Comments on: What Gibbs Could Have Said: Humility and Openness http://blog.bradrourke.com/2009/07/02/what-gibbs-could-have-said-humility-and-openness/ Thoughts for leaders where new media meets public life. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: bradrourke http://blog.bradrourke.com/2009/07/02/what-gibbs-could-have-said-humility-and-openness/comment-page-1/#comment-248 bradrourke Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:32:40 +0000 http://blog.bradrourke.com/?p=1177#comment-248 That's an excellent response, Lars. I especially love your two "plagues of the last two centuries." Maybe I am giving the admin too much benefit of doubt with my litany of why-it-s-hard-to-be-fully-open. I have to believe, on teh other hand, that there *are* people who know and are trying to get it right. It's just that there are quite likely many MORE people internally who see it as pr window dressing and a way palatable way to get an agenda across. That’s an excellent response, Lars. I especially love your two “plagues of the last two centuries.”

Maybe I am giving the admin too much benefit of doubt with my litany of why-it-s-hard-to-be-fully-open. I have to believe, on teh other hand, that there *are* people who know and are trying to get it right. It’s just that there are quite likely many MORE people internally who see it as pr window dressing and a way palatable way to get an agenda across.

]]> By: lhtorres http://blog.bradrourke.com/2009/07/02/what-gibbs-could-have-said-humility-and-openness/comment-page-1/#comment-247 lhtorres Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:06:44 +0000 http://blog.bradrourke.com/?p=1177#comment-247 thoughtful post, brad. i too was caught by this really interesting give and take. what got me is the plague of the last two centuries: 1) "town hall" is used precisely because it is evocative in america 2) most presidents have used the term irresponsibly obama doesn't seem to be any different on that score. he is doing for the internet what clinton did for television (remember the madeleine albright/sandy berger "town halls" about the bombing of iraq?): using their symbolic power to advance an image vis the public, of being casual and open. that jacksonian populism, with gates. but what really, really struck me was not gibbs' condescension - thats forgivable when you speak for, as you say, "the leader of the free world" (heehee) - but is obliviousness to what a town hall really is. i mean basic stuff eg why would you treat a reporter any different from a member of the public? why are pre-selected questions artificial in the context of a town hall? why is leaving the logistics of who gets in up to the university anti democratic? i agree that what you write are important claims - to substance, to security, etc. but why not simply call it a public forum? why go all the way and say you're giving the public a voice, when you're really shaping a voice for public effect? thoughtful post, brad. i too was caught by this really interesting give and take. what got me is the plague of the last two centuries:
1) “town hall” is used precisely because it is evocative in america
2) most presidents have used the term irresponsibly

obama doesn’t seem to be any different on that score. he is doing for the internet what clinton did for television (remember the madeleine albright/sandy berger “town halls” about the bombing of iraq?): using their symbolic power to advance an image vis the public, of being casual and open. that jacksonian populism, with gates.

but what really, really struck me was not gibbs’ condescension – thats forgivable when you speak for, as you say, “the leader of the free world” (heehee) – but is obliviousness to what a town hall really is. i mean basic stuff eg why would you treat a reporter any different from a member of the public? why are pre-selected questions artificial in the context of a town hall? why is leaving the logistics of who gets in up to the university anti democratic?

i agree that what you write are important claims – to substance, to security, etc. but why not simply call it a public forum? why go all the way and say you’re giving the public a voice, when you’re really shaping a voice for public effect?

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