Politics 101: How to handle people with video cameras
Howard Stern had a great gag with one of his sidekicks — a guy named Stuttering John. John, armed with a camera, would approach some celebrity and ask a really offensive question. Something they really, really, really didn’t want to talk about. If the celebrity freaked out in response, Howard and John had some great video. (If the celebrity calmly responded, or fired back with a witty comeback, and then calmly walked away, there was nothing really to use on Howard’s show.)
This guy could have helped himself by remaining calm and walking on. This guy could have as well. So could this guy.
Recently, the House speaker in Raleigh had one of his aides put out a “red-alert” to Republican members warning them about people with cameras near the legislative building.
Let’s fast forward to the recent NCGOP convention. Guerrilla cameraman Chuck Suter and his sidekick Rocco — armed with a camera and their senses of humor — stumbled upon House speaker pro tem Paul “Skip” Stam. Chuck was ready to ask Stam about his support for giving driver licenses to illegal aliens.
Stam can be seen on camera almost immediately losing his cool when he sees the camera. He urges Suter twice to “turn that off.” Some Stam allies attempt to block the camera’s view of Stam. Rocco attempts to ask Stam a question, but the legislator cuts him off:
“You’re a nut, and I’m not talking to you. Cause you’re a nut case.”
One female acquaintance of Stam’s turned to Chuck and asked: “Do you have permission to be filming him?”
You don’t need it in a public area — where this encounter took place. It’s so interesting to see a politician terror-stricken over the sight of a video camera.
At the end of Chuck’s video, we see a textbook example of HOW to handle these surprise encounters with video cameras. Chuck and Rocco encounter Charlotte pastor — and former US Senate candidate — Mark Harris, who rather artfully and wittily engages and handles the duo.
Skip Stam and Bob Etheridge-esque reactions to video cameras guarantee that you will see more and more video cameras out there. Running from them — or even reacting to them like they are the bogeyman — just makes things worse for you. (And more entertaining for US.)
Hey!!! I saw “The Mole” in that video. It was for just a second , but I’m sure I could see h
I think you mean Mark Harris, NOT Mark Walker.
What’s in a detail? Step out of line in the least and you too shall be crucified by the fringe.
Mark Harris, Mark Walker, who cares about details when we turn on our on!
What we have are NOT politicians ”stepping out of line a little”. We have Republicans wantonly voting for key Obama policy positions on his main legacy issues. That is just unacceptable.
Stam’s interest and political knowledge extends only to abortion and social issues. On anything else, he is an unguided missile and ideologically unpredictable. It is time Republicans elected a full spectrum conservative in that heavily Republican Wake County district. His support of illegal aliens marks him as an Obama Republican and he needs to go.
The Haymaker and Chuck Suter are the only news media I’ve paid any money to in the last year.
Chuck and Rocco need t set up outside of Stam’s house and see who is cutting the grass…
Frank Roche was even worse.
https://youtu.be/U4vnPtSPpmA?t=11m12s
And this one too: https://youtu.be/e8poKQENoGE?t=3s
Chuck Suter and Nicole Revels are the two most feared citizens by NC’s ruling class because they get everything on camera. A politician didn’t say what they just said unless it is caught on tape.
Great piece. Brant wrote, “One female acquaintance of Stam’s turned to Chuck and asked: “Do you have permission to be filming him?” That woman happened to be former Wake County GOP Chair Susan Bryant. Susan is also terrified of real questions. When she was Wake County GOP Chair I asked her on camera why the NC GOP let Roy Cooper run unopposed for re-election in 2012. Now what a surprise that Roy Cooper is probably going to run for Governor.
Yet another reason to CHANGE your Voter Registation to UNaffiliated
T O D A Y in NC !!! Do it NOW !!!
Are you Dee Stewart, Paul Shumaker, or Karl Rove? Those are the main characters who would benefit from the idiotic strategy you suggest, which would neuter a conservative politically. The fight is within the Republican Party and conservatives just won a very major round of it this month at the state convention. There will be other major rounds of it next year in the GOP primaries, and at the GOP state presidential year convention. We need all conservatives on board to defeat the liberals. Why pick up your marbles and walk away right when you have started to win?
Get A Clue 101: when you turn the light on, the cockroaches scurry for the cracks.
The principle applies when politicians (from whatever party) run and hide when they are asked a question while being videoed.
Witness Her Thighness, Hillary Clinton, doing everything she can to out run, rope off, not answer questions, and avoid the media at every turn.
The same principle applies at the state & local level. The video interview is like holding a crucifix up to a vampire.
As Harry Truman said: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!”