Whether you think White House messaging is a chaotic mess or part of a cunning strategy to lob stun grenades at the news media, it’s clear that the new communications director fell on his face this week.
Anthony Scaramucci, praised just days earlier for a smooth performance in his first press conference, made the oldest error in the PR book. He vented to a reporter and backstabbed his colleagues in potty-mouthed language, and then seemed perplexed that his words ended up in print.
Later Scaramucci complained, “I made a mistake in trusting in a reporter. It won't happen again,” prompting one unkind observer to reply, “Isn't this Comms 101?”
We at Ragan Communications recognize that PR is hard, particularly for someone with little background in the industry. (Scaramucci was previously a financier.) Therefore, we’re offering the White House comms director free training at any Ragan event of his choosing.
Alternatively, we’d be happy to comp him six months’ membership in Ragan Training, allowing him access to free, online video lectures by leading industry practitioners. Either offer comes with a PR Daily-branded pen to take notes with—or to throw at the nearest wall.
Prefer to meet in your office?
If Scaramucci would prefer a strategic planning session with Mark Ragan, Jim Ylisela, Rob Friedman or other experts at Ragan Consulting Group, we’d be happy to offer the first one free of charge, right there in the White House. Bring in the boss! President Donald Trump is no slouch at his own gonzo style of communications, having tweet-bombed his way to the Oval Office, but he might be interested in tips for expanding on the harmonious communications we have seen across his administration.
Why are we so eager to lend Scaramucci a hand? Well, we’re patriots, first and foremost. Besides, that New Yorker interview was bad—really bad. It started with Scaramucci calling a reporter hoping to browbeat him into burning a source.
From there it went downhill. In a week in which the administration wanted to focus on its success against the MS-13 gang, everyone is instead talking about how Scaramucci called White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus “a f---ing paranoid schizophrenic.” He accused Chief Strategist Steve Bannon of engaging in anatomically improbable acts.
He gave The New York Times—never shy about covering the warts of the Trump administration—a pretext to break new ground in American journalism by printing language a demented sex offender (or Hollywood screenwriter) might use after smacking his thumb with a ball-peen hammer.
Others noticed as well. “Anthony Scaramucci’s vulgar New Yorker interview is beyond words,” howled The Washington Post. “How Long Can This Go On?” The Atlantic puzzled.
“One of Trump’s top aides viciously attacks the others, even as the president lambastes his own attorney general,” The Atlantic added. “Is there any limit on this administration’s dysfunction?”
You had one job
PR pros were gobsmacked both at the interview and at Scaramucci’s bitter tweet afterwards.
Oh my god. Rookie move, Mooch. Every #PR pro & spokesperson needs to read this. "Off the record" doesn't exist! https://t.co/oDlDdFZzXn
— Brian Hart (@BrianHartPR) July 28, 2017
Others offered pointers, but we’re not sure their counsel will be enough to right the ship.
You had one job. Any PR or Communications person should know that. Like the rest of the cabinet, you are unfit for the most basic position.
— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) July 28, 2017
The administration’s close friends in the press, meanwhile, were making light of the Scaramucci kerfuffle on Friday.
According to pool reporter on Air Force One, @Reince45 and @Scaramucci did not sit together on Air Force One. It landed safely on L.I.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) July 28, 2017
Let’s just say the optics are not the best. That’s why we’re stepping in with this one-time opportunity for the beleaguered communicator.
More about our generous offer
Scaramucci may be wondering, so what’s with this conference deal? We are sure he would appreciate our Leadership and Executive Communications Conference, to be held Sept. 18 in Washington, D.C., an easy limousine ride from his White House office. If he would like a Groucho nose and glasses so he can slip in undercover, we’ll even scare up a pair.
We feel the White House comms boss might hit it off with some of our speakers, including executive communications chiefs from Honeywell, Samsung, Microsoft Canada, Walt Disney World Resort, McDonald’s and elsewhere. Be forewarned, however, that none of them have been quoted as promising to “f---ing kill all the leakers” within their organization.
To avoid potential awkwardness, we’ll do our best to keep our likeable White House guest from crossing paths with conference keynote speaker Sarah Hurwitz, former head speechwriter for Michelle Obama.
If he opts for the Ragan Training option, Scaramucci might be interested in our crisis comms or PR sections. May we suggest that he start with an area of his expertise: “Making Your Own News: How to use internal stories to create externalmedia opportunities.”
We also have a wealth of tactics and strategies for him to catch up on. You can catch them at your desk, on the treadmill or while doing household chores during the weekend.
But Mr. Scaramucci? Until we get you up to speed, don’t make any calls to the press.
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