It was the sound bite heard around the world – literally. As PR professionals, we’re always counseling clients on the art of the sound bite. Our Vice President took it to a new level yesterday as he dropped an F-bomb in front of rolling cameras and live mics. As a PR person, I cringed. You’d think that someone who has been in the public eye for most of his career would be immune to such missteps. And, as we’ve all heard from the recent news reports, he’s not alone. Many of country’s leaders have fallen victim to the live mic – including Presidents Reagan and Bush, and Obama, too. So, it’s a welcomed reminder that no matter how seasoned you are at working with the press, or being in front of cameras, don’t get too complacent. For those of you out there serving as spokespeople, be mindful of your surroundings, your audience and those little devils called mics, because they can certainly come back to “bite” you in the-you-know-what!
– Jen Klein