Monday, March 3, 2008

How Republicans Handle Bad News

I recently discovered an interesting blog called Wake Up Call Missouri, and it provides insight into how Republicans might behave in the wake of the 60 Minutes report on the prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. In fact, the blog has produced several recent posts on the Siegelman case.

Wake Up Call Missouri is written by Rick Fischer, an attorney from O'Fallon, Missouri, which is near St. Louis. I have several reasons for liking Wake Up Call Missouri. One, I grew up in Missouri and still keep up with activities in the Show-Me State. Two, I'm a long-as-I-can-remember St. Louis Cardinals fan, and I suspect Mr. Fischer is too. (It's pretty much a requirement when you live in the St. Louis area.) Three, Mr. Fischer was kind enough to reference Legal Schnauzer and even use the photo of our cover schnauzer, Gumpie Poo, that manly fellow from Down Under, Queensland, Australia (home of the fine folks at Valleyview Dogs).

But most importantly, Mr. Fischer provides some fascinating insight into the way Republicans tend to act during times of crisis. Morton Blackwell, a Virginia-based consultant, specializes in teaching GOPers how to "handle negative information." (Hopefully, he will be doing a heckuva business in the coming weeks and months.)

Blackwell's clients include Ralph Reed, Jeff Gannon, two Miss Americas, and yes, our favorite Republican of all, Karl Rove.

Wake Up Call Missouri provides links to a couple of stories about Blackwell and his clients. One story is from the Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader and the other is from Salon. Very good reading.

Blackwell is famed for his "40 Laws of Public Policy." I wonder if any of them involve "telling the truth" and "doing the right thing to begin with." Somehow I doubt it.

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