Question of the day
Tuesday, Jan 20, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Setup…
Gov. Bruce Rauner has tapped an SIU graduate and Johnson County native to head his communications department.
Vienna native Lance Trover, who served as senior communications adviser for Rauner’s successful gubernatorial campaign, has been named the governor’s communications director.
His selection comes as no surprise to former Gov. Jim Edgar’s press secretary Mike Lawrence, who taught Trover in a “Politics in the Media” class at SIU and mentored him while serving as director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.
“He was an outstanding student,” Lawrence said. “I knew then that he would have a bright future if he decided to go into politics.”
I’ve known Lance since he was first brought up to the bigs by Team Topinka.
* The Question: Your advice for Mr. Trover?
- OneMan - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:22 pm:
Look at how the Quinn folks did twitter…
Don’t do that…
- TCB - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:28 pm:
No advice because I have no idea what it takes to do that job. But I do have a question.
Who has the best breakfast, Jumbo’s or Dolly’s?
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:32 pm:
Return calls and e-mails promptly whenever possible, even when you don’t want to, even when you have nothing to say. If showing up is 90% of life, then being responsive is 90% of a communications director’s job.
- Arizona Bob - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:34 pm:
Learn to lack specificity, without seeming evasive, in this administration. Tough job!
- Namaste - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:39 pm:
Have someone dedicated to Spanish language media and who speaks Spanish fluently. Univision and Telemundo are pretty lazy and will run with anything you give them, but you have to do the work. They often send along camera crews with no reporters, so you have to have someone ready at all times to tell your story in Spanish. Same applies for the various dailies and weeklies. They are so news starved that they’ll print whatever you give them in Spanish.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:39 pm:
Make sure Schrimpf gets regular naps and occasional Snickers bars.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:51 pm:
In the future, try very hard to avoid classifying one of your boss’ nominees as a transformer.
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:52 pm:
Don’t take a math class so you can have plausible deniability when it comes to budget issues.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:55 pm:
Proofread before anyone hits “send”
- annoyed - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 1:58 pm:
Never lose your sense of humor and don’t take yourself or your job too seriously
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:00 pm:
Amen, 47th.
Also, find someone who speaks fiscal policy to run communications for the budget. “I like numbers” is not an acceptable level of expertise. Nor is “The Governor is committed to a fair, realistic budget that promotes the state’s top priorities of education, human services and public safety.”
- realreporter - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:04 pm:
Run. Politics ain’t what it use to be!
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:09 pm:
What 47 and Soccermom, plus…
Just be real and tell the truth. If you dont have a good answer, give the shortest and best one you can. Dont make stuff up, dont spin yourself silly and never, never, play the victim.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:15 pm:
Be yourself and continue on your current trajectory. That’s what got you hired and promoted in the first place. Keep Lawrence on speed dial.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:17 pm:
realreporter — That’s true, thank goodness!
https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Caning_of_Senator_Charles_Sumner.htm
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:17 pm:
Share what you know as soon as possible, especially if its bad news. People hate surprises, more so when they find out that you were holding back information.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:19 pm:
Reporters have lives, too. Keep that in mind when you’re planning a 5:15 pm Friday document dump that could be done at 4 or 4:30.
- Old Timer - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:20 pm:
Proofread press releases and check your facts. Recent releases had agency heads as Secretary’s instead of Director’s.
- A&F - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:21 pm:
Large Diet Coke
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:23 pm:
Stick to the talking points ,answer questions with a question and never mention evelyn.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:32 pm:
Amen, amen, amen, Rich.
Quinn’s folks never seemed to understand why reporters got so surly when they had to plow through massive piles of bureaucratese on Friday night… Most reporters will respect (and appreciate) embargoed documents that are provided ahead of time. And if someone breaks the embargo, call him/her out by name and remind reporters of it the next time, when you DON’T hand out embargoed copies.
- DuPage - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:45 pm:
@Rich1:51=In the future, try very hard to avoid classifying one of your boss’ nominees as a transformer.=
His boss always makes me think “Decepticon- Carhartt”.
- walker - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 2:48 pm:
Pretty big staff around communications. Don’t let too many cooks spoil the …
Advice: deliberately leave your campaign mindset behind. Now.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 3:23 pm:
Proofread releases. Have an assistant verify it when possible. Spell check. Samething.
No matter how talented or not you are personally, you are seen as a reflection of your boss. How you treat the press, and indirectly the public, can go a long way to make your boss look good even if he isn’t. It can also hamper good things he may try to do.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 3:28 pm:
Always - always - remember that communications is an ever-expanding field.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 3:40 pm:
– pretty big staff around communications–
Walk, that’s a real good point. Trover will need to lay down the law that there’s no freelancing on message, that the the only vote that counts is his.
If I were him, and I had real authority for my crew, I’d liberate Shrimpf to explore the splendiferous career opportunities before him.
I suspect that will happen. Shrimpf has been holding on to a paycheck, for now, but the boss obviously didn’t think he was up for the big job. I’m sure he can hook up with one of the dozen or so second-tier GOPers running for president who are banking on the angry bit.
Edgar had a number of longtime spokesmen on staff when Mike came on board and made it his shop.
- Del Clinkton - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 3:56 pm:
Learn from David Letterman. After his “indiscretion” he opened his show and talked about it. Its never been talked about since.
The more you deny, the more questions. Kind of like keeping your tax returns a secret from the public, when your running for public office.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 4:13 pm:
My advice:
1) Be the person on the governor’s team who isn’t afraid to say “I’m not so sure this is a good idea,” and
2) Have atleast one person on your team who isn’t afraid to say “Lance, I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
- anon - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 4:33 pm:
Recognize that finger pointing generally makes compromise harder. Collaboration requires seeing the other side’s point of view, and seeking common ground, instead of casting blame.
- Not Blago - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 4:44 pm:
Whenever possible, let the media speak directly with department heads and other folks who have firsthand knowledge–be an enabler and a conduit, not a filter and/or gatekeeper. If the Rauner team does as well as is promised, there is no reason why folks can’t speak for themselves. It will make everyone’s job easier,and it will build credibility.
- natalie - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 5:00 pm:
Put Public Information Officers back in departments.
- anon. - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 5:19 pm:
Remember “I don’t know” is an answer.
- Don of a New Day - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 5:30 pm:
@Old Timer
A friendly FYI, certain agencies, such as DHS, DOT and DHFS are headed by Secretaries and have been for several years …
- flea - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 5:39 pm:
don’t trust anyone and keep your mouth shut
- observer - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 6:02 pm:
Remember. …it is not what is said….it is what is heard that matters
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 9:10 pm:
Cartoon snakes.
It’s all cartoon snakes these days.
Get one.
- Newsclown - Tuesday, Jan 20, 15 @ 11:13 pm:
Skip Sunday Pressers and let everybody have at least half a weekend off.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 8:47 am:
Rauner’s success will be based on results, not talk. Voters are talked out and only want measurable proof.
Don’t be clever. Don’t baby us.