Jul 29 2008
Panic Stricken John Edwards: Media Savvy Tips
Is former Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, media savvy?
You make the call…
Fox News claims to have “independently verified” the reports of the National Enquirer regarding a secret rendezvous between John Edwards and Rielle Hunter, and the accounts go something like this:
Monday afternoon, July 21, 2008: Rielle Hunter, rumored to be the mistress of former U.S. Senator from North Carolina, John Edwards, checks into the Beverly Hills Hilton along with her infant son. The baby presumably is the love child of John Edwards. She’s accompanied by a male friend who is someone other than Edwards. They get two rooms: 246 & 252, according to the National Enquirer.
Shortly after 9:30 p.m. July 21, 2008: Edwards gets escorted to the Beverly Hills Hilton by a driver. His chauffer is Hunter’s male traveling companion. Edwards avoids the elevators, and is seen taking the stairs to an unspecified location alone.
At approximately 2:40 a.m., July 22, 2008: Edwards is spotted coming out of the stairway. National Enquirer reporters ambush him in the lobby with a barrage of questions (they were probably asking questions like: Were you with Rielle Hunter?… Are you the baby’s daddy?…Or, does your wife know you’re here?)
Edwards panics! He ducks into a nearby men’s bathroom and bars the door. Reporters try to push the door open, but hotel security shows up. There’s a brief scuffle between security personnel and the supermarket tabloid reporters. The reporters and their photographer are forced to leave the premises even though they were hotel guests.
Next day: Edwards flies to Denver, and avoids questions from the press about any alleged affair with Hunter. Edwards denied having a sexual relationship with Hunter last October, mind you, and insisted that she was just his presidential campaign documentarian.
This is now a HUGE DEAL! I’d say the National Democratic Party is freaking out! This is the kind of stuff that Harlequin Romance Novels are made of. It’s super scandalous!
You see, John Edwards is being considered as the running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama. You can bet that Obama’s short list of vice presidential candidates just got even shorter as a result of this incident. Regardless of whether or not Edwards cheated on his wife, Elizabeth (who by the way is battling incurable cancer), in the court of popular opinion, perception is reality. If it looks bad, then it is bad.
As a media expert, I’d say the Democratic Party needs some serious damage control. I would suggest all candidates - Democratic or Republican for that matter: show a sense of decorum and exercise some serious self control, at least until after November’s election; never duck into a bathroom to hide from reporters…it makes it appear like you’ve done something wrong; and lastly, and by all means, do not lie to the media. Tell the truth! If reporters catch you by surprise, then say something along the lines of “I can’t talk about this right now, but I hope to be able to in the future.”
Candidate Don Juan…are you getting this?
To your shining in the spotlight,
Alice Collier
TV Image Coach
Are you media savvy? Get TV Smart is my all new eBook that shows you 7 insider secrets PLUS provides you an inside look, from the other side of the interview, with some of TVs most celebrated anchors and journalists. www.GetTVSmart.com
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