White House Watch: Bush's jammed PR machine

[maddezmom]

White House Watch: Bush's jammed PR machine
Posted 6/23/05
By Kenneth T. Walsh

Senior Republicans are increasingly concerned that the once-vaunted White House PR machine is misfiring or not firing at all. A big problem, they say, is that senior aides to President Bush who used to deal directly with the media during his first term and the campaign don't have much time to talk to reporters anymore. This group includes Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, and senior adviser Dan Bartlett. Card is focusing on nonmedia tasks, and Rove and Bartlett have taken on additional responsibilities since the November election.


White House insiders tell U.S. News that new recruits to the West Wing are gun-shy about talking to reporters because they fear making a gaffe or being accused by colleagues of leaking to the media–a cardinal offense in Bushworld. White House officials are still wedded to message control, with everyone speaking with one voice according to a script. But in the first term, a handful of senior White House and campaign officials divided up 50 influential reporters in Washington and took turns calling them–to keep the journalists up to date, give the administration's spin on events, and acquire intelligence on what the media were about to report. That level of engagement is gone, and this is making GOP insiders worry that the administration is losing valuable opportunities to spread its message.

~snip~
more:http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050623/23whwatch.htm?track=rss

[knowbody0]

1. house of cards

emperor has no clothes

[fooj]

2. Newsflash! They could give a rat's ass about "spreading the message"

The bastard just does whatever the hell he wants. Period.

The unbelievable arrogance and abuse of power will be their demise.


peace.

[napi21]

3. OR...the media is watching Shrub's #'s plummet and they're not

paying any attention to the WH spin anymore? OH GOD, let's hope so!!!

[Quakerfriend]

4. Personally, I think they don't feel that they are obliged to

talk with the media anymore. They've got their 2nd term.

They never cared for the media anyway- except to provide the spin that would keep them in.

Besides they know just how unpopular *co. is at this point.

And, I'm quite sure his approval ratings are way below 42%. Try maybe 32%, at the most.

Sometimes, I wonder if they fear for their own safety.

[phantom power]

5. Here's a nutty idea...

what if they actually solved problems, instead of spinning them? Then they wouldn't have to worry about PR, because the problems would be... well... solved.

So crazy, it just might work...

[patdem]

6. What a UNIQUE idea...SOLVE problems and do not spin the answers

I think Americans vote for people who are better spinners rather than those who will solve problems..(I do believe 2000, 2002 and 2004 were stolen) but when people talk of spin it should be in a way that is outraged, not some matter of fact statement that that is the job of politicans, and not to consider how to solve problems! :grr:

[patdem]

7. I must thank you for your intuitive analysis..here is the response I

posted:

I am amazed when I read about 'spin' and 'PR' when it comes to the people who govern this country. It should all be reported with OUTRAGE that they are not being honest and forthcomming..yet it seems to be a natural assumption that politicians do not work to solve problems, but simply spend all their time trying to make Americans believe that 'their' point of view it the 'correct' point of view..but not offering concrete solutions. I can almost understand the short attention span of readers, however maybe the 'people of old'..you know the ones who used to subscribe to and read the newspapers are still out there..and are hungry for deliberate, informative news in order to make the right decisions for themselves, their families and the nation.

This is why newspapers are failing and the blogosphere is burgeoning. You must take heed and do the CORRECT thing for America. You should not destroy trees for anything less!

signed by me and gave my city/state

[phantom power]

8. Hope somebody listens!

[rodeodance]

11. yes,

[freesqueeze]

9. Maybe They Should Adjust His Posture

http://www.freesqueeze.com/bushmelons.htm

This is the ultimate style over substance president.

Or better yet, if you want to keep people from accusing you or torturing people, QUIT TORTURING PEOPLE!

[Skittles]

10. they are juggling too many balls

hard to keep track of so many lies

[rodeodance]

12. good, let it jam permantently!!

[struggle4progress]

13. It's just that more people realize the Thuglicans are frickin liars. eom