The week of March 16 was a mess for the Obama administration. The biggest mess was the AIG executive bonuses. The country was outraged, and the Obama administration found itself answering questions about an unethical mess that some say they are at fault.
The big players of this crisis is: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd, and President Barack Obama. Most people probably understand why I'd say Tim Geithner and Chris Dodd, but Barack Obama? Yes, Barack Obama. Does anyone knows what's going on?
The citizens of this country are upset at AIG executives for receiving billions in bonuses, but I don't think they're the ones to blame. Yes, they were unethical in receiving the enormous bonuses, but it was all legal. The reason the bonuses were legit was because there was language in the stimulus plan that protected the executives right to receive those bonuses. The authors of that language: Treasury Sec. Geithner and Sen. Dodd, who, by the way, said he had no parts in constructing the language to protect the bonuses on March 18, and then said he did have some part in constructing it on March 19. His excuse was that he reluctantly agreed with the language, and he was forced by the Obama administration to do so. OK, one down, two to go.
Now we move on to the next guy in charge, Treasury Sec. Geithner who knew about the bonuses on Tuesday, March 10 and did not tell Pres. Obama until Thursday, March 12. Pres. Obama tried to take some of the heat off of Geithner by taking responsibility. However, Geithner now seems unprepared to handle such historic national crisis. Two down, one to go.
Now the question lies: what was the extent of Obama's knowledge about the protective language in the stimulus plan to give AIG executives those bonuses? Whether he knew a little or a lot, it shows incompetency on Obama's part because he's the president, and he should know what's going on. Being on top of things would decrease the "crisis management" that this administration has dealt with quite often since taking office in January. Three down, but who else is involved?
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "an organization is the lengthened shadow of a man," which means someone has to be responsible and accountable. As a PR professional, what advice would you give to any of these three officials? What kind of language would you use to shift the focus of the citizens, the administration and the media? What new media tools would you use? Would you advise for someone to take the blame and be prepared to deal with it? Talk to me people!
By: Marlon Williams
The big players of this crisis is: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd, and President Barack Obama. Most people probably understand why I'd say Tim Geithner and Chris Dodd, but Barack Obama? Yes, Barack Obama. Does anyone knows what's going on?
The citizens of this country are upset at AIG executives for receiving billions in bonuses, but I don't think they're the ones to blame. Yes, they were unethical in receiving the enormous bonuses, but it was all legal. The reason the bonuses were legit was because there was language in the stimulus plan that protected the executives right to receive those bonuses. The authors of that language: Treasury Sec. Geithner and Sen. Dodd, who, by the way, said he had no parts in constructing the language to protect the bonuses on March 18, and then said he did have some part in constructing it on March 19. His excuse was that he reluctantly agreed with the language, and he was forced by the Obama administration to do so. OK, one down, two to go.
Now we move on to the next guy in charge, Treasury Sec. Geithner who knew about the bonuses on Tuesday, March 10 and did not tell Pres. Obama until Thursday, March 12. Pres. Obama tried to take some of the heat off of Geithner by taking responsibility. However, Geithner now seems unprepared to handle such historic national crisis. Two down, one to go.
Now the question lies: what was the extent of Obama's knowledge about the protective language in the stimulus plan to give AIG executives those bonuses? Whether he knew a little or a lot, it shows incompetency on Obama's part because he's the president, and he should know what's going on. Being on top of things would decrease the "crisis management" that this administration has dealt with quite often since taking office in January. Three down, but who else is involved?
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "an organization is the lengthened shadow of a man," which means someone has to be responsible and accountable. As a PR professional, what advice would you give to any of these three officials? What kind of language would you use to shift the focus of the citizens, the administration and the media? What new media tools would you use? Would you advise for someone to take the blame and be prepared to deal with it? Talk to me people!
By: Marlon Williams
