Xenophon Strategies

Year of the Scandalous Press Conference

Erica Lawton

At Xenophon Headquarters in DC we have a wall of televisions that are always tuned in to the major news outlets to help us keep an eye on the big stories of the day. While we tend to gather to watch major developments and events (as well as the occasional car chase), there were few other occasions that drew as much attention in 2011 as the seemingly endless run of scandalous press conferences.

From Anthony Weiner to Herman Cain, a number of notable public figures chose the tactic of publicly addressing their private lives, providing fodder for the media circus and multiple opportunities for the world to gawk in disbelief.

While press conferences can certainly be beneficial to share important news and messages with key audiences, one has to wonder what purposes these events ultimately served. As rumors persisted regarding the private lives of these individuals, press conferences seemed to be a way to cut through the noise and directly address each allegation.

However, these sessions added more fuel to the ongoing scandals. With delicate and deeply personal subject matter at hand it didn’t really matter what was actually said at these events – both the media and the general public wanted to discuss the most scintillating details, regardless of their truthfulness or relevance.

A press conference is not the strategy to choose if the intent is to not be completely truthful about the issue at hand. There are significant consequences for those who lie or hide the truth in the public eye; with the nature of today’s news cycle and the internet, news clips and sound bites can always be researched, referenced, and played ad nauseum.

It may be entertaining to sit back and watch a scandal unfold, but please, err on the side of caution – avoid a humiliating press conference.  You can be certain that we’ll be monitoring closely at Xenophon.

Over the next few days Xenophon staffers will be sharing their thoughts on some of the top stories of 2011.  Keep checking our blog, Facebook and Twitter for more.  

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« return to blog | Dec 23, 2011 | Herman Cain | press conference | Scandal | Weiner