Loose Lips Sink Ships

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS

In the dark days of World War II, Americans were cautioned: “Loose lips sink ships.” Times change, and a literal message in its day is now a metaphorical one which can be applied to political candidates. Off-color language in emails and videos, tasteless acts, or phone conversations thought private can go viral and create a crisis so serious that it sinks the candidate to the point of no return.

Before the Internet, many a business deal was sealed by mutual trust and a handshake. If someone reneged, few knew. But in the digital world, news of a breach of trust can go public in a flash. As individuals and businesses now rely on digital contacts, there is implied trust between people who may never meet in person. Internet commerce, including political campaigns, must rest on a foundation of trust.

Take commitments and statements seriously. Review your positions and ask yourself if they increase or diminish voter trust in you. If you discover it’s the latter, change course. Guard your reputation, your trustworthiness, throughout your campaign.

“Trust is the new currency of digital relationships”

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Page 243: Flash Foresight Daniel Burrus with John David Mann, Harper Collins Publishers, 2011,New York, 278 Pages

Tripping Up

Depending upon who eavesdrops, the outcome of a strategy meeting with your campaign volunteers at a local restaurant could very well seem as if your opponent had attended it. Negative comments about your opponent made in internal emails can get into the wrong hands and force you off message. At worst it can sink your campaign.

Likewise hostile social media videos or postings can end a campaign for public office weeks or months before Election Day or end the tenure of an incumbent candidate. So many possibilities lie in wait to trip up candidates.

Videos

As technology makes it easy to record anything anywhere, be aware when meeting in public, aware of where you meet and of what you say. An off-the-cuff comment can be recorded secretly and circulated. Likewise a secret video of you at a meeting held at a public place, one substantially edited to discredit you, can overwhelm your campaign. When such things happen in the closing days of a campaign, damage can be irreparable and recovery impossible by Election Day.

Emails

Emails can and do come back to haunt senders. So set the tone for every campaign email you write by asking yourself these three questions before you click, Send.

• Would I say it to the person’s face?

• What would I think if I received this email?

• Am I putting the recipient in an awkward position?

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Source: The Elements of Email Style: Communicate Effectively via Electronic Email. Angell, David, and Heslop, Brent. Mass. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1994.

Review your past posts to social media sites and your image overall. If there are videos, graphics, or comments that may prove damaging, prepare your comments about them in advance. That way you, not your opponent, manage your message, and you avoid being forced to take a defensive position.

Twitter and other social media postings by volunteers can damage your candidacy or incumbency as well. So right from the start, ask them to practice discretion when using social media. Make it clear that you will not post anything damaging to the campaign and that you expect the same from them.

Other Traps

Contact your state’s attorney general about identifying recorded phone calls. Some states permit recording calls without the other person’s knowledge. Learn what applies in your state to avoid being caught making comments you would regret were they to go public.

Now about microphones: It is common for candidates or elected officials to get caught making private or unattractive comments before an open microphone they think is closed. After a weekly radio address, even former President Ronald Reagan was caught by an open microphone as he made humorous comments about sending missiles to finish off the former Soviet Union. As soon as it happened, his staffers were forced to undertake serious damage control. So play it safe throughout your campaign by considering all microphones you encounter to be open.

Smart phones too. View every public event you speak at and every meeting in a public space as unfair game for someone to record and upload to U Tube. Whether you call it paranoid or prudent, it’s reality. Never furnish anyone with the tools to torpedo your campaign.

The Take Away

Candidates or office holders can be tripped up easier than you might expect, often with devastating results. With today’s ubiquitous digital technology, even candidates for local district office can even trip themselves up saving opponents the trouble. Those who would like to sink your campaign are out there, and they have the technical means to do it. Deny them the ammunition not to mention the pleasure.