Daniel in the lions’ den, that’s what I called the PR strategy.
When there were particularly tough, challenging issues, like consumer activist groups raising hell with this or that company, I’d go meet with the activists, sometimes accompanied by someone else in the company — someone with additional insights.
Recently, when California Governor Gavin Newsom was interviewed by Fox News host Sean Hannity, Daniel in the lions’ den came back to mind.
Mr. Hannity dearly wanted to discuss President Biden’s “embarrassing struggles,” according to an article in Yahoo. But Gov. Newsom adeptly kept discussing the president’s achievements, like creating millions of jobs, and getting bipartisan legislation approved.
This thing about “embarrassing struggles” — in other word, age — is getting old, actually, since various politicians whining about age aren’t exactly spring chickens themselves.
“Here’s the problem,” said Hannity, “your president can’t have this conversation. He’s not capable of it.”
Now, that’s a really low blow, you might conclude, since isn’t Hannity’s big boss at Fox News, Rupert Murdoch, rather advanced in age? And other high-achieving folks, like actor/director Robert Redford, and businesswoman, writer and TV personality Martha Stewart?
What’s that expression, about age is just a number?
In the lions’ den with Sean Hannity, and age was such a big deal?
Now… mixing it up with consumer activists, I can tell you… that really was challenging.
Mixing it up with Sean Hannity… from what I can tell… that’s another story.
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.