The Bailey Blog

As a public relations professional, I understand the value of explaining both sides of an issue.  This concept has never been truer than during an election season, specifically the 2008 election season which will (thankfully) wrap up this week.  The American public has been subjected to myriad messages, including mudslinging about a candidate’s character and convoluted facts about issues.  Consequently, many of my friends and family members are confused on who to vote for and which political party really is looking out for their best interests.

As I sat watching a news program with my two year old daughter the other night, a commercial came on television, it showed a picture of a cat and the voice over read “this is not a cat, it is a feline” and my daughter looked at the television and said “yes, it is a cat.”  At that point I thought, ‘a two year old can look at these political ads and realize that they are misleading.’  It was then that I realized that in PR when you are trying to get your message out to you audience, simplify, simplify, simplify!  Sure, my two year old wasn’t the target audience of the party that issued the ad but I was and it wasn’t until a two year old pointed out the humor of the ad that I really took notice. 

It was after that night, I went online to the Citizens Research Council of Michigan Web site and spent three minutes reading about the proposals on the Michigan ballot.  They were clearly explained and I easily formed my opinion and knew which way I would be voting on Nov. 4.  I couldn’t help but think, ‘why didn’t someone just say this in the beginning?’

As I said before, I understand trying to explain both sides of an issue but sometimes PR folks become so entrenched in an issue that their explanations become too complex to understand and in turn, people tune out the messages. 

This elections season has not been short of learning experiences for the PR industry, but I believe that one of the most important examples of effective public relations has been that people will respond better to a simple truth rather than a complex answer that leaves them more confused and feeling vulnerable.

Photo by Hoosierguy at flickr.com.

Deal or No Deal is coming to Michigan’s Capitol. Or maybe it will be The Price is Right.

Maybe it’s going to have more of an Amazing Race flair – or the knock-down drag out tempo of Survivor.

The $64,000 Question is all about whether the Democrats will hold another primary election in Michigan.

Back in January, both parties thought moving Michigan’s primary to early January would provide a Wheel of Fortune for the Great Lakes State. Turns out they were wrong and we’re just The Biggest Loser. Unless you count Florida, but then we all know how well Florida does with counting.

In case you haven’t heard, Democratic Party officials, political leaders and union bosses have decided that Michigan Democrats should get a mulligan – they want to throw out the results of the Jan. 15 primary and hold another one on June 3.

Here’s the rub: they need the approval of the state Legislature but they only control the House while the Republicans control the Senate.

This could be interesting to watch. Of course, there’s also an ancient Chinese curse that says, “May you live in interesting times.”

A few hurdles have to be jumped to make the June 3 primary happen – and by saying “hurdles” I’m being politely optimistic.

First, Democrats have to raise between $10 million and $12 million to pay for another election because the state taxpayers don’t want to foot the bill. New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell apparently are willing to help raise money. So, let’s say they raise enough private funds to run a public election – ok, on to the second hurdle.

The Legislature must then draft legislation that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will agree to. Well, gee, that shouldn’t be too hard, considering how well their two camps have gotten along this election cycle, right?

The third hurdle is that once the legislation is drafted, it has to be approved by the state Legislature — that bastion of cooperation we’ve all seen handle things like the state’s main business tax and the state budget with aplomb. (Here’s where the Deal or No Deal and The Price is Right analogies kick in – get it?)

And, finally, we reach the fourth hurdle: approval of a delegate selection process by the National Democratic Party. That shouldn’t be too hard. Unless of course they don’t like something about the process and decide that the Michigan delegates shouldn’t be seated at the convention as a form of punishment. But, they wouldn’t ever do that, would they?

Cue the theme from Jeopardy…

Well, the hammer fell in New York and Gov. Spitzer will be “former-Gov. Spitzer” as of Monday, March 17.

The annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in New York may have a different feel this year, but despite everything that’s happened, New Yorkers have a reason to celebrate.

This line from Spitzer’s resignation statement sums it up best: “There is much more to be done, and I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people’s work.”

In the end, Spitzer stood up and did what was right. It doesn’t atone for the wrongs he made, but it reminds me of an old adage that I often use when talking about public relations with folks. It goes, “If you want to get out of a hole, the first thing you have to do is stop digging.”

With all the “private failings” affecting public officials these days, it’s nice to see one of them finally put down the shovel.

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer called a news conference Monday afternoon soon after the news broke in The New York Times that he was linked to a high-class prostitution ring.

Of course, there was no news at the news conference, but that didn’t stop the governor from sharing a few thoughts.

The statement’s available at the governor’s Web site, but here it is after being run through the News Conference-to-English Translator:

Over the past nine years, eight as Attorney General and one as Governor, I have tried to uphold a vision of progressive politics that will rebuild New York and create opportunity for all.
Translation: Look what I’ve done! Well, don’t look at everything!! Just look at what I’ve done that you’ve liked. Haven’t I done good things? See? I’m a good guy!

We sought to bring real change to New York, and that will continue.
Translation: Hell no, I won’t go! You can’t make me leave! Oh wait, well, technically, I could be impeached, but, um, I’ll just leak stories to the media about other politicians in New York and all the things they’ve done that people won’t like…yeah, that’s the ticket!

Today I want to briefly address a private matter.
Translation: This is private. See, it’s between me and my family. I’m just a guy. Guys have needs! It’s not about being governor. Did I mention I’m just a guy? With needs?

I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family, and violates my — or any — sense of right and wrong.
Translation: I’m trying to sound sincere and apologetic – golly, I’m just a guy and guys make mistakes, but I understand that and I’m really sorry. Is that sincere enough?

I apologize first and most importantly to my family.
Translation: Maybe I didn’t sound sincere enough in the last paragraph. Plus, my wife is going to take me to the cleaners in the divorce but if I show remorse, maybe some judge will take pity on me.

I apologize to the public, whom I promised better.
Translation: You voted for me! This is your fault, not mine! I’m a guy with needs and you gave me power and the power to get those needs fulfilled. Ha! Don’t you feel bad for me? Look what you did! This is your fault!

I do not believe that politics in the long run is about individuals. It is about ideas, the public good and doing what’s best for the state of New York.
Translation: Hillary didn’t know anything about this. You can still vote for Hillary!

I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself. I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family.
Translation: I’m a victim! I’m a victim! Have mercy – my gosh, would you want to face my wife? Look at the look on her face. I’ll be lucky to get out of the house intact. I’m definitely not turning my back on her anytime soon!

I will report back to you in short order.
Translation: Let’s see how this plays out in a few days. I really don’t want to resign and maybe I can dig up some dirt on my rivals that I can leak before I have to make a decision. Or maybe I can drag this on long enough that some other big news story will happen and then the media will be all over that instead. We all know they can only cover one big story at a time…

Mark Twain once said, “If you tell the truth, you do not have to remember anything.” Mr. Twain’s rule still applies even though he never lived to witness text messaging. Because today, if you send a text message, you don’t have to remember anything either, since it automatically becomes a matter of record.

Simply put, the concept of telling the truth remains something that we must all adhere to – before we do or say something we might feel sorry for. When in doubt, don’t do it. If you do, you are not being honest with your commitment to yourself or your family.

I have three questions that I ask myself to decide whether I am being honest and ethical.

1. Would I be happy if what I just did, or was about to do, appeared on the front page of the newspaper in the morning?

3. What would my mother say if I told her what I did or was about to do?

Another rule that is always appropriate is: The Golden Rule. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

It comes down to this: There is no substitute for truth and honesty. You can text that with confidence and know it will last forever.

Where’s the beef? Well, apparently, a lot of it is lying around waiting to be prodded towards slaughter. Sure brings a whole new meaning to the package label that reads “ground beef,” doesn’t it?

The heart of this latest brouhaha is that animal rights activists have struck again with more hidden-camera video, this time showing inhumane acts against animals just prior to being, well, killed and eaten. The irony is a bit thick, but the video raises an issue that’s being discussed across the public relations industry after it was mentioned in an article at Ad Age. At issue is how many times the beef industry can slaughter its own reputation and still survive.

Let’s face it – the beef industry has a tough job to begin with. They kill animals so we can eat them. After the animals are slaughtered, the meat that results is a bastion of bacteria, a repository for rancidness and an empire of E.coli.

As if the potential for damage on the nightly news because of some unfortunate food recall isn’t bad enough, now the industry has to put up with yahoos who get caught abusing animals, too?

The Public Relations Society of America has a Code of Ethics we strictly follow. Two of the main values are independence and loyalty. They guide us to provide objective counsel to those we represent yet be accountable for our actions. They also say we are faithful to those we represent while honoring our obligation to serve the public interest.

Tasty morsels that they are, animals raised for consumption still deserve to be treated humanely. And try as we might, PR professionals can only do so much. In the end, the clients who refuse to understand that they are their own worst enemy cannot be saved from themselves with public relations tactics.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig – or in this case ground beef.

The holidays are here and this Christmas Eve I won’t be nestled all snug in my bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in my head. I’ll be dreaming a very different dream of healthy Michigan residents and employees, of a healthy economy, of a decrease in deaths caused by cancer and heart disease – a dream of a smokefree Michigan…

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the House (of Representatives), not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. House Bill 4163 had been sent out by the committee chair and there was a great yell of triumph from the Campaign for Smokefree Air.

Children with asthma were wishing for the best, of visits to restaurants with clean air in their chests. And mamma in her apron could work for a living, without the worry of cancer the secondhand smoke was giving.

When out in the Capitol lobby, there arose such a clatter, the people all wondered just what was the matter? Ohio has done it, and Illinois, too, so many states were smokefree, why is it so hard for Michigan to do?

Then it became clear, there was smoke in the air, from opponents who warned lawmakers, “You’d better not dare.” “We have,” they said, “our own science for you; just listen to us, so you’ll know what to do.”

But it wasn’t enough, and CSA found their excuses easy to snuff. In a flash, we showed them the truth: smokefree air is needed at every worksite – from office, to factory, to bar and to booth.

The people of Michigan called out in the night, “please Mr. Lawmaker, please make it right!”

We want what they have – in Arizona, Arkansas, California and Colorado. Why can’t we be like Connecticut, Florida, Georgia and Idaho? From Louisiana to Maine, in Maryland, Minnesota, Montana – why they’ve even bet on smokefree air out in Nevada! New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, the Dakotas – residents are protected and smokefree, just like the folks in Oregon, Rhode Island and Tennessee. Out west in Utah, up north in Vermont, in rainy Washington and political D.C. - they’ve figured it out, so why, why, oh why can’t we?

So the lawmakers voted and did the right thing, they proved to constituents that they had been listening.

But then I awoke with a terrible start; I grabbed for my pillow and clutched at my heart. For I had only been dreaming of a smokefree Michigan, and I know those who want it will have to try again and again.

You see, the House has now passed it, but the Senate’s no cinch. We hope that it’s not our own Christmas Grinch.

So write to your lawmakers and tell them to vote; tell them you’re watching and you’re taking note. It’s good for me and for you, good for health and business too; be you naughty or nice, a smokefree Michigan is the right thing to do!

Ronald M. Davis, M.D.
President, American Medical Association
Director, Center for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention
Henry Ford Health System
One Ford Place, 5C
Detroit, Michigan 48202-3450, USA
Tel: +1 313-874-6276