Clinton Aide: Beware ‘Pesky Press’
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Beware those “pesky” reporters: Such was the urgent warning a seasoned aide to Senator Clinton handed down to a callow Spitzer administration official who was making last-minute preparations for a big public event featuring the governor.
That dim view of the Fourth Estate was expressed in a February e-mail written by one of Mrs. Clinton’s regional directors, Cathy Calhoun, who bestowed upon her younger friend what could be described as a concise handbook for handlers.
Coming from the office of one of the world’s most famous women, the missive obtained by The New York Sun, available for download here, sheds light on the tolerance for stress and attention to detail required to care for a politician of Mrs. Clinton’s stature.
“Just suggestions, but a couple things I do on event days,” Cathy Calhoun, who left her job this summer to become an upstate political director for the state Democratic Party, wrote to Kristen Heath, a regional representative for Mr. Spitzer and now an official at the Empire State Development Corporation. It was sent the evening before Mr. Spitzer was to visit Syracuse to tout his property tax plan.
Here are the key points conveyed by Ms. Calhoun:
1) “Watch the local news in case something is happening that he might get a question about or can incorporate into his remarks (ex — the school one of the kids goes to just won a big game…).”
2) “While his car rides are fairly short, it is always good to have some bottled water in the car just in case.”
3) “I always have the following couple things with me on event days: Sharpie, sticky notes, extra pens, index cards, digital camera (charge the battery), and phone/ berry [sic] charger (it’s amazing how quick you will burn up a battery on event days). Of course a copy of your briefings and schedule for the day — I know this sounds silly but … never let those out of your possession! Yes, schedules and briefs have been found by the press and that becomes the story not to mention the security risk.”
And most important:
4) “My last piece of advice is to be aware of the press!!!! Stay out of the press shot and be careful what you say. Those pesky press people will sneak up behind you when you least expect it!!! Assume they can always hear you and are always watching you for any type of reaction!!!”
In an interview, Ms. Calhoun insisted that she does not hate reporters but said their tendency to eavesdrop created problems for Mrs. Clinton’s office.
“The press gets kudos for being so damn creative,” she said. “I wouldn’t want your job.”
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