On Covering Politicians

Through the mass media the public is able to ascertain the true nature of a politician in American society. To some this statement may seem absurd but it is intricate.

By his very nature a politician would be altruistic and work at accomplishing the best for his constituents and the nation. As an elected official, his beginning in Congress would be marked by a contract to be a public representative to the best of his ability. This is why as a Congressman he takes an oath on entering his office.

The Congressman would understand that as a public servant he would be scrutinized and his family goings and comings would become part of the public’s discourse. Being from a political family, journalists would question his every move and if there are skeletons in his closet they would not hesitate to report them.

Protocol

A politician has to be savvy. He would make remarks and comments. Journalists would engage him to determine if his comments were on-the-record, attributed to a source; off-the-record, information he wishes to be passed on confidentially; on-background, where his source cannot be identified; or on-deep-background, where the source’s attribution could not be used.

This is especially so at White House press conferences but apply to most politicians, as they report on their conferences and caucuses. There could be press embargoes whereby news could not be reported before a specific time. At times the press corps may be subject to a news blackout like when the United States invaded Grenada. Or, they might be inundated with overwhelming information with text, videos and sound bites that were used during the Persian Gulf buildup in 1990.

Through it all, the politician should be composed, demonstrate clarity of thought and give the impression of being open to the public. After all he is the public’s representative and servant.

Transparency

The ideal politician would be transparent. Gone are the days of the Penny Press (1833) by the New York Sun, Yellow Journalism (1898) and Jazz Journalism (1920) known for their preponderance of sensationalism, large headlines, pictures, blobs of color and manipulation to support questionable causes.

Edward L. Bernays in Cyrstallizing Public Opinion (1917) has introduced us to public relations. Daniel Boorstein did the same with his Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America (1992) and polls that have become a way of life.

Many politicians are busy kissing babies, cutting ribbons at opening ceremonies, attending state fairs, participating in parades, visiting hospitals, nursing homes and little league sports. They are looking for photo ops and know they have to be in the public’s eye. This is especially so with the present field of presidential candidates whether they are on the campaign trail in Iowa, Indiana or New Hampshire.