Then Why Talk to the Media?

UPDATE: I should clarify here that when I’m speaking of “the media”, I’m implying speaking of hostile media, like the WaPo, NYT, or other outlets that have chronically shown an unwillingness to cover the issue fairly. Obviously I’m not against talking to friendly media, or to reporters that have shown a willingness to be fair. But that’s not Sari Horwitz.

NSSF is warning of a media ploy to divide and conquer. I am absolutely sure that the WaPo spun a yarn with that story we highlighted, but the fact is the less gun groups say to the media the better. I am not anti-NSSF by any means, and I won’t condemn the organization like others are doing. I think this was bad judgement rather than bad faith on their part. We’ve talked to many folks at NSSF, and they are fine people.

I believe saying something is an “NRA thing,” in regards to policy on some legislation, is ill advised, especially to a reporter. Steve Sanetti is absolutely right about the media ploy, so then why talk to them? The media’s goal is to try to make NRA look unreasonable, and out of the mainstream. Their goal is to isolate them, so it appears that we’re not showing a united front. Likewise, I fully accept that Alan Gottlieb may have only had a choice of how much crap was in the sandwich, but again, I think talking to the media about it is a mistake. The media is the enemy, and the less we say to them the better.

h/t Instapundit

Related posts (automatically generated):

  1. Don’t Talk to the Media
  2. Educating The Media
  3. NSSF Summit Notes

8 thoughts on “Then Why Talk to the Media?”

  1. Some times the only exposure you get to those who are uninformed, and therefore against our cause (usually a low info voter) is through that media.

    Words should be chosen carefully, and more cameras should be rolling.

  2. Bryan is right. Not talking to the media is like taking your ball and going home. You may get some satisfaction out of it but you are definitely not helping your cause.

    1. When I say “media” here, I’m rather implying the media that is hostile. That would include Sari Horwitz, at the WaPo, or any of the other outlets, like the NYT, who have shown repeated hostility to the issue, and have repeatedly demonstrated a lack of fairness in covering it.

      Obviously, I would not treat friendly or fair media the same way.

  3. As someone who was a shooter (clickclick) for 10 years, I’m extra-super-wary of talking to the media as I know how easy it is to make someone look like an idiot (Google “Arnold Newman Krupp” for more).

    But.

    You can’t CHANGE the culture unless you’re IN the culture. Consider the media to be enemy

    1. … and be on your guard. Be polite. Pe Professional. Be friendly.

      Have a plan ready when the editors and writer turns your calm, rational interview into a raving gun nut threatening the overthrow of the country.

      Personally, I like what Hugh Hewitt does. He’ll do interviews, but HE keeps a recording of it, too (usually live on-air). That way he can call the media to task if/when they try to mangle the story.

  4. I disagree completely. The thing is, no matter how hostile the media outlet, if they want to find a “gun person” to talk to or to ask loaded questions to, they’re gonna find one. I would much rather have them talking to you than to some lunatic who will make us look bad. Piers Morgan is about as hostile as it gets …. Would you rather he have Alex Jones on his show or Larry Pratt.

    The media exists, and they are going to cover the issue. Making sure we have sane, well-informed people willing to talk to them is absolutely important and steering the MSM narrative however we can is imperative.

  5. As I have said previously on the Alan Gottelieb incident, as someone on the ground in the middle of that particular fight as it is with regards to a WA state bill, not a national bill, he’s playing chess.

    A lot of what he’s doing is playing the game to get them to basically kill it on their own. Turn their bill into a poison pill, doubly so since I’ve heard numerous gun owners in Washington tell me that bill is perfectly fine to let pass and gives them something so they’ll stop before they get more.

    Maybe we should stop being a bunch of reactionary monkeys hanging our friends out to dry over the word of our enemy… Maybe we should use the grey matter between our ears even though they aren’t able to.

    And sure as hell if someone’s taking a part of our cake, lets get some of our other cake back and make it a real freaking compromise.

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