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Scott McClellan -- a spokesperson isn't a public relations professional

Posted by Matt Kucharski on June 3, 2008 at June 3, 2008 7:47 AM

Amid the drama surrounding McClellan's book about his days in the Bush Administration were two posts -- one from CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen questioning ethics in public relations and a reply from PRSA's Jeff Julen.

Setting aside the irony dripping from Cohen's post (a legal analyst spouting off on ethics makes me laugh) and the "please take us seriously" response from PRSA, the entire debate misses one key point.

McClellan -- in his role as Bush Administration spokesperson -- was never a public relations professional. McClellan was a spokesperson. A mouthpiece. A tool (and it appears from all accounts a willing one).

A public relations professional is a strategic advisor -- helping clients understand what they should do, and what they should communicate -- in order to effectively (and yes, ethically) build reputation with people important to them. Most of us in the field, when faced with a client that we don't believe in, will respectfully decline to represent that client, knowing that our counsel would be less than effective. A note to Mr. Cohen -- I challenge you to make the same generalization about lawyers.

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