I. “You lie!”
With those two words, Congressman Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina) now might have the highest name identification in Congress. Those two words are not today’s topic – Congressman Wilson’s apology is.
Crisis Communications 101 – Apologize!
Crisis Communications 101 (a) – Be Sincere and Mean it!
Number one without number two is a) disingenuous (obviously) and b) dangerous to you and your credibility with the public.
Here are Congressman Wilson’s comments at an impromptu press conference today:
When is an apology not an apology? See above.
The issue exists in the first sentence – “Last night, I spoke to the leadership, and they wanted me to contact the White House and say that my statements were inappropriate. And I did.”
If the apology isn’t coming from the heart, but instead because “leadership wanted me to” then one should not apologize. In this day and age where apologies appear everyday, the last thing an untrusting public wants to hear is another one.
How he could have sincerely apologized (hint – for the timing of the comments, not for the comments themselves):
1. “There is a code of conduct within the Congress. I did not live up to that code last night, and for that I am sorry.”
2. “While I vehemently disagree with the President and his assertions with regard to (said issue), the way I handled it this evening was totally inappropriate, sets a bad example, and for that I am truly sorry.”
3. “It was inappropriate and rude to comment during the President’s speech. The issue that should be debated today is the content of the health care package rather than my comments, and I have done an injustice to the President, my caucus and the overall debate with a ill-timed comment. For that, I have apologized to the President, the Congress and my constituents.”
Congressman Wilson missed a great opportunity for damage control, which not only hurts him, but also hurts the GOP as the issue of the day is not the contents of the President’s speech, but rather two words. That is a huge missed opportunity for Republicans because….
II. Finger Pointing
…last night was not the President’s greatest performance for a number of reasons, but one in particular. Finger pointing – literally.
The President continually pointed his finger, both down and at his audience. Repeated finger pointing while giving a speech often can appear to be angry, lecturing and defensive. On television, this effect is amplified dramatically.
As advertisements for Dry Idea used to say, “Never let them see you sweat.” The President earned the nickname “No Drama Obama” due to his ability to never let anyone see him (figuratively) sweat.
For one the first times in a long time, the public saw a bit of perspiration…
