The Role of Control in Apologia

There's no question that, when trying manage one's image, taking control of public perception is the best way to go. That is, feed the media using your own strategy, resources, etc. as opposed to letting the media feed off of you.

One of the best examples of how control can shape perception is President Richard Nixon's "Checkers" speech versus his Watergate press conference. The Checkers speech was clearly formulated - his backdrop included a collection of books, his wife sat nearby, and he held a script proving everything he had earned and everything he owed. Finally, he insisted that the one thing he was given - and did not intend to give back - was the family dog, Checkers. By painting himself as a humble and honest family man, he earned the sympathy and respect of many voters.

On the other hand, the Watergate press conference (which Nixon thought would focus on energy,) cut him down to the ground. Most reporters' questions focused not on energy, but the Watergate scandal. These questions caught him off guard, causing him to appear anxious and defensive, ultimately undermining his credibility and increasing skepticism among the public. This event illustrates the risks that might occur in an uncontrolled setting - reputations can be easily destroyed in such venues.

Nixon, however, is just one politician who embodies the importance of control in managing image. Bill Clinton, for example, embraced the idea of being photographed with Walter Cronkite after his 1998 sex scandal. The renowned and widely loved journalist supported Clinton after this incident, a time when Clinton was not held in particularly high regards among his constituents. At Cronkite's funeral in 2009, Clinton made the following statement:

"In a very tumultuous summer in my personal life, 1998, we were up on Martha's Vineyard and Walter picked up the phone and said, 'Betsy and I want you to go sailing with us -- you and Hillary and Chelsea -- we'll just go out and sail around.' He said, 'Somebody might take a picture of it, but so what?' At the time, I could have done with a picture with Walter Cronkite." (http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnewser/2009/09/bill-clinton-recalls-walter-cronkites-help-during-a-personal-crisis.html)

This statement illustrates Clinton's knowledge that, a photo with a well-respected public figure such Cronkite, would likely significantly improve his standing among Americans. Ultimately, controlled settings are opportunities for politicians, and others, to shape their reputation.