Couric & Co.
October 26, 2007 2:27 PM

Heckuva Job

By
Peter Maer
Topics
Field Notes
(CBS)
Peter Maer is a White House correspondent for CBS News.
Following a week that has seen the administration boast that "lessons learned," from the Hurricane Katrina debacle, were being applied to the California fire response, The Federal Emergency Management Agency--FEMA finds its credibility at issue.

The nation's disaster response office has been caught in something of a public relations disaster that raises questions about its integrity. FEMA is once again on the defensive for staging what turned out to be a phony news conference.

On Tuesday, with just 15 minutes notice, the agency notified Washington reporters about a news conference on the California fire disaster. Reporters unable to make it that quickly were instructed to call a listen-only phone line to hear the session with Deputy Administrator Vice Admiral Harvey Johnson. Reporters who called the number were unaware that top FEMA staffers played the role of journalists asking Johnson about their own agency's performance. Among the "hard-hitting" questions:"Are you happy with FEMA'S response so far?" Showing that he was up to the challenge, Johnson replied, "I'm very happy with FEMA's response so far." The "news conference" was carried live on cable news networks. CBS News reported on it.

After the Washington Post revealed the faux event, FEMA issued a statement noting, "We can and must do better, and apologize for this error in judgement." The written statement said that in working to support California's response to the devastating fires, the agency "did not put enough focus on how we communicate with the public." FEMA promised to review "press procedures" and to "make necessary changes."

The White House communications team said it was unaware of the bogus news conference until the published report surfaced. Press Secretary Dana Perino said she did not know of or condone the pretend news conference.

Credibility is the coin for reporters and government officials.

Heckuva job, FEMA.


Add a Comment
by cturner3rd October 26, 2007 11:16 PM EDT
It''s a good thing that the "real" reporters are asking such tough questions about all of Bush''s pronouncements about Iran. I''m sure our watchdog press won''t allow the current administration to sucker us all again about a Middle Eastern country''s weapons of mass destruction.
Reply to this comment
by smoman23 October 26, 2007 10:25 PM EDT
if this FEMA joke alongwith CBS''s rookie reporting is not enough to convince us not to believe anything we see on TV or hear from the govt i dont know what it will take

smoman23
Reply to this comment
by ericmichael1 October 26, 2007 10:19 PM EDT
I wish I could get paid to ask my boss some questions...

But I probably wouldn''t like the answers, anyway!

FEMA Fumbles Again!

:)

Eric
Reply to this comment
by slesko2 October 26, 2007 9:23 PM EDT
Wow! I used to think all was lost yet, the supreme court upheld the constitution with regard to due process and domestic spying now this. The press isn''t a complete puppet of Rupert Murdoc.
Or will Peter lose his job at CBS?
Long live the internet and the freedoms we still enjoy as a sovereign people.
Reply to this comment
by r_lamprey October 26, 2007 9:13 PM EDT
apologies. CBS merely reported the fake news and didn''t carry it live like FOX.
Reply to this comment
by r_lamprey October 26, 2007 7:28 PM EDT
Unbelievable. FEMA couldn''t wait for CBS and rest of the corporate media to toss their softball questions? It is clear that Spin and PR are still the highest priority in the Bush administration. Why did CBS and others broadcast the "news event" when they were not allowed to ask questions, only allowed to listen?
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