably come up again and some “gotcha journalist” will use it out of context unless you have a copy.
I can tell you, getting on TV and being quoted in the newspaper is intoxicating. But it doesn’t result in change and it can be used against you later on.
Think long and hard before you return a reporter’s call.
Sincerely,
Kirk Shelley
Foundation for Applied Conservative Leadership
http://training4liberty.org/facl/index.html