By Susanne LaFrankie | The Save Jersey Blog
“I am what I am but I’m not a bully” …cringe worthy words from last week’s Bridgegate press conference, words which could haunt Governor Chris Christie since they’re eerily similar to those of Richard Nixon’s “I am not a crook.”
Gov. Christie’s team should have drilled into their boss’ head Rule #1 of crisis management pressers: don’t pull a Nixon and never repeat a negative.
There’s NO evidence that he was lying, Save Jerseyans, but that’s only half of the point in the world of public relations and perception. When asked if he was a bully, Christie should have said simply NO!
Look, Save Jerseyans: as Matt Rooney pointed out on Thursday, the Governor also did a lot right last week. For nearly two hours (107 minutes to be exact), he repeated his Mea culpa no less than 22 times.
He followed the classic crisis communication playbook by responding immediately being contrite, humble and apologetic.
Christie took control of the crisis acted decisively–firing two top staffers. He referred to his reputation as a no nonsense work across the aisle leader. He relied his existing partners – fellow Republicans (at least a few came to defense) like South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley – who stated on her facebook page, “[h]e did the right thing in taking responsibility in a tough situation.” Former NY city Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Christie “acted like a chief executive, he had “very definitive answers.
Christie even co-opted the media as an ally and full disclosure inviting them all to a seemingly honest very extensive press conference.
“Make no mistake: Bridge-gate has hurt Christie and slowed, badly, the considerable momentum he built during a sweeping reelection victory in 2013,” observed Chris Cillizza, the WashPo’s veteran political columnist. “But, assuming that no other revelations emerge linking him to the closure of several lanes of traffic in Fort Lee, Christie remains the candidate — with the possible exception of former Florida governor Jeb Bush — who is best positioned to build the coalition of major donors, party activists and GOP elites necessary to win the nomination.”
I think there’s a lot of truth to that statement. But as a former television journalist turned communication consultant, folks, in my humble opinion, Governor Christie committed two seemingly minor yet glaring mistakes.
The presser was way too long; that’s when mistakes are made. That unto itself isn’t fatal (since the town hall format usually works for him), but he talked too much and, again, admitted to a negative– ten simple words that threaten to define a legacy even if the current state of evidence remains the same as they reinforce the stereotype, however unfair and without basis, that he’s a loudmouth bully from the Garden State.
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VIDEO – Governor Christie’s 1/9/14 press conference
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNj3ve698DU
