Washington Whispers

Reid’s Comments in Game Change Signal End of Off the Record

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January 19, 2010 RSS Feed Print
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By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

The new 2008 campaign tome Game Change—which revealed Sen. Harry Reid's suggestion that Barack Obama could win because he is "light skinned" and has no "Negro dialect"—did more than tarnish the Senate majority leader's reputation. It signals the demise of the journalist-source practice of talking "off the record." The ground rules of the Reid interview are unclear. Reid's folks say it was off the record, but the words still ended up in print. Whatever, say two political PR giants. "I believe the media's own Internet services and the bloggers have rendered almost all the old reporting rules obsolete," says former Bush 41 spokesman Marlin Fitzwater. "I always told my young press assistants that there is no such thing as off the record," adds former Clinton White House spokesman Mike McCurry. "The transaction of information is based on trust, but I can see that breaking down between reporters and sources through episodes like this."

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acai berry weight loss oprah of 4:02PM May 08, 2010

Reid just can't accept responsibility. Look at his record and his comments. Just look at 2009!

Nevadans need to dump his sorry, lying, deceitful, traitorous kiester at the ballot box in November.

I will send my contribution to his opponent to dump Reid, the scumbag.

Fed Up of IN 2:38PM January 20, 2010

"Off the record" and "background" are critical concepts that MUST be honored by all three participants. An informed citizenry depends, in part, on media accuracy. Media members need to be smart (smarter than many of them currently are, I might add) about the subject matter, processes, policies, trade-offs, etc to have the full context of things on which they subsequently report. Government (and business, etc) need an informed and effective media to keep the citizenry accurately informed. The weaker any one link, the poorer the results ... for everyone of us.

But many in government and business are 'afraid' to talk with the media because of what some media members do with the information. "Off the record" and "background" interviews are core ways to ensure they are at least not ignorant when they report.

As to this case with Reid and his staff might be doing damage control by misrepresenting (lying about) what really happened. Conversely, the interviewer might be playing fast and loose with the rules to "get the scoop."

Everyone in government, media and citizenry needs to dig deeper on this. If the interviewer is lying, then no one in government or business should grant an interview with that person again -- ever. And media peers should take the offender to the professional wood shed. Blackball time.

Conversely, if Reid and his staff are lying, everyone should obviously know that, too, so he can be invited into retirement.

Waldo of RI 2:55PM January 19, 2010

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