I have always found Alderman Dave Cordle to be accessible, prompt and efficient when I have called or written and that's what makes this story so....confounding. When he apparently forgot to include CP when announcing his candidacy, I took it upon myself to find out if Alderman Cordle really is running for mayor. Neither the putative candidate or his consultant affirmed or denied this when asked why I did not receive a news release about his supposed announcement. I contacted Cordle with an email saying, "I guess you forgot to send me the news release.....????" to which he responded:
"Sorry Paul- I didn't do the release."
Neither did he send me a copy or provide any further information. How's that for taking charge of the situation when an underling failed to deliver? He neither took responsibility or corrected the situation. I then got an email from his consultant in the form of a comment to the blog. Neither did she provide me with the release. I was told I could find it at Facebook. I don't do Facebook. I asked again. I finally got a copy of an "announcement" which apparently was not a news release, as I was informed. Here is a sampling of its interesting contents:
MEDIA ALERT – February 12, 2009
Who: Annapolis Alderman David Cordle
What: Press Conference
When: Sunday, February 15, 2009 3:00 p.m.
Where: Parking Lot at 11 North Glen Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland
(across from Gold’s Gym on West Street)
[Why: Alderman Cordle will announce his candidacy for Mayor of Annapolis]
Did you notice the [Why:]? Oh is that why you're meeting? That's what we call burying the lead, or in newspeak, what is sometimes called the lede. It quickly gets more interesting:
Background Information
On Sunday, Alderman David Cordle will mark the week of the 125th birthday of his great grandfather, the late George C. Rogers, Jr. a Chesapeake Bay oysterman, who built log canoes and skipjacks in the 1900s. Cordle will discuss his long career of public service in the community, and that of his family. Another Great Grandfather, Thomas J. Linthicum was an Alderman in Annapolis, 1909-1910. Cordle’s Great Grandmother Katherine E. Linthicum served as city clerk 1929-1950.
Does he mark the week of the anniversary of the day of birth of his great grandfather every year? Does he make a public announcement of it? Does he normally hire a political communications consultant to do this? Is that why he's running for mayor and that's why I should vote for him? This was followed by a plethora of details about Cordle's law enforcement and military background, awards, education and training etc. Even if I had received the announcement, why would I have wanted to help celebrate the 125th birthday of his skipjack-building, great grandfather in a parking lot and hear him discuss his long career of public service?
Good grief! They pay consultants to write this stuff? They then fail to send it to some of the more active members of the media? They then continue to fail to send the release after being asked again? And after all that, when the release or "announcement" goes out it's about the candidate's genealogy?
I still don't know why you want to be mayor and what your vision is for our city. Is this because your communications consultant has not written it up yet? Neither is there a web-site. They tell me they did not have enough time to do that. So, you announce (purportedly) but don't even have a web-site up? Be sure to put a photo of your great grandfather on that skipjack!
This is what his consultant, Currier Communications says about their services:
The elements of a successful campaign are simple:
Know the Target Markets
Deliver the Right Messages
You need a brain trust that can help you run a strategic campaign, delivering the right messages to the right people at the right times.
Indeed. I guess they are not planning for this campaign to be successful. I guess that CP is just not the "right people". That's Currier, not Courier Communications and when you see their clients, you'll know what they mean by the "right people" (As an example, Ollie North, as in Lt Colonel and losing political candidate Ollie North is quoted as saying "These are tools we have not had before." What were they talking about--paper shredders???)
A word of friendly advice to alderman, law enforcement investigator, army reserve officer and now, apparent mayoral candidate David Cordle. Don't try to run a fancy campaign with fancy consultants. Save the money. Just stick to what you have been doing and doing well, which includes staying in touch with your constituents...at least until now. And buy lots of ads on blogs.....for example....I can think of at least one.
Again, we would like you to be our featured guest at a Sip N' Blog, but that would require a reply. The next two Thursdays are open but don't expect any more invitations if there is no reply to this one. Hope to see you there!
(ps I finally got to Facebook through a friend. It was the same stuff about the skipjack builder etc and nothing else--except some photographs...)
Please send comments, subscribe, share with your friends, and support our sponsors. Join us at Ahh Coffee! in Eastport almost every Thursday from 8-9 am.
Bay Daily on Hiatus
-
Congratulations to Bay Daily creator, Tom Pelton, who has accepted a
position with another organization working to make the world a better
place. In his ab...
10 years ago
2 Comments:
Paul: As a public response to your request, Dave is hoping to attend your meeting in Eastport on March 5. Thanks for the invite. He will confirm with you directly next week once he is sure that there is no conflict with his schedule at the State's Attorney's office - crime happens!
You may not like my style of media communications, which adhered to the AP Style for a media alert for an embargoed announcement with background information, but the CARDINAL rule for good communications is, "you get more bees with honey." I hope we can expect more of the latter from you, simply as a matter of civil public discourse.
Melissa Currier
Ooooh. Low-hanging fruit. Tall glass of water. There was no bait intended, but you took it. First of all, I am pleased that Dave will be our guest on March 5th, but DAVE--why can't you respond? The invitation was to you--not your consultant-whose clarity, promptness and effectiveness in communications has already been proven. (Sam and Trudy answered) You are the candidate for mayor in a small town and we know each other, so why the need to have this gatekeeper?
You are correct--I do not like your style of media communications--after I had to pry it out of you. In the first place you did not even communicate. In the second place, you missed opportunities to provide me with useful information. As for your "bees with honey" adage, it might be a CARDINAL rule of communications for some, but in your case it is more like an ALBATROSS rule. Since we are making ornithological references, surely you have heard that "The early bird gets the worm".
Yes, I am familiar with the AP Style Book. I used it in journalism grad school 20 years ago and have it in my hand right now but if you are still defending informing reporters about the week of the anniversary of the birth of Dave Cordle's skipjack building great, grandfather as more important than explaining Dave's vision for being mayor..well...that speaks for itself.
I am not doing this to be nice, make anyone feel good or win any popularity contest. This should come of no surprise to anyone. Neither are you, especially in light of your highly partisan, and highly conservative clients. The only thing you can continue to expect from me is the honest, straightforward writing and analysis I have always provided...simply as a matter of public discourse...of course.
So, is Dave really running for mayor because the only thing from your "announcement" or on Facebook is the line after the who ,what, where, and when that says [why] as I outlined in my post. I have not seen a quote saying he is running or not.Is he? Or is he not? (And which CARDINAL rule of communication does that follow?)
And finally, if you followed MY media instructions, you would have sent your comment to my email address for verification. But you won't find that in the AP Style Book. It's just printed above the comment box. Thank you.
Post a Comment