Monday, September 24, 2007 Seares: Luli’s damage control By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
IN THE sixties it used to be called damage limitation, military jargon for “the process of restricting damage caused by an accident or error.”
It’s now mostly used in political news management. After or even before fallout of bad news, public official or politician tries to contain or lessen damage.
A PR tactician must be quick on damage control. The more skillful is he who can pull it with the public not seeing it as one.
Means and ways are varied, from banning Cabinet secretaries at Senate hearings, to shipping the First Gentleman out of the country, to the presidential-sounding “let’s-shun-politics-let’s-move-on” spiel.
And tapping the President’s daughter.
Luli Arroyo is sweet and self-effacing, no preening, totally not stuffy. Qualities hard to find in a daughter of a woman in pomp and power.
Hairline
When Luli tried damage control for her dad, who was linked to the US$330 million broadband scandal, people admired her courage to speak out—and were dismayed.
Instead of merely saying she cannot believe her pa is involved in the huge scandal, Luli swiped at House speaker’s son Joey de Venecia (who blew the whistle after he lost the chance of making the pile of money himself).
She said Joey is a drug addict and has a receding hairline.
Joey shooed the drug abuse rap: “long time ago.” And the diminishing-hair swipe doesn’t fly as hair has nothing to do with stealing—people with full hair also steal.
Luli failed. Which was what probably prompted the President to send her men to Blue Ribbon wolves and, later, to rescind the deal itself.
