Here’s what the media got when they were notified where they stood in the pecking order
I think there’s some people in the media a tad bit miffed that while they were honoring the Johnson camp’s request for restraint, they were out courting ABC.
Why do I think this? because I’ve gotten the same e-mail from at least 3 or 4 media sources:
Subject: Next Steps
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007
From: “Fisher, Julianne (Johnson)”Hey, all — this is a personal email from me to you and I am asking that it not be quoted in any press leading up to Tim’s return.
Several months ago, ABC & Bob Woodruff approached the Johnsons about a long series of interviews with the goal of educating people about TBI.
As you likely remember, Woodruff was horribly injured while reporting in Iraq and spent a year in recovery.
In late February of this year as Tim was just starting his rehabilitation at the National Rehabilitation Hospital , ABC correspondent Bob Woodruff was part of an hour long documentary for ABC about his return from a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Tim and Barb were following the story with great interest. The scenario was familiar, but the Johnsons were at the start of their journey.
They weighed the idea of the interviews for some time, and did decide to accept really for the sole reason that doing so might give hope and inspiration to other traumatic brain injury individuals and their families that even though recovery and rehabilitation is often long and difficult, you can come back from these injuries, go back to work and lead productive and fruitful lives.
The Johnsons have always been upfront about their health battles and wanted to make lemonade out of lemons. Tim and Barb went into this interview and filming process wanting to show progress and hope. We weren’t sure exactly what would air or when it would air. But over the weeks and months, we came to understand that ABC was preparing a piece about Tim’s illness and rehabilitation for a lengthy piece on their evening program, Nightline.
Woodruff has followed Tim from NRH to their residence in Virginia , creating a chronicle of the steps in rehabilitation that people with TBI have to climb. When Tim agreed to do this, he accepted that he had no editorial license over what ABC found, filmed or would air. Neither Tim nor Barb has seen any footage from the piece and neither of them will see the piece before it airs. Tim’s only stipulation was that he did not want the show to air until he was able to go home and say thank you to the people of South Dakota first. So now, Woodruff will come out to South Dakota to get the last piece of this story before it airs.
Bob Woodruff’s piece for ABC’s Nightline is now close to being ready to air. In fact, it is our understanding that it will air on Tuesday, August 28th after Tim’s welcome home celebration.
Please know that Tim and Barb as well as all of us want to honor our many South Dakota requests for interviews and intend to do so. We have received requests from almost every South Dakota reporter and most major national newspapers and networks over the past 9 months. We hope you are not upset by the fact that Nightline got this story before we could do interviews with so many of you that have requested. Again, the hope behind this piece, regardless of what it showed about Tim and his recovery, was that it would give hope and inspiration to thousands of TBI patients and their families. That is all. There will be many more stories ahead, and Tim always wanted his first public event to be back home in South Dakota which will now happen.
I will be on the ground as of next Monday the 27th with my cell in my hand and my blackberry on my hip. I hope to see you guys at the Convention Center. Many of you on this list have known Tim and Barb for decades. For his family, friends and staff, it is hard to put into words how excited we are to see him take this step. We count our blessings daily.
Great to see that the Tim Johnson Press team hasn’t stopped their stumbling in their handling of the Johnson illness. Julianne might have well just said “Thanks for all your patience, but while you were holding off at our request, we were shafting you guys by taking it to ABC.
Consider this their biggest blunder to date – especially as we approach the election. The state’s media is fuming over this one, and rightfuly so for the Johnson camp’s lack of loyalty to the people who are their bread and butter.
small update….
As I ponder this after posting it over at KELO – I’m suprised the Argus isn’t completely lambasting the Johnson camp for their secrecy. Or don’t they have the same standards with a Democratic Senator as they would a Republican Governor?
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Comments
If this had been Thune, the media would have followed him to find out where he was going to be recovering. It it had been Thune, there would have been clamoring from the media (and the Dems) after 8 minutes, not eight months. That being said, let’s get past this, wish Johnson well, and get on with the campaign.
Wow. media types shared this e-mail with you, PP? I thought they were all liberals who would rather die than do anything that would make Julianne & Co. look bad.
I would love to get on with the campaign. But everytime the Reps say anything, the Johnson people cry foul. It’s time for the Dems to grow up and accept it’s a campaign and Johnson is either in or out and to quit complaining if he’s in.
If you were going to promote a deadly condition, which would have a broader impact: ABC or KSFY? Which one would probably devote more time to your story (both on air and in research) and do a more thorough job, Bob Woodruff and crew or Jaine Andrews and “crew” ?
I think it was a shrewd move on Johnson’s part to bring more attention to TBI. If they had let one local reporter in they’d have to let them all in to be fair. What would Johnson’s recovery be like then?
And seriously, “what if this was John Thune?” Please. You should be ashamed of yourselves of trying to turn Johnson’s saga into sympathy for your guy. But, hey, let’s get past this. Right?
Tigerman,
That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Can you answer either of these 2 questions?
1. Name one Senate campaign is SD that “had the gloves off” over a year before election day?
2. Who is the GOP’s candidate? Have they all announced?
7 from 4. You say: “If you were going to promote a deadly condition, which would have a broader impact: ABC or KSFY?” Actually, you may have a good point there. Will freely admit I hadn’t thought of that. As for the second part of your comment, though, what’s this stuff about “sympathy”? Sympathy for what? I’m just pointing out what I believe would have been the difference in media coverage and reaction from the Dems if it had been Thune.
10. God bless the open-minded, honest Republicans. I know in my heart there are some of you out there. Thanks #10. I like to think that Thune’s wellbeing would have been just as much in Dem hearts as Tim’s is. It would be in mine, but I’m just one of us. What say you all, Dems? If John was sick, would we cut him the same slack?
(…anyone want to bet on what the consensus will be?)
10 Glad you can see my point. The second part was just to point out the knee-jerk reaction of Republicans that they don’t get a break from the media no matter what.
We could probably debate that point ad nauseam.
But the point was that making Johnson’s situation into a hypothetical to prove a point that you think the media is unfair to Thune….Well that’s kind of tacky.
Republicans have been snookered by this one. the election is over 1 year away. In a year, most will have forgotten about the 9 months “secrecy”. Only the bloogers and the hacks will care.
Meanwhile, the Republicans have done nothing to mount a campaign for the Senate because they need to know the opponent.
The ABC video will move many to tears. It will be the feel good story of the year.
Politics is a dirty business. Most reading this blog know that. Tim Johnson won this round. However, it is a LONG way to November 2008. Republicans need to get pro-active and not reactive. There are two or threee candidates that could probably beat Tim Johnson.
If the Republicans are smart, they will find the candidate and strategy that will beat Johnson in 2008 and start implementing it today.
A fun strategy would be to run either Dusty or Jarrod Johnson against Tim Johnson.
PP, this ABC interview is not the same as an interview he would do for a South Dakota news outlet. Poster “Think about it” raises a good point that an interview focusing on recovering from brain trama fits better at the national level. Interviews with state level media should focus more on state-related issues such as when Johnson plans to return to the Senate, re-election and working on issues important to the people of this state.
Local media being upset about this seems weird. They’ll get their chance.
#13. You need help. Can you tell me what Johnson “won” outside of a long hospital stay? No? Then maybe you can name the candidate and the party in 2002 that couldn’t decide if he a wanted to run for Senate or Governor? His inability to make a decision made a lot of people in his own party mad because they wanted to know what he was doing so they could make their own plans. As a bonus, maybe you can tell me what long term illness he had that caused him to delay his decision?
It’s not about secrecy. Nor is it about what is the best forum. Read Bill Harlan’s post at Blogmore. It’s about honesty. Johnson’s people lied. That’s something to keep in mind going forward.
16. Maybe Johnson’s people lied. Or maybe PP broke confidence. I’ve already decided that PP and the media can’t be trusted, because they’ve proved it to me 5 times over. What kind of society do we have when everyone involved sucks?
We know Johnson’s people lied.
No confidence was broken as none was promised.
As we now know Johnson’s show in Sioux Falls is the requisite final act of the Nightline piece will audience members need to sign releases?
Didn’t take long for commentors here to use this as a cudgel against Johnson. I’m sure they will borrow Thune’s trick of labeling Johnson as ‘out of touch’ with the state as they claimed Daschle was.
“Hey, all — this is a personal email from me to you and I am asking that it not be quoted in any press leading up to Tim’s return.”
Hey, all – ???
She writes to them like they are best buddies and then slits their throat.
PP-No, there will be no miffed media. They will fall in lockstep like the mind numbed robots tat they are. Your reference to the Argus in the post is an example that it has started. Oh, a few will fain outrage, but it’s just a ruse to try to establish a little of the credibility they lost long ago. You see the Johnson operatives manipulating the thread on this post and you can only laugh. Bottom line is that ABC could have waited to do this piece until after his convalescence.
#17 – I was not sent the e-mail from Johnson’s staff, so I was under no such compulsion of holding things as off the record.
As I said, his media team just blew this one.
#17, the reporters who received the email were under no obligation to keep it off the record. Sometimes the answer to the question “Can we keep this off the record?” is “No.”
#9 wanted to know,
1. Name one senate campaign that had the gloves off one year before the election. Ans: Tome Daschle in attack ads on Thune, Aug ‘03, the election was in Nov, ‘04
2. Who’s the GOP candidate? Have they all anounced? Ans: Joel Dykstra of Canton currently the Ass’t Majority Leader in the SD House. So far they have all announced.
How’s your day going, Julianne?
BTW, for those whiny little libs out there who are crying foul over PP printing this, take a breath and understand that the people who contacted PP obviously wanted this story broken, and they were so upset they wanted it broken RIGHT NOW. They chose to put it in the hands of the one who could put it in as many hands as possible as quickly as possible, and they did so without running the risk of being the ones who got blackballed by the media brotherhood. It’s a beautiful thing, and they’re the ones who orchestrated it. They calculated their moves and they knew what they were doing. For those of you in Rio Linda, the media spit in the face of Julianne Fisher because Julianne Fisher pissed in their Cheerios.
I think it means he has balls enough to print a story when a story is worthy of print.
In fairness, the MSM’s hands were tied (albeit loosely). They wanted to run with it, but didn’t want to lose favor.
To Think About It: Just exactly what did I say that was ridiculous? Just exactly what did I say that was not true?
You also said above, “But the point was that making Johnson’s situation into a hypothetical to prove a point that you think the media is unfair to Thune….Well that’s kind of tacky.” All the poster you refer to was saying is that if this same thing happened to a Republican instead of a Democrat, the Dems and media would be falling all over themselves demanding openness and truth. And you can’t deny that either.
To Think About It: Just exactly what did I say that was ridiculous? Just exactly what did I say that was not true?
You also said above, “But the point was that making Johnson’s situation into a hypothetical to prove a point that you think the media is unfair to Thune….Well that’s kind of tacky.” All the poster you refer to was saying is that if this same thing happened to a Republican instead of a Democrat, the Dems and media would be falling all over themselves demanding openness and truth. And you can’t deny that either.
#29
1. Wrong. Can’t really run an attack ad on an opponent that isn’t an announced candidate.
See here:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/05/elec04.s.sd.thune/
2. Is that all the candidates the GOP is going to run? Are you sure no one else is going to join in?
Dykstra is the nominee for sure?
#34 and I guess #35
I guess you just need to think about it a bit.
And as to the other point, yes I can deny that.
37, then who was Daschle attacking? He was definitely attacking somebody. It would have to be the assumed candidate. The assumption was that Thune was running.
That’s likely not all the candidates who are going to run. Let’s not forget Slammin’ Sammy. However, Dykstra is announced. That’s the list to-date.
Also, 37, try not to be such a snivelling, whiny little bitch.
Anyone But Dykstra 2008!!!
(Actually, that’s not true. I’d prefer Tim Johnson 2008, but if he doesn’t run then it’s definately Anyone But Dykstra 2008). 
So are we for or against the media on this? As much as I hate to say it Johnson and his people f’d this one up. I could have provided them the proper spin months ago in about five minutes. “The Senator has declined requests for regular interviews, but has had some contact with Bob Woodward regarding a nightline piece on this particular medical condition.”
If Fischer came out with this months ago hardly anybody would have given a rats ass about this one.
fisher is an idiot. she’s been punch drunk since this happened, speaking as the senator, calling the shots, and now this crapola. stay on the east coast and out of sd.
sd media and sd constituents should be outraged by this nonsense.
I sent out a toon to the written media of our State as a freebie – I know the Capital Journal plans on running it and I hope others will as well that deals with this Goat Rodeo schnookered with ABC. Let’s just say I know a few folks around this State living in the media world and many of these folks are not happy about being back-doored, even given Woodruff’s recovery connection. Hey SDWC! Want to post it on your blog for all to see? You seem to get mega hits. I think you’d like it….
If this had been Thune, there would have been an above the fold headline condemning the secrecy. Isn’t that what the Argus is all about lately? Going after any what they determine to be secrecy or conspiracy.