10 Good Tips for Elected Officials

The Utah Senate Site posted this on their blog today, and it seems like good advice for elected officials, no matter what state or political party.

And Nancy Cook Lauer at Stephens Media Group shared these tips for freshmen lawmakers...

TOP 10 HINTS FOR DEALING WITH THE MEDIA
10. Never change the ground rules in the middle of the game.
9. Always be 100-percent right in a confrontation with the media.
8. Never wear dark glasses during an interview.
7. Be organized. Be in charge of the interview.
6. Never say “No comment.” (at least without explaining why).
5. Always get your story out first. Truth never catches up to a lie.
4. Record all sensitive media interviews.
3. Be alert for the “waiting tactic” – the silence the reporter hopes you’ll fill with something off-the-cuff.
2. Don’t fight with people who have ink delivered by the tank car.

And the #1 hint if you don’t want to see your transgressions detailed in the evening news or on the top of the front page: 1. Don’t screw up on a slow news day.