FEMA stages fake press conference

[Guest]

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/...stages-fak.html

Homeland Security slams FEMA for staging fake wildfire news conference

Those weren't reporters questioning the deputy chief of FEMA earlier this week, they were federal employees playing the role of journalists during a televised briefing on the wildfires in southern California.

An agency spokesman tells The Washington Post that they didn't have time to wait for real reporters to come to their office near the U.S. Capitol. "We had been getting mobbed with phone calls from reporters, and this was thrown together at the last minute," Mike Widomski, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs, tells the paper.

So, instead of waiting for outsiders to come to their offices, the P.R. people just turned on the cameras and tossed softballs to their boss. That may be why Vice Adm. Harvey Johnson found it so easy to answer the questions, according to the Post. (A philosophical question: If the press doesn't come to your press conference did you really hold a press conference?)

Here's a sampling of the questions:

QUESTION: Sir, there are a number of reports that people weren't heeding evacuation orders and that was hindering emergency responders. Can you speak a little to that, please?

QUESTION: Can you address a little bit what it means to have the president issue an emergency declaration, as opposed to a major disaster declaration? What does that (inaudible) for FEMA?

QUESTION: Sir, we understand the secretary and the administrator of FEMA are on their way out there. What is their objective? And is there anyone else traveling with them?

STAFF: Last question.

QUESTION: What lessons learned from Katrina have been applied?

FEMA did issued an apology. "FEMA’s goal is to get information out as soon as possible, and in trying to do so we made an error in judgment," the agency says in a statement attributed to Johnson. "Our intent was to provide useful information and be responsive to the many questions we have received. We are reviewing our press procedures and will make the changes necessary to ensure that all of our communications are straight forward and transparent."

USA TODAY's Mimi Hall reports that officials at the Homeland Security Department aren't happy about FEMA's follies. "This is inexcusable to the secretary," spokeswoman Laura Keehner says.

She describes the incident as a lapse in judgment, but says "stunts such as this will not be tolerated" and notes that "the senior leadership of the department is taking this very seriously."

"This is offensive, inexcusable," she says.

Posted by Mike Carney at 03:15 PM/ET, October 26, 2007 in Media | Permalink

Edited October 27, 2007 by Truck4

[Oswegowind 17]

Didn't they make a movie about something like this, where they pretended there was a war to get a President elected??? Sounds like they tried to be a little too Hollywood...considering that is probably where this took place!

[Goose 188]

Your talking about "Wag the Dog." Not exactly the same thing. In the movie they fabricated a war for the sitting President to end and thus get reelected. Good movie though.

[PVFD233 68]

Pathetic.

[Guest]

[Guest Photounit]

Kinda make you wonder if they'll do this, what else will they try or better yet, what have they already done that they got away with ..........

[ckroll 101]

Kinda make you wonder if they'll do this, what else will they try or better yet, what have they already done that they got away with ..........

Yeah, where does the fabricated news conference fit into the NIMS ICS. .......It's a TASK FARCE!!!

[Guest pentax02839]

Well what next? It does not surpries me

Edited October 27, 2007 by DOC22

[Guest pentax02839]

Well I wonder if it would be alright if reporters put on a fake press conference, and they played the role of the Government. This type of stuff is really hurting FEMA

Edited October 27, 2007 by DOC22

[Guest alsfirefighter]

LOL. Is anyone really going to lose any sleep over this or really care that much if a bunch or windbags didn't get to ask their dumb questions...or even better the same question by 6 different reporters if they don't give an answer or don't have one for the first robot that asked?

Did they get vital information they needed and wanted to get disseminated out? That is the most important part. If this was done in the face of News12 half of you would post you love it being one minute some bash the press the next you are holding up a crying towel for it.

In the words of a PIO....YAWN.....Next topic....

[AFS1970 504]

Before Wag the Dog there was Capricorn One.....but you know, this isn't a bad idea really. Considering all the bashing of the press that we do around here, this could be the next step for a PIO to use, kind of like a live Press Release, where we control the outgoing info...lol. Besides you have to give them credit for trying.

[ckroll 101]

Did they get vital information they needed and wanted to get disseminated out?

I'm guessing you didn't hear the questions.

[ffdude13 5]

Kinda make you wonder if they'll do this, what else will they try or better yet, what have they already done that they got away with ..........

Thats almost too scary to think about. Lets hope nothing serious.

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

Who cares!!!! They asked the same stupid crap a real reporter would have asked.. Lets move on .