In the days when folks got executed by having their heads chopped off, it was customary to make a deal with the executioner. Slip him a few gold coins and he'd ensure a
mercifully swift cut.
By today's standards, the political execution of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer was as clean a beheading as could be hoped for under the circumstances.
From the moment the New York Times' story broke, few apparently could see or suggest any alternative to the resignation that occurred a mere few days after the scandal
began. In politics, such unanimity of opinion is rather stunning, as is the speed with which the story developed.
That said, we should not be surprised that this tragedy unfurled so predictably or that the drastic steps that needed to be taken were executed so expeditiously. Indeed, from a
communications as well as a political standpoint, there were fundamental dynamics at play here that underscore crystal-clear lessons for all communications professionals - in the
corridors of corporate power no less than in the hurly-burly of electoral politics.
In particular:
*You cannot talk your way out of what you have acted your way into. There is no "spin strategy" that could have been implemented on Spitzer's behalf; no "silver bullet" to
mitigate this disaster. We do a disservice to our clients by holding out hope where there isn't any, while any hint of spin only enrages the beast ravening at your door. Sometimes
the best spin is no spin.
*When it's clear that a situation won't end happily, end it quickly. Absent the "clean cut" of a speedy Spitzer resignation, the paparazzi, sundry print and broadcast
reporters, and, of course, the bloggers go on a protracted warpath. They identify Spitzer's prostitutes, dig up the sordid details, photograph the rooms and, of course, find and
play the alleged audio tape if they can. There will be enough of such caliente coverage in store for us whatever may now happen in this case--but, had Spitzer lingered in Albany,
the salacious volume would have multipled tenfold. Ex-governors are still targets, but sitting governors are red meat.
*Understand just how big the fishbowl we live in really is. Spitzer's downfall began at his own bank. Then it reached the IRS and, from there, the FBI. Corporate executives no
less than public sector luminaries must be incessantly reminded that everything they say and do is discoverable. Once the discovery process begins, the whole world is watching,
and that, of course, includes the tabloids.
*Always be mindful of the necessity for teamwork. Some commentators actually criticized Spitzer for taking as long as he did to resign - forgetting, of course, that he was
compelled to negotiate with law enforcement officials and that his job was the only bargaining tool he had to stay out of jail. Their misguided criticism is a significant reminder
that clients always require the full range of professional counsel, with lawyers and crisis communications experts working as a multidisciplinary team. In this situation, there
was a key legal priority that had to take precedence over all other considerations. PR does not and cannot operate in a silo.
*Seek and empower trusted advisors at every level, including the most private levels. Executives need to be surrounded on all sides by confidantes as well as strategic advisors
- Jiminy Crickets who are in a position to identify personal excesses and upbraid arrogance at every turn. Know who your friends are. They're usually the people telling you things
you don't want to hear.
*Define the vulnerabilities in your brand. Spitzer's downfall is a classic example of the unforgivable conflict between public posture (the brand) and private reality. Jesse
Ventura flaunted his visit to a brothel and no one minded; many of his constituents loved it. But Spitzer forged (in both senses of the word) a sanctimonious public persona that,
once exposed, made professional survival impossible. Worse yet, Spitzer apparently believed his own imposture and his own hype, which is a form of pride that inevitably goeth
before the fall.
*Use peacetime wisely. Eliot Spitzer wasn't the first prosecutor to successfully pursue whole populations of miscreants but, perhaps uniquely in modern times, he created a
festering animosity among some of the most powerful industry leaders in the world. There can be no better use of peacetime than to create relationships, to tone down the volume,
to explore ways for mutually beneficial future collaborations, and to begin transforming enemies into friends or at least assuage their understandable mistrust.
Instead, Spitzer seems to have arrogantly eschewed the possibility of mending fences with business leaders who, though never targets of his prosecutorial energies, loathed the
very mention of his name because they felt they could be his targets, whether they deserved to be or not. As a result, even if there were some slim chance of his surviving, there
was no one to speak for him, no allies to remind the world of his positive contributions - only stockbrokers cheering his downfall from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange
(even referencing it to affirm the existence of God Almighty).
Gerald Ford once made a wonderful observation about Richard Nixon and his infamous enemies list. "If you need a list to remember your enemies, you have too many enemies," said
President Ford. Eliot Spitzer will need many fewer enemies and many more friends in the months and years ahead. This year's presidential election further muddies the waters as
even Spitzer's most powerful friends must run for cover. In the long run, however, history proves that almost anyone can seek and obtain public forgiveness.
In Spitzer's case, that forgiveness will require a powerful restatement of the "standards I set for myself," along with a more honest, less threatening persona if he expects to
be a credible bearer of those standards. PRN
CONTACT:
This article was written by Richard Levick, president of Levick Strategic Communications. He can be reached at [email protected].