Palin's media blunders reveal what not to do

Last September, Republican loyalists, and a lot of folks in the middle, were excited. Sarah Palin had just rocked the Republican Convention.

She may have been a surprise pick, but she instantly gave McCain a spring in his step.
But that's before going off script. Palin was solid with a teleprompter when she was rolled out as McCain's running mate. However, she fell apart in the clutch.

I remember wanting to crawl under the couch watching the Couric interview on CBS. Palin fumbled lots of times; including rambling, complete confusion on the auto industry bailout and likening her state's proximity to Russia as foreign policy experience.

I felt bad for her. Palin was in over her head, or, at least, not yet ready for the job.

Inevitably, Sarah Palin will be back. She's got lots of fans, those who believe in her and those who find her goofs and mannerisms entertaining.

Look for Palin definitely as a GOP fundraiser, national leader on conservative issues, and even a presidential candidate.

Stay friendly with the media

In order to have any chance of future success on a national platform, Palin will need to change her adversarial relationship with the media. A political candidate, or any business or organization in the public eye, that conducts constant war with the news media only loses.

In Palin's case, you can't fumble time after time in interviews and be taken seriously by the American people. In particular, Palin can't blame the media for her self-inflicted image and credibility woes, as she just did last week in her final speech as governor of Alaska.

Here's something all political candidates should know that Palin doesn't get: you need the media. They will write the story with or without your help. Throwing your arms up and hiding behind Facebook announcements limits your reach and allows others to define you without your input.
In the end, you get more flies with honey. Rather than Palin continuing to insult the media, she needs to stop spinning her goofs and demonstrate she now has a handle on foreign policy and economic issues if she wants credibility.

If she is better prepared, I think a lot of voters will be drawn to her. But to be effective, Palin must re-engage with the news media in a more competent way. The last way to do that is to insult the microphone (the media). Palin will need the media and their interviews. Just hope she isn't asked if Africa is a country or continent.

Josh Sommers is president and CEO of Focus Media, a marketing and public relations firm serving the Hudson Valley. He can be reached at josh@advertisingandpr.com or 796-3342, ext. 303. Read his blog at focusonmarketing.blogspot.com or visit www.advertisingandpr.com. His column appears Fridays.