Advice for candidates in the digital age

(CBS News) Watching our candidates struggle with statements that were supposed to be private and suddenly became public - Barack Obama got burned last time, Mitt Romney this time - I offer the following guide to all candidates of the digital age.

1. Never say anything you wouldn't want to see on the front page of the Washington Post.

2. There is no such thing as a private party. Actually there is no longer any such thing as privacy. That ended with the coming of social media. Everyone has a camera and a recorder and their own rules for using them.

3. When you speak to a group don't expect everyone to keep what you say in confidence. No one is universally loved. The last person to get one hundred percent of the vote was Saddam Hussein. Look what happened to him.

4. If you don't want your words to become public, be quiet. Like suspects in a criminal case, all of us (including candidates) have the right to remain silent.

And finally - and this has nothing to do with cameras and recorders - when you are talking to rich folks about poor folks, be careful. It never seems to come out quite right.

As Herman Melville wrote in Harper's Magazine in 1854:

"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticism made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, the well-warmed and the well-fed."

[RIrider]

Bob, what are you advocating? Silence? The uproar is again due to liberal (Democrat Leftist protectionism) media spin! Romney was stating a fact to his audience that 47% of the electorate will not vote for him due to their dependency on Government. The media has spun this on it's head to continue their brainwashing of the American public. The public will eventually revolt against this biased media and biased politics to protect their son's and daughter's from being held as pawns to 'hate'.

[iacons]

It's amazing to me that every little thing Romney says is blown up and not a word or any coverage on Obama. He is definately the teflon man-I give him credit for that. How can anyone with ANY common sense give this guy another 4 years? An economy in shabbles, a foreign policy that is a joke, he will defend muslims but not christians, one scandal after another (Fast and Furious, Solynara, etc, etc, etc, but of course you don't see these in the media headlines-no we need to focus on this 47%), several people in his administration proven to be so far left-we will never be the same, but yet there are people still supporting him. But my common sense is telling me to give the person who has actually run a business a shot at fixing this economy. I hope more people find their common sense before voting.

[skeezix06]

I know I'm always happy to vote for someone who gets together with his wealthy cronies and talks about how lazy half the country, including my retired mother, is... (hint: sarcasm)

[ksmit2]

Yes, it's true, now, more than ever is the age of anything said can quickly become tomorrow's news. Especially in a "pounce hungry", sound byte addicted world of politics. These days, the personal journal you keep on your computer could come back to bite you if the wrong person happens to tap into it, which is becoming increasingly common.

[BethNewdigate]

Wouldn't it be nice if one day the press published factual news, and not the gleaming, pre-polished, and not so accurate reports. There are so very many news stories that are never published where public officials harm - really harm citizens.

And many candidates lose because of similar fabrications or leanings that are terribly obvious.

I see little else but press leaning toward Obama with no meat behind it.

How did this man go from the "worst polls ever" to sudden "surges" in popularity.

Press fabrications.

Like a 3rd world nation now...

[changshageorge78]

You're quite wrong...thinking people definitely can see through the half trues and lies of Romney and Ryan. We know what his agenda is and it's certainly not for the middle class who pay the bills!

[Bojax39]

by changshageorge78: "You're quite wrong...thinking people definitely can see through the half trues and lies of Romney and Ryan."

The liberal media in this country is quite happy to blind "thinking people" to the truth. Lies, half truths and Machiavellian agendas are just as rampant in Obama's administration and his campaign but are reported less and obfuscated more when they are.

It's called "spin" but news free of fabrication, concisely and truthfully reported in the first place, would go far to open the eyes of partisan drones on both sides of the aisle.

[maistir]

...and you reporters and columnists, Bob, don't have to focus on campaign trivia; you are allowed to deal with major problems such as unemployment, deficits and debt, Iran or Pakistan or Syria or Israel or Russia. Explain to us why you are so fond of tittle-tattle. Is it too much work to cover major issues? Or would that not suit your politics?

[nhirsch]

Nice quote from Melville and glad to have seen the 47% video too. If Romney had been asked in public what he thinks of those people who don't pay taxes, do you think he would have used those same words? Clearly not. So what does this tell us? That Mr Romney has two faces -- one for his privileged 1% that he coddles and relates to and another one for the ones who he just wants their vote. The 47% are just freeloaders to Mr Romney for whom he couldn't care less. That is until the video surfaced and now it's panic mode, reinvent, etc. The horse is out of the barn, Mr. Romney. Those GOP who can distance themselves, are doing so. Even Ann Romney, who loves horses, can't make them "stop it!" This presidential race looks like it may be a runaway especially thanks to Bill Clinton who is explaining stuff so clearly for those in the middle--those who might have justifiably avoided this campaign so far.

[nhirsch]

Nice quote from Melville and glad to have seen the 47% video too. If Romney had been asked in public before that video surfaced what he thinks of those people who don't pay taxes, do you think he would have used those same words? Clearly not. So what does this tell us? That Mr Romney has two faces -- one for his privileged 1% that he coddles and relates to and another one for the ones who he just wants their vote. The 47% are just freeloaders to Mr Romney for whom he couldn't care less. That is until the video surfaced and now it's panic mode, reinvent, etc. The horse is out of the barn, Mr. Romney. Those GOP who can distance themselves, are distancing themselves. Even Ann Romney who loves horses can't make them "stop it!" The way this race is shaping up, it's going to be a runaway especially thanks to Bill Clinton for explaining stuff so clearly for those in the middle.

[supernevadasmith]

I really enjoyed your quotation from Herman Melville. It would do this country a great service if both The Incumbent and The Challenger would elevate their public discourse by using some of the great literary and oratorical quotes from history. Our Presidential candidates should impress the electorate, not demean and disparage it.

[rememberinnovember1776]

The only candidate that needs to watch his words is Romney. Not one word on Obama's admission that he believes in wealth-distribution. Not one word on emerging evidence that the murder of the Libyan ambassador was a coordinated terrorist attack to coincide with 9/11, even as Obama continues to blame a youtube video. Where have all the true journalists gone? Apparently in the back pocket of the Democratic party. So much for the constiutional protection of a "free press". And yes, I am part of the "47%."

[omnibus66]

Just a few words about wealth redistribution. Without redistribution of wealth, there is no government. So you have a choice. Redistribution in some form, or anarchy. Choose wisely.

[NinthSt78]

Good advice. Somewhat aside from the subject, we can learn a lot about some of the unbelievable dangers reporters and diplomats face overseas by reading a few John le Carre novels. The inhumane things these folks face and endure are beyond our wildest dreams.