“Tell me, anyone see an answer to my original question in there? Does anyone see a promise in there to the question I asked? Does anyone see ANYTHING in there on illegal alien amnesty, the original topic?…This is like a Bible preaching Pastor given a zoning ordinance to influence what he preaches from his pulpit.”
We get campaign folks reaching out to us all the time – in the last few years the New Media has become more important in shaping and reporting on the news. Certainly to the latter, we try to get off the proverbial couch and get out to the local events and provide coverage (part of our citizen journalism here at the ‘Grok). To the latter, I still think that I like Jon Henke’s description of political bloggers and the advice he gives to politicians in dealing with bloggers (paraphased):
“Bloggers are like Pastors with a flock in their church. That Pastor has sole control of that pulpit and does influence all those that come to listen to him make pronouncements and giving opinions that they will listen to. Why? They keep coming back, Sunday after Sunday, to listen for more. They have learned to take those words and evaluate them for truthfulness; the fact that they keep coming back means they have vetted those words.
So too with bloggers – they are not your followers and they are not your staffers. Yes, they make like (or tolerate) you, but their first calling is to their readership and their independence. They are the gatekeepers to the folks you are trying to reach. Approach them as you would a Pastor – or you may not like the result.”
Tommy Schultz, the NH Romney Victory Fund Communications Director (and yes, that is how he signs his emails; I asked if he wanted to be called Tom, Tommy or something else – he said Tommy) should have been given that advice before he called me. He also should have listened better when I told him:
“Remember, I warned you that we go after both Rs & Ds (and savor every moment doing so).“
