Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Changing the Tides of Confidence Through Strategic PR

Over two months have passed since the explosion of the Deep Horizon well in the Gulf; however, the aftershocks of such a "game changing" event are still far from over. Since this catastrophe began the global FIN-Ecological-system has shifted from its previous state resulting in 11 lives lost on oil rig and two other related deaths; estimated 4.2 million gallons of Oil flowing daily into the ocean; potential of 38,000 jobs lost due to the government placing a moratorium on deep sea drilling; the steady decline of political capital of BP CEO and in the like a company share price at historic lows.

They say every American President will be tested in their first term by either external threats or internal political issues which will define a President. Polls today reflect a lack of confidence in President Obama and his administration largely reflective of its failed attempt to swiftly respond to the Gulf Oil crisis. Conceivably, unknown to the administration their appointed Afghanistan Czar, GEN Stanley McChrystal, would provide the proverbial life raft to the President and administration in order to change the tides of political confidence.

This blog demonstrates how the Obama administration was able to get the BP Gulf Oil spill off of the front page through the use of strategic PR. Plausibly, discussions occurring within the White House Communications Office for the past two months have been preparing for the day that the administration may claim since "Day One" its oversight has successfully saved the coastlines and fishing industry from the worst natural disaster in American history, well surpassing the Exxon Valdez accident in Alaska in 1989. Unfortunately, there are months before this headline or similar headlines can be printed and social media can make them viral. Since desperate times require desperate measures-an alternative communications strategy must be enforced in order to employ strategic PR. That is burying the damaging headlines that pervade across multiple media platforms daily eroding the President's ability to wield power and influence. It should not be forgotten that bad press is still press and in this case," the release of the Rolling Stones article" created the opportunity needed for the administration to show the power and swiftness of the President-that which was not present in the early hours of the BP Oil spill.

It is here that professional staffers search and prepare legislation for their senior leaders in an attempt to capitalize on the opportunity and/or as others would argue-divert the American public's attention from one failed policy to another. Put another way, change the political issue in the headlines in order for the President to have an opportunity to gain political capital and rally his base. Most likely, immigration reform was too hot and politically charged to address; while banking legislation initially had traction; but, stalled when particular members of the Senate Banking Committee refused to vote on the bill in its current form.

White House Communications staffers would not have believed weeks before they would find their answer in Afghanistan, much less through the help of a calculating Rolling Stones reporter, Michael Hastings. I would not be surprised if the Press Secretary presents a seat to Rolling Stones in the White House Press Corps for their recent "gift" to the President-the gift of a "Re-do," a moment to appear in the media as strong and decisive. The result of such action shifted confidence polls regarding the President that were mostly trending downward in the light of the Gulf Oil spill to one seen as favorable in the immediate replacement of GEN Stanley McChrystal with the "Rock star" GEN Petreaus, largely credited as the architect of Counter-insurgency doctrine and the success of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Political strategist in the future should mark the June 23, 2010 date. It is the date where President Obama very likely saved his first term and potentially earned a second. It is the date he relieved GEN Stanley McChrystal, former Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan for his disparaging remarks about the administration and removed the BP Oil spill from the front page headlines. Military Historians should mark July 4, 2010 as an important date in the history of the US struggle in Afghanistan. This date signifies the day GEN David Petreaus assumed command of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan and the date in which his legacy surely will be tested.

This could not have been scripted better, on Independence Day of all days; the administration's "Trifecta" is achieved. First, a few days earlier the administration skillfully used the White House as a backdrop to announce in essence that the Commanding General of Central Command would take a demotion in title to command US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. This was not said; however, within military circles this was observed. Second, the Rolling Stones article created the platform for the President to look strong in front of the American people by relieving GEN Stanley McChrystal of command for his disparaging remarks made about the administration and for quickly nominating GEN David Petreaus as his successor. Third, the President was able to send a message to aspiring 3-Star and 4-Star military officers that he did not have the confidence in their abilities to either promote or to be selected to successfully carry out his Afghan Strategy when he selected GEN Petreaus for the position.

This is where the White House Communications Office exercises the art and science of Strategic PR, the ability to send a message to multiple audiences via explicit and implicit communication forms. School trained as a policy analyst and strategist and additionally serving in the company of political, military and corporate strategist, one learns to pay attention to what is "not" being said, who is communicating the message, where the message is communicated, when it is communicated and the why. It is only then one truly understands the meaning behind the words chosen and their intent. This is what we like to call the story within the story.

One thing is for certain, if you are President Obama, you should still keep GEN McChrystal on your White House Christmas card list. If it were not for his lack of judgment and careless handling of embedded media, the administration's inept handling of the Gulf Oil spill surely would still be on the Front Page of media outlets across the country. Additionally, President Obama should thank GEN Petreaus for not only accepting his appointment; but, for putting his legacy and any future political aspirations in the complex box called Afghanistan. If one were looking forward to the 2012 Presidential landscape two potential challengers discussed in the past are now held very close.

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