I really feel like the Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross has some smart people working with him, which is why I’m circumspect when I disagree with them about communication. But here’s a case where I do disagree, a lot. Perhaps it’s partisan blinders, heck if Bush were my candidate I’d…well to be fair, he couldn’t be. You’ve got to draw the line somewhere. At any rate I’ll attribute the normally sharp JoinCross Blog thoughts on communication regarding the early transfer of Iraqi sovereignty to being blinded by a partisan lens. They write: “For me, this [early transfer of Iraqi sovereignty] is a brilliant move. Not like showing up in Iraq on Thanksgiving-brilliant, but a good move none-the-less.” The mistake they make is treating the handing over of sovereignty like a mere process issues (and PR triumph) for Bush, instead of a substantive move that will likely, because of poor planning further rushed, result in terrible failure. It can almost be said that most people plan more for a night out with their spouse than the planning that has gone on here. I think most people will see the Iraqi sovereignty arrangements for the smoke and mirrors they are, especially when they hear about the next casualties that it seems inevitably come (with U.S. soldiers still terribly exposed).
Perhaps a picture of a turkey is worth a thousand words, but the proof may be in the pudding. This is a turkey with real consequences.
Comments 2
Event-Driven.
That’s what this whole Presidential campaign is coming down to, right?
I only work on the State level, but I assume that not many voters are going to be swayed by either President Bush’s or Senator Kerry’s Message at this point…
I could be wrong, but they’ve got their voters already. Anyone who cares to pay attention has made up their minds.
This whole thing is going to be largely event-driven. It depends what happens in the world and around here, as to who will win. Not whose message about college-affordibility..
That’s why I still think it was a good move. They got a couple of press pops out of it and they look like they actually know what they’re doing in Iraq. (which I sometimes even wonder if they do…)
That’s all I got.
Posted 01 Jul 2004 at 3:24 pm ¶Depending on how you define “event driven” I agree with you, but to me the “events” include the local and personal, like a local soldier coming back with post-traumatic stress or worse. The Bush Administration agrees with this, which is why they have been so against the showing of the coffins, and why he has not attended funerals of soldiers. So when you’re “designing” PR “events,” they have to pass the cognitive dissonance test among others. If Bush hands over power on a ridiculously short time schedule, then shortens it even more, while people you know are continuing to get forced out of civilian life to serve, and some are coming back truly harmed, suddenly the “organization” looks clueless and irresponsible. I have no reason to suspect better in this case, even if it is truly my hope that all our soldiers return healthy and, what neither candidate offers, almost immediately.
Posted 02 Jul 2004 at 7:07 pm ¶Post a Comment