The uproar over President Trump’s public remarks about Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough should teach everyone a few basic lessons in public relations.
- Common courtesy is the best form of public relations. If the president adhered to the rules of common courtesy he would not insult anyone using his Twitter account.
- Social media posts live forever. Even in the unlikely event of a presidential apology, Thursday’s Trump tweets are now permanently recorded for history and he will never escape them.
- Finally there is what we are calling the Brzezinski Doctrine. An attack on one member of the news media brings all members of the news media together for the purpose of common defense. We have seen this time and again over decades in journalism and public relations. Sworn enemies inside the media world will band together swiftly if one is attacked by a newsmaker, exponentially expanding any problem you think you have with one single reporter or news organization. We advise restraint in this regard.
