There's an expression in the PR world that goes "If you don't feed the media, the media will feed on you."
Mayoral candidate Shari Green found that out the hard way yesterday when she left the CBC with dead air rather than face her strongest (and arguably only) opponent, mayoral incumbent candidate Dan Rogers.
Well, not quite dead air - she sat for a taped interview. But when asked to join a live session with Rogers that would take place a week later, Green declined, saying she found it inappropriate that the rest of the candidates were not also invited.
Instead the CBC had taped interviews with mayoral candidates Eugene Fetterly, Bruce Fader, Alex Huber to present to Rogers for rebuttal.
Some may say playing taped comments for Rogers to respond to gives him the advantage since he's given the last word on every subject. Others would say it puts him at a disadvantage because any answer would appear defensive.
Any way you cut it, Rogers recognized the opportunity on a silver platter that was Green's absence - and boy did he run with it.
That's where Rogers has been excelling in the race so far. He can roll with the punches. Green's go-to setting for the lemons she's received so far is to put on a sour face.
The CBC made no attempt to let Green off the hook by explaining her refusal to attend (thus the "feeds on you" part of the expression), but that doesn't really matter since the question is do we want leaders who refuse to participate when situations don't play out as they would have them? Or do we want leaders who make the best of a bad situation?
So far Green seems more apt to blame perceived unfair media coverage for any potential disconnect with voters.
During the all-candidates forum, in front of 300 attendees, she sniped that she'd been asked to go first three times when mayors were asked questions (more than any other candidate).
She complained to this paper about an article she said didn't adequately summarize her last term (even though she would have plenty more opportunities to do so).
She disputed a report of an interview she gave on another radio show after conclusions were made out of ambiguous answers.
It all speaks to insecurity.
But the funny part is, according to anecdotal reports of a widespread telephone poll, there's no reason to be so nervous - this is Green's race to lose.
And if she doesn't regain focus and bring the ball back to her court, she may do just that.
There's a lot of time left to this race, and a lot of undecided voters, so it's not too late to get back to what matters: the issues.
-- Prince George Citizen
