Posted by
PRGuru on Friday, September 26, 2008 2:05:01 PM
As a public relations professional, I was blown away by Sarah Palin's convention presence. She delivered a speech that will be talked about for generations. Here is someone personable, pretty, folksy, charming -- Sarah is simply a publicist's (and conservative's) dream. So where is her freaking PR person? I mean, geez Louise, could someone give her some overall pointers that every publicist should have tattooed on their thighs? [Sigh.] Ok, I'm not getting paid for it, but here goes:
1) Sarah honey, we love you but the press hates you. Get used to that. Don't be timid or nervous. Do what I've seen you do. Use humor. Disarm stupid questions with a hint of sarcasm and a smile. They don't handle humor well. They get flustered. Think about how many weeks Obama had to defend his community organizer status after you skewered him (with humor) at the convention. Liberals can't laugh so they don't know what to do when people laugh at them. Use it more.
2) When someone asks you a question and you don't even agree with the premise of it, i.e. Katie asks "Do you think we're heading for another Great Depression?," I appreciate the fact that you tried to wiggle free of that, but if you don't RESTATE THE QUESTION, you end up with headlines like "Palin Says Great Depression May Be Imminent." You DON'T have to answer the question. Restate it. "Katie, I think Depression is too strong a term. What I do believe is..." and then say what you want to say.
3) When interviewers ask you the same question three to four times, feel free to say after the second time, "I believe I have already answered that question. Do you have another subject you'd like to ask about?" We really won't mind if you lay one across the media's face like that. Make them look like the idiots they are. Believe me, it will most likely get edited out. And if it doesn't, we will all applaud you sticking it to the interviewer. The mainstream press is almost as popular as Congress right now.
4) If you are not comfortable on the subject matter, always fall back on the fact that you're not from Washington. Just remind them you've been running small businesses and oh yeah, an entire state, so you've been kind of busy. The fact that you are not among the multitude of deadbeats in Congress is a HUGE plus for you right now. Use it constantly. Be informed for sure, but proudly be the OUTSIDER.
5) Don't just regurgitate what John thinks. Honestly, if he wins, it will be because of you. So we care about what YOU think. We're tolerating John to get you in the White House. The whole "two mavericks don't always agree" works well. Use it more. Be different than John. Win or lose, set you sights toward 2012.
Now, can someone send this to Sarah please? No charge.