Watching a press conference

[Dave]

I once said that I had training to find out if I could be a press spokesperson.
Well, humbly, the answer in my case is "no"...
I look with a jaundiced eye to see what people do in press conferences and interviews and most times, I gasp in horror at the mistakes.

But here are things to watch for when you see a politician or some PR officer standing front of a gaggle of reporters who are intent on asking questions.

These are the methods and tools of a good interview:
1) define the ballpark so that you and the reporters know what you are discussing. Not every question can or will be answered. SET LIMITS.
2) To begin the interview or the press conference create two, three, or four items that you want the public to know. NO MORE. Use them as a hammer uses a nail. These are your message. IF you have NO MESSAGE. sit down and shut up. You shouldn't be in front of the press. Prepare. Prepare. Prepare.
3) Assert your authority to control the discussion. It's your press conference not theirs.
4) Use your hands for emphasis.
5) Don't speculate. Don't guess. If you don't know say you don't know.
6) Don't volunteer information. If it is not in your opening statement. Don't suddenly add it without preparation or forethought.
7) Tell the truth in all circumstances. Repeat - Tell the truth.

Watch when you see some of these politicians and spokespersons on camera and see if they follow the methods or not.
When you see big mistakes or ugly-assed comments in interview, pick out the mistake.

[Riverwind]

If you want a good example we have them running for president,

Obama will usually pause a bit before making any statement, he did this when he ran for president and has done that sense, hence you seldom catch him in a blunder.

Romney engages his mouth before he thinks, just watch him. Good example is the interview he had with Brian Williams in the UK on the Olympic games, the question was not leading or looking to screw him up but Mitts answer endured him to the right wing Prime Minister of the UK and the very right wing Lord Mayor. NOT one terrorist attack at the Olympics by the way.

It would seem that Romney has had 'YES' men around him so long he has forgotten how to think, it shows every time he is in public.

Bush could not speak without saying something funny, it always came out wrong but he never said things that just piss you off.

Romney, 'I know what its like to be unemployed, I am unemployed right now'. is an example. this coming from someone that made 40 million last year. If I had been there I would have booed him.

But his staff is not much better as we have noticed.

I just don't think this guy or his staff is ready for prime time.

I can't wait for the debates, remember Obama is a master at that, he is going to make Mitt look foolish.



River

[Dave]

I was watching TV this yesterday when Mitt Romney decided to get out his white board and write down "facts" about the Medicare provisions of the Healthcare Law.

What he said in that was part of what I typed above -- he made his three points

And then at the end of it all, instead of saying "I'm addressing only medicare" to a question about his taxes, he answered that question with unsolicited information that he checked his taxes and didn't pay less than 16% or so. T

Thus violating two of the guidelines and creating more trouble for himself.

[Riverwind]

You know we really don't know much about what Mass thought of him as a governor, might be time to look into that.

If I were a comic, Mitt is the gift that keeps on giving, last one like that was Sarah.



River