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October 30, 2007
Tone deaf
I think I finally know what it is about the Bush administration that really irks me. Sure, the refusal to condemn torture, the incompetence, and the cronyism are all annoying. But really, after all this, can't they at least recognize a potential PR disaster when they see one? Apparently FEMA can't, as their impromptu press conference with FEMA workers posing as reporters illustrates:
In an internal memo obtained Monday by CNN, Federal Emergency Management Agency chief David Paulison rips the agency's public affairs staff for a staged news conference in which staff members posed questions to FEMA's No. 2 official, Harvey Johnson.
Paulison said the entire episode "represented egregious decision-making" by the director of external affairs for FEMA, Pat Philbin, and his staff, who, he said, "lost perspective of the core imperative that they preserve the credibility of our agency."
...
Paulison said reporters were given only 15 minutes notice for the news conference, held last Tuesday after the agency received a number of media queries about its response to the California wildfires. When reporters did not show up on time, staffers asked the questions -- and reporters, who had been given a phone number to call in to the conference, could only listen.
"Inadequate notice is not acceptable," Paulison said in his memo, and setting up a "listen only" conference call for reporters was "inappropriate."
"Under no circumstances is it appropriate for FEMA employees to pose questions during a FEMA press event," he wrote.
He added, "I am extremely displeased by what transpired and will make the necessary changes in order to regain confidence and credibility in the eyes of the people we serve."
It's not all bad at least. Apparently, FEMA's response to the California fires has been good. And after the Hurricane Katrina disaster, that is indeed very good news.
entry no. 993
Posted by oz115 at October 30, 2007 03:01 PM
Comments
White House slaps its own forehead and says "Damn, why didn't we think of that?" Helen Thomas better start arriving extra early to White House press conferences, or else she'll probably her regular seat occupied by a member of the Bush or Cheney family, asking questions like "Why doesn't anyone understand that drilling for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge is a key part of the war on terrorism?" or "Mr. President, how did you ever get so darned dreamy?"
Posted by: Pete at October 30, 2007 07:09 PM