Potomac Flacks

Help a Reporter

Have you ever read a story and thought to yourself, "my client should have been part of that story. Why didn't I know about it?" Well, now there's a free resource for you: HelpAReporter.com. I've been subscribing to the listserv for a few months.

It's like Profnet, only free. Three times a day, the site administrator - Peter Shankman - sends out an e-mail with requests from journalists who need sources for stories. Peter also sends out updates about his PR escapades and his life adventures too (he seems to like a lot of adventure sports and appearing on O'Reilly).

Warning: this isn't for everyone - I think this is most helpful for PR firm flacks, not necessarily people on the Hill or associations. But, why not sign up and try it - after all, it's free.

You know You're a Political Staffer When . . .

For those of you addicted to Facebook (like me), you might have already seen the group, You Know You're a Political Staffer When . . ., however I thought this applied to a lot of Potomac Flakcers as well, so I pulled out some of my favorites. Feel free to add your own in the comments section. Happy reading!

• Indy is not a form of music
• No one looks at you funny when you sleep at the office
• A perfect boyfriend/girlfriend is someone who can actually put up with your work hours
• You know that perfect person doesn’t exist
• You work insane hours for little money. . . And you love it
• Your friends visit your office to make sure you’re still alive
• Therapy is something you wish you could get for free after the election
• Your track record, has nothing to do with sports
• Your best friend’s name is Blackberry
• You have played some kind of sport in your office at least once (i.e. baseball, kickball, football, basketball, etc.)
• You have come to work when you look like you’re about to keel over and die
• And you did it by choice
• Your car doubles as a closet during campaign season because frankly, you’re not quite sure when you’ll get home
• You have gone 48 hours plus without sleep
• Your desk kind of reminds you of the movie Twister, well after the tornado hit
• You watch either 24 or the West Wing compulsively
• When your power goes out or your telephone is disconnected you immediately blame it on the Democrats, or Republicans
• You have encountered at least 3 volunteers whom you are sure escaped from a Mental Institution
• All your friends say how “professional and cute” you look while you’re running around on your blackberry trying to prevent Armageddon

We Want You!

Unfortunately, over the past few months, some of our bloggers have moved or changed jobs and Potomac Flacks needs some extra help. So, we are looking for a few good volunteers to troll the blogs, read the trades and bug their friends for scoops and stories about the PR community in Washington. It doesn't take much time and it's easy to do.

Please remember that Potomac Flacks is non-partisan, so we want scoop and opinion from both sides of the aisle and everything in between. And, we would like for people to write more than just about job changes in Washington - this blog is all about the PR business. So, you can be creative. And, you don't have to send your posts through a vet process like you do a work - what freedom!

If you are interested, please e-mail me at lgross@scottcircle.com. Thank you.

Blogger-Strategists Stoller & Bowers to leave MyDD

Matt Stoller and Chris Bowers, chief writers for progressive mega-blog MyDD.com and campaign strategists, announced plans to leave the site and start a new blog venture at the annual Take Back America conference today.

"We're working on the name," Bowers said. Stoller and Bowers declined to comment further on their plans. They participated in a panel discussion entitled, "The Blogosphere: From Ideas to Action."

Stoller has served as strategist and Internet consultant on a number of high-profile campaigns, including the "Draft Wesley Clark" movement in 2004 and Jon Corzine for Governor (NJ) in 2005.

 

More Blogger-Flack Relations, Giuliani Edition

After reading our post on Team Biden's blogger relations, a tipster points us toward this writeup of Rudy Giuliani's recent quasi-campaign trip to New Hampshire.  As a blogger tried to cover Rudy's event from the press area (after receiving a press pass from the event organizers), he claims that one of Rudy's flacks tried to kick him out:

All of a sudden, a blond blur of Blackberry, Gucci, Neiman Marcus and Prada bustled over to me and chirped, "What are YOU doing here?" And then, without letting me even answer the question, Gucci continued, "YOU can't be down here!"

"I'm press," I responded. Nicely. Holding up my press pass. Gucci's jeweled snout snorted, "Oh? With who?" "I have a Blog. I'm covering the New Hampshire Primary.."

Gucci didn't let me finish, "Bloggers aren't allowed down here. This area is for press." I held up my press pass again. Nicely. Gucci actually started to check her Blackberry as she continued the conversation, "You can't be up here," she repeated herself.

According to the blogger's account, Giuliani's flack ultimately relented after learning that the state party had approved the blogger's pass.  Another source in the room tells us that the blogger's account isn't accurate.  Whatever the true story, bloggers' coverage of campaign events is definitely creating some challenges for campaign flacks.

Lesson For Hill Flacks: How Not to Deal with Bloggers

Lots of Hill flacks have told us stories of feeling burned by bloggers after engaging in well-meaning outreach on their bosses' behalf.  Danny Glover of Beltway Blogroll shares a cautionary tale involving Sen. Joe Biden (right) spokesguy Eric Carbone and Daily Kos.  Glover tells Hill flacks:

You're much better off griping to me about bloggers on background than you are going on the record and taking your complaints directly to the source. Odds are good that the blogger you criticize is going to react just as Kos did -- by mocking you and attacking your boss with even more ferocity.

Not a bad idea...someone should take him up on that offer. 

Three-Quarters of MoCs with Blogs Draft Own Postings? Riiight

I'm a bit late on this, but Beltway Blogroll recently noted a new George Washington University survey of blog readership on Capitol Hill.  Among the most interesting findings:

...only 11.5 percent of actual lawmakers are blog readers, while 93.6 percent of their senior flacks keep one eye on the blogosphere. The rest of the numbers: 34.6 percent of junior communications staffers, 51.3 percent of senior legislative assistants, and 47.4 percent of junior legislative assistants.

But here's the finding that really jumped out at us:

Of the respondents from congressional offices with blogs, a somewhat surprising 75 percent note that the member of Congress him or herself writes or prepares the blog postings for their own blogs, while 50 percent of offices reported that Senior Communications staffers author posts.

As a former Hill comms staffer, my only reaction is disbelief.  That 75 percent would probably also claim that the boss drafts all of his own constituent mail...

House Makes It Easier for Members to Blog

All you House flacks out there no longer have an excuse for opting out of the blogosphere.  Beltway Blogroll reports that "the House this week notified its members that secure blog software is now available for those who choose to maintain online journals."

But don't think you can start blogging about what you had for breakfast this morning.

"The general rule of thumb is content of Web sites should comply with the same regulations of franked mail," [House Administration Committee Spokesgal Sally Collins said. "Such official mass communications by members of Congress include: constituent mail relating to public issues; newsletters and questionnaires; and federal publications, laws and regulations."

Techies Expand NJ's Blog Empire

National Journal -- the same company that brought you such blogs as Beltway Blogroll, Hotline on Call, and Blogometer -- is expanding its blog footprint once again.  Tech Daily Dose launched yesterday and will spend the first hours of its life blogging about the intersection of tech and the '06 midterms. 

Tech Daily managing editor Danny Glover -- who is also the author of Beltway Blogroll -- offered the inaugural post, and TD reporters Heather Greenfield and Andrew Noyes (a blogging vet) have also posted so far.  In my day job at Dittus, I help a number of our tech and telecom clients with their DC PR strategies, so tech flacks like me will definitely be reading...

Highest-Paid Campaign Bloggers: Clinton, Kennedy, Santorum

As a follow-up to Beltway Blogroll's post last week about paid in-house bloggers and new media advisors on the campaign trail this cycle, Bill Beutler of Blog P.I. took the time to compile a chart of pro-rated salaries for the bloggers mentioned in the original BB piece.  Beutler breaks down the data several different ways, but here's the top 5 in-house campaign bloggers in terms of salary (reflects Beutler's update):

Blogger/Adviser	Payment/Expenditure	Candidate	Campaign
Peter Daou	$60,000 (by way of FOH/HILLPAC)	Sen. Hillary Clinton	NY SEN incumbent
Michael Brodkorb	$55,200	Rep. Mark Kennedy	MN SEN open
Mindy Finn	$52,800	Sen. Rick Santorum	PA SEN incumbent
Luke Bernstein	$51,600	Sen. Rick Santorum	PA SEN incumbent
Laura Packard	$44,400	Sen. Debbie Stabenow	MI SEN incumbent

Jump in the Blog Pool, The Water's Fine...

No self-respecting Washington PR person would ever say they "didn't need" to develop a broadcast communications strategy, or a minority media strategy, or a trade media strategy.  Then why are so many of my fellow DC flacks so dismissive of the blogosphere and the need to communicate with it?  Isn't it your job as PR pro to look for new communications channels, rather than closing off options?  I know old habits die hard, but PR people also owe it our clients and bosses to adopt creative new strategies rather than cling to outdated methods.

As the leader of my firm's work to help our clients understand the blogosphere, I just wrote a short piece for our quarterly newsletter about how groups around town -- associations, coalitions, and companies -- really can't afford to ignore this new medium.  Now, off the soapbox...

Verizon Lobbyists Mixing it Up in the Blogosphere

The 463 tips us off to the new blog launched last week by Verizon's DC lobbying team, PoliBlog.  Verizon and the other phone companies have take a blogosphere beating from these guys for the last few months, so it's good to see them putting up a fight.  Plus, Verizon's bloggers seem to be doing a few good things, including:

• Having a variety of blog authors.  While not all of them have posted yet, the site lists nine different Verizon staffers as contributors.  That will spread the blogging time burden around and also provide different perspectives from different specialists on their lobbying team.
  
• Allowing comments on their blog.  It's not a conversation unless you allow your critics to respond, and they're doing that.
  
• Responding to critics. Lobbyist Link Hoewing blogged about broadband, and then actually went back and took the time to respond to a critic's comment. 

PoliBlog's editor is John "CZ" Czwartacki, Verizon's Executive Director for External Comms. Hillites recognize CZ from his previous spokesguy stints for FEMA, Sen. Trent Lott, Rep. Bill Paxon, and the House Republican Conference.

Edelman vs. Consumerist: It's On

Ben Popken, author of Gawker Media's Consumerist blog, is very unhappy with Edelman D.C. blogger and RedState vet Michael Krempasky (right), who reps Wal-Mart.  I'm a latecomer to the tiff and don't have a dog in this fight, but here's the chronology as best as I understand:

1. Consumerist posts several unflattering posts about Wal-Mart.
2. Krempasky invites Consumerist to drinks as part of Edelman's blogger outreach on Wal-Mart's behalf.  Consumerist says Krempasky asks that discussion be off the record, then asks, "What can we do to get you to stop writing about our companies?"

Makeover In Store for The Hill's Press Release Wire, er, Blog

Sorry, Hill press secretaries.  It looks like The Hill's Congress Blog -- currently a pretty lame venue for you to repackage your boss' press releases as "blog postings" -- may be in for a makeover.

Mike Grass at the Express reports that  The Hill has hired blogger Rob Capriccioso to "improve and dazzle" CongressBlog, presumably including adding some original reporting, gossip and other content.  In the meantime, Capriccioso is shutting down his personal blog.

Wonkette Finds Iraqi PR Gig Vedddy Eeenteresting...

Wonkette (left) is so excited about the Lincoln Group's  $6 million Iraqi PR contract that he's eyeing the revolving door himself (tongue firmly in cheek):

The contract calls for “a unit of 12-18 communicators to support military PR efforts in Iraq and throughout the Middle East from media training to pitching stories and providing content for government-backed news sites.” In other words, same exact thing Lincoln got caught doing last year.

Let’s see, 12-18 “communicators” at $6 million to $20 million for two years … that works out to …. GOOD-BYE WONKETTE, I’M GOIN’ TO BAGHDAD!

Sucking Up to Bloggers, DC Edition

In conversations with Hill press secretary friends, trade association PR folks, and other colleagues around town, it's pretty clear that plenty of DC PR pros are still trying to figure out how to interact with bloggers. Many Members of Congress and their staffers seem to view bloggers as reflexively hostile toward politicians, but the truth is that showing bloggers respect and engaging with them goes a long way.

The latest Business Week has a piece on how businesses are engaging with the blogosphere, noting that "blogger relations specialists" at PR firms (including yours truly) "are monitoring posts and chatting up bloggers to gain credibility."

Former Apple marketing chief Guy Kawasaki has put together a great list of blogger-relations tips on his blog, appropriated titled, "How to Suck Up To A Blogger."  Go read it.

These are all great tips for DC flacks, but PR campaigns here are unique, mostly because most of us are trying to influence policy debates or get something done on the Hill or within the Administration.  So, I humbly offer a few DC-specific addenda to Kawasaki's tips:

Senate Campaign Flacks' Online Hijinks

Apparently the pressure of the approaching midterm elections has gotten to a few flacks in competitive Senate races. Per Hotline's Blogometer:

• MN Senate candidate Amy Klobuchar's spokeswoman Tara McGuinness (who previously flacked on the Hill for MA Rep. Ed Markey) was fired yesterday for "viewing a possibly illegally obtained ad from Rep. Mark Kennedy's (R-06) campaign."  McGuinness was apparently sent the video by a sympathetic blogger who found a link on the website of Kennedy's media consultant.  The story from Kevin Aylward at Wizbang.
• Meanwhile, the Blue Jersey blog has caught state Sen. Tom Kean's (R) spokeswoman, Jill Hazelbaker, posting "several troll comments" on their website's comment boards. BJ matched up Hazelbaker's IP address to BJ commenters "usedtobeblue" and "cleanupnj." BJ concludes: "Jill - your campaign has been exposed. You're nothing but a bunch of liars, and sadly, you can't even do that well."

DC Campaigns Getting Message Out Through Top Blogs

Washington Examiner's Dee Ann Divis files another column this week on the use of blogs in lobbying campaigns (I blogged about last week's column here), this one focusing on the imporantance of getting your message out through other, better-trafficked blogs.  There's a mention of the blog outreach that my Dittus colleague John Pappas has been doing on behalf of the Poker Players Alliance.

Finding the right partner requires “aggressive listening,” said Michael Krempasky, who founded the conservative blog Redstate.com and now works for Edelman public relations. You want to determine “who's talking about what and who moves an issue.”

When the Poker Players Alliance wanted to dissuade Congress from banning Internet poker, for example, its PR firm Dittus Communications contacted avid players to see what blogs they read and then asked those bloggers to read their material, comment and link to their site.

 

Pat Cleary, Senior VP for Comms and lead blogger at the National Association of Manufacturers, is also quoted in the piece about building his audience by cross-posting at RedState.  I've heard lots of people around town describe NAM's blog, Shopfloor.org, as one of the best association/policy blogs in town.

David Johnson from Strategic Vision has also been using YouTube for clients:

“People will start hitting it up” and may send the link to others and mention it on their blogs. Even the White House has downloaded anti-drug videos onto the YouTube site in hopes of reaching its young audience.

Using Blogs in DC Lobbying Campaigns

My Dittus colleague John Pappas and myself were referenced in Dee Ann Divis' Washington Examiner piece today about how blogs are being used in lobbying campaigns.  John specifically talked about his work on behalf of the Poker Players Alliance:

Lobbyists, who lagged while politicians and advertisers tapped the power of the  blogosphere, are now actively incorporating blogs into their strategies and are  using smaller state campaigns to test which blogs and techniques work best on  lawmakers....

...Another  blog-focused campaign, this one on the national issue of online gambling and  Internet poker, triggered 8,000 letters to Capitol Hill in a single day,  reported John Pappas and

Adam  Kovacevich

, assistant vice presidents with Washington-based  Dittus Communications
We said a lot more to Dee Ann, but the other guy, from Strategic Vision stole our thunder.  Take my word for it - we said some smart things about the power of blogging in public affairs campaigns.