Friday, March 3, 2017

Next Step: Look for Plumbers

This administration seems even more obsessed with leaks than previous ones (the Obama administration was more concerned than it should have been but not quite like this), what with various members holding meetings about leaks ... which then leak.

I get it--it is awkward and painful to have much of what you do released to the media.  But the sooner one realizes the two major rules of leaking, the sooner one can actually focus on the business of government.

Rule 1: Princess Leia was right ( we know it since she says this line in a British accent):



Rule 2: If one has less to hide, if one does not do stupid or morally repugnant stuff, there is both less a chance that someone will leak and less of a chance the media will play it up bigly. 

Leaks are the price of doing business--all governments leak, all administrations hate it, but if you want to be in the big chair at the big desk (oh, that's Bannon), then suck it up. 

Update: Rule 3: If you treat your people well, and make them feel included in decision-making, they are less likely to leak. 

I should have realized this early but two bits of social media reminded me of this--tweets about how Trump reacts to bad news by kicking down (abusing staff) and a Pod Save America podcast with Nicole Wallace who talked about why GWB didn't have too many leaks.

I will probably add more as this administration continues to face big league leaking.




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