By Reggie Baradell
Michael Vick’s PR handlers have picked the Tom Joyner Morning Show for his mea not-so culpa on Tuesday for the same reason that the White House media relations team invariably taps Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh for the much-loathed Dick Cheney’s rare media appearances: The loyal-to-a-fault base is the last refuge of publicists.
If you doubt that Vick will meet an overly friendly audience on Tuesday, check this news article excerpt from Joyner’s BlackAmericaWeb.com site:
Syracuse University professor and author Dr. Boyce Watkins believes Vick will maintain his “hero” status, just as others have done after facing charges. “Being banned by white America does not always mean that black America will hate you as much,” Watkins told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “We’ve seen it with O.J.”
Oh, and there’s also this commentary on Joyner’s site:
The feds didn’t go after Vick because of his race, but the court of public opinion is a far different matter … Vick is as much a victim of the ugly passions of the times as for his crimes.
And then there’s the other commentary, headlined “Is It Me, or Has the Embattled Michael Vick Been Singled Out for Selective Prosecution?”
Finally, there’s the matter of the poll on Joyner’s site, in which 35 percent of respondents say that Vick is being treated worse because he’s black (and an additional 17 percent say he’s being treated worse because he’s a celebrity.)
As a dog myself (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, specifically), I would just remind Vick loyalists that there are no more loyal creatures on God’s earth than dogs — like the ones Vick exploited for his own purposes, then callously hanged and electrocuted.
Word to the wise.
Or, as I would tell anyone who got within 10 feet of Vick: Arf! Arf Arf!
Now, to the Four Talking Points.
Many of you may not know this, since I am not on the Idea Grove’s leadership page, but I am actually a principal of the agency. I handle all the client accounts that daddy — I mean the president — considers “dogs.” (I’m assuming he means that as the highest compliment.)
As such, I know a thing or two about damage control … er, that is, crisis communications … I mean, reputation management.
Arf it! You get the idea. So anyhow, here are the Four Talking Points I’ve developed — in conjunction with Vick’s defense team — for his Joyner appearance:
1. I love dogs.
Or, to quote the defense offered by Deion Sanders: “Some people let their dogs eat from their plate. Some people dress their dogs in suits more expensive than mine … And some people enjoy proving they have the biggest, toughest dog on the street … I bet Vick loves the dogs that were the biggest and the baddest.”
2. I am too loyal to my friends.
This is an appeal that can resonate with many middle-class African-Americans who rose from difficult circumstances. As Tonyaa Weathersbee correctly puts it, “The one transgression that trips up many black people who find overnight wealth and fame [is] bad association” — being overly loyal to questionable characters from the ‘hood, rather than dropping them as dead weight on the climb to the top. (We’re assuming Joyner won’t ask Vick about Vick’s estranged father, who says that Vick is the mastermind behind the whole operation.)
3. Deer-hunting and greyhound races are wrong, too.
As NBA player Stephon Marbury phrased this defense: “We don’t say anything about people shooting deers and shooting other animals. You know what I mean? From what I hear, dog-fighting is a sport … There is no list for which animals should be killed and which shouldn’t.”
Or to quote Derrick Z. Jackson of the Boston Globe: “The national outrage rings a bit hollow … Vick will be shamed with prison stripes. Greyhound racing, despite its primitive exploitation of dogs, remains a $2 billion business…”
4. I will make things right.
Here Vick can go almost Imus on us. Just like Imus said, “I can come back and create a dialogue. There ought to be a black person on this show every day to add perspective,” Vick can say, “I plan to devote myself to animal welfare to make things right.”
It didn’t work for Imus — but then again, Imus went on Al Sharpton’s radio show — not David Duke’s.
So there you have it.
See what I mean by a mea not-so culpa? This strategy has worked like a charm for the Bush Administration for seven years, so why not? Apologies are for wimps.
I don’t know about you, but I think they’re going to eat it up on Tuesday.
Kind of like I sometimes eat the cat’s poo-poo when daddy — I mean the president — isn’t looking.
Tags: dogfighting, Michael Vick, sports, Tom Joyner
Reggie offers some very sage advice to Mr. Vick. I was surprised, however, that he didn’t suggest the Mr. Vick agree to live like a dog for certain period of time. How can Mr. Vick really repent if hasn’t walked in a dog’s shoes – well paws. Perhaps he can do some community service at Flagler Dog Track in Miami where he combine his two passions: dogs and gambling. But in this scenario, he’d just be cleaning up after them. … Well, let’s see if Vick has any bark left …
Reggie, very astute for a…never mind! You’ve done much better here, than over at my site. Perhaps you were a bit rushed? Any discerning observer would have to agree that Vick has broken the law and therefore deserves the consequences of his own actions.
My hang-up is with a society that enforces its laws capriciously (Jena 6, Mr. C.T. Martin) or with a society that feels cruelty to dogs outweighs eradicating poverty, education, or finally addressing disparities of class and race in America. Now admittedly, no one would admit to the values/feelings I’ve just expressed, but if you gage the time, emotion, and energy spent on Mr. Vick’s crime, the motivations become apparent. In America, if we are in support of a person, we find ways to mitigate their wrongdoings. If we do not “like” them to begin with, we criminalize their every facial expression (Barry Bonds, ESPN Sports Reports analysis of Mike Vick this a.m.!!).
Unfortunately, there has been more of the latter than the former in Mr. Vick’s case. Perhaps Reggie would like to delve into the reason why so many Americans have found it so easy to demonize Michael Vick, rather than finding ways to relate to him? If we’re really interested in protecting our pets, in my opinion Reg, we be better served spending our time there, than “pissing on Mr. Vick’s legs!”
Grace and Peace, B.
B.,
I agree that that media focuses too much on cases like Vick’s, which it can easily turn into good-vs.-evil morality plays that it covers 24/7 — just like with Mel Gibson, Isaiah Washington, Paris Hilton’s “DUI,” and even murder cases like Scott Peterson, Natalie Holloway, and on and on. These case were all incredibly overblown relative to real issues such as eradicating poverty, etc. That said, the thing that I’m annoyed about here is when public figures retreat to a loyal base that they believe will “have their back” no matter what they do. Forget OJ — GEORGE BUSH could commit a double murder and he’d still the hero of Rush Limbaugh. Personally, I would resent the idea of being ANYONE’s “loyal base” — even though, as a dog, I am the most loyal of creatures. I still want the human I’m loyal to to EARN it, B.
Regardless of where you come out on the issue, he’s a hero because his supporters are only focusing on his on-field accomplishements, and he’ll likely play again. He’s too good not to and NFL coaches are notorius for taking 3rd, 4th and 5th chances on players they think they can ‘fix.’
Only hiccup in the plan is if the NLF for its own reasons decides he shouldn’t. In that case, their agenda should be looked it given they let Ray Lewis remain in the league.
Bill,
If he ends up on the playing field again, I will personally chase him down and bite him on the ankle with the same viciousness as the Lawrence Taylor-Joe Theismann de-ankling.
Word.
A blogging dog. How ridiculous. You probably stole the idea from someone smarter, younger, and better looking.
You guys are too funny! ;-0
All things being equal…I agree with you Reg. Americans should strive to be “an informed electorate”; Not jumping on anyone’s bandwagon too soon. Our two party dominant system encourages too much of the “us vs. them” mentality. Once ensnared, Mr. Vick’s fans will feel honor bound to defend their man justifying that others have done the same when their guy’s butt was in a sling.
Good dialogue here. I’ll check back to see if this was a one off or what! You’re welcome by the Pursuit anytime!!
BYOBone!
Hunting Deer and Killing dogs are two different things. It is sad that hunting has to be brought into this.
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