Gen. McChrystal’s “rolling” PR disaster came to a halt today as he was relieved of his command. This announcement comes one day after his PR aide – responsible for setting up the controversial interview with Rolling Stone magazine – resigned.
According to an article in MSNBC, Rolling Stone reporter Michael Hastings had unprecedented access to the General while interviewing him in Paris due to the volcano eruption in Iceland, which derailed their travel plans. What was supposed to be a two-day visit turned into an unexpected excursion with Hastings traveling with the General by bus to Berlin where he says McChrystal and his aides consumed alcohol “the whole way.”
Three things to consider:
1. When in a very public position, make sure spokespeople are properly media trained and don’t speak off the cuff. It’s great to be candid, but it’s safer to stay on message.
2. For the most part, when being interviewed, you are always on the record. And, not in just what you say - actions during an interview are also fair game.
3. If part of a larger organization, it’s always best to run media opportunities by them to eliminate problems after an article comes out, and to make sure messaging is on point.
Hindsight is always 20/20 right? McChrystal should have saved this information for his autobiography, which will for sure be on the New York Times bestsellers list next year. And his PR staff should have done more to mitigate candid comments and better control the situation or access the reporter had to McChrystal. While the chances that a volcano would turn a two-day interview opportunity into a four-week European “holiday” are slim, PR pros need to be ready for any situation.
