The last few weeks have been an absolute circus for California gubernatorial wannabe Katie Porter as a result of interview gaffes and have basically ensured reporters (and the public) are focusing less on her policy positions, and more on her shoddy attempts at spin.
Some of you may be following the story of California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter threatening to walk out of an interview with a local TV news reporter after some follow-up questions she didn’t like. My take: the fallout (and resulting attempts at damage control) are remarkable examples of (1) why it never pays to lose your cool with reporters, especially those wielding a camera and microphone (2) why even the most seasoned public figures need media training reminders and (3) why you should never blindly recycle stock responsive statements, particularly in times of crisis.
From POLITICO‘s coverage of the (still-unfolding) story (which, unfortunately for the candidate, shows no sign of deflating):
“How Porter is responding … In a statement on the video of her berating a staffer, she said, ‘It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high standard, and that was especially true as a member of Congress.’ She continued, ‘I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.’
“If that line sounds familiar,” the outlet continues, “it’s because Porter’s camp has used a version of it before in response to past coverage of her management style. ‘It’s no secret that I hold myself, staff, and Congress to a high standard,’ Porter told the Washington Post in a statement in 2023. ‘As I’ve served in Congress, I have sought to be more intentional at demonstrating my gratitude to my staff for the important work they do in service to our country.’ ”
The last few weeks have been an absolute circus for Porter as a result of her (continuous) gaffes during the interview in question, and have basically ensured reporters (and the public) are focusing less on her policy positions, and more on her shoddy attempts at spin.
