Memo to Fire Chiefs, Part 2: Weiner comes clean & does what he should have done at the start.
Previous coverage of this story from STATter911.com
Last week I gave you my analysis, for what it's worth, of the dance New York Congressman Anthony Weiner was playing with the press over a picture on Weiner's Twitter account showing a close-up of a man's bulging underwear. It was clear to most everyone watching the coverage that, no matter what the real story was, Weiner was doing great harm to his image.
If he was, as he originally said, a victim of hacking, Weiner was prolonging this story with vague answers and arrogance, in addition to trying to put the blame on the news media.
But, like many others watching the spectacle, I suspected this was an attempt at covering up and avoiding the truth. Just another example of making a bad situation worse. Today, Rep. Anthony Weiner did what he should have done from the start and admitted his wrong doing. In a press conference this afternoon, Weiner said that he concocted the story in an effort to hide the fact that he tried to send the racy picture to a young woman in Bellingham, Washington.
"The picture was of me, and I sent it," he said.
He also said he had several "inappropriate conversations" that he described as "explicit in nature" with six other women over three years – including after he married his wife, Huma Abedin, an aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He said he had not met any of the women.
"I have made terrible mistakes that have hurt the people that I cared about the most, and I am terribly sorry," said Weiner, who held back tears as he made his comments. He added: "I am deeply ashamed of my terrible judgment and my actions."
"If you're looking for some kind of deep explanation for this, I don't have one except to say that I'm very sorry," he said.
Even though the Weiner affair has nothing to do with fire or EMS, I share it because there are great lessons for anyone who is in the public eye. Many fire departments and chiefs have done exactly what Anthony Weiner has done. And I am not talking about sending racy pictures over the Internet. The tendency to run, hide and avoid telling the truth when bad news hits is universal.
Coming clean is never an easy step. Especially when it involves sex. But it is essential if you want to do the least harm to yourself or your organization. The digital age has made sure nothing is secret (or sacred) anymore. The truth will get out. And if big enough or salacious enough, it will be plastered across the Internet with lightning speed.
If Anthony Weiner had come forward as soon as this picture became an issue with the admissions he made today, there are many in the public who would have been disappointed in him. There is no doubt people would suddenly look at him in a new light as a sex fiend of some sort. And that is happening right now (and probably was during Weiner's week of denials).
But now, in addition to the sex issues, Weiner is an admitted liar who was willing to blame others for his own sin, to try and save his own skin.
Weiner's feet were being held to the fire by more revelations uncovered by the news media. Another development that was not unexpected. But still, it took great guts on the part of Anthony Weiner to stand up there today and not only tell the truth about the picture, but to reveal other details that are harmful to him and those he is close to.
And, more important, Weiner did it the right way, facing the cameras and answering the questions (getting it all out and behind you). But he also had no choice if he was going to try and salvage his career. Brad Phillips at mrmediatraining.com makes some very intersting points about today's perfomance being one of Weiner trying to save his own future in Congress versus truly doing the right thing for the right reasons (Read Weiner Press Conference: Responsiblity Without Sacrifice). I am of the belief, while not perfect, he did pretty well considering the hand he dealt himself.
It just would have been a lot easier task of reputation rebuilding if Weiner's credibility were not jeopardized in the process. Think of how those on-camera statements from last week are going to look up against what he said today. Think of how the cover-up actions of the last week will stand up in an announced ethics probe by the House of Representatives.
I wish I could tell you who originally said this, but it is a statement that is so true and applies to the Weiner debacle and many of the reputation issues fire departments deal with: Bad news doesn't get better with age.
