Being Mike Easley

I read in one of the newspapers awhile back (I can’t recall exactly which one) the governor likes to leave Friday for his beach-home, return Monday, and in between spend as much time (after hours) as possible on his hobby, woodworking in the basement of the Governor’s Mansion.

Don’t get me wrong, one of the things I like about Easley is his sanity and this is a sane man’s schedule. The governor is not obsessed with politics. Or government. In fact, running for Governor is about the only unsane thing he’s done.

That said, now we know – given the Governor’s pursuit of a normal life while holding a completely abnormal job – who’s been running State Government. His press office.

Awhile back a highway patrolman got fired for kicking his police dog. Now in my book dog-kicking crosses the line. But the patrolman is suing to get his job back and his boss says he was railroaded because the normal disciplinary process was short-circuited. Why? Because the Press Office wanted him gone.

Now, this is an epiphany. A pinnacle of the modern era. Today, government is run by the Press Office.

A Highway patrolmen kicks his dog. Get rid of him.

The News and Observer says DHHS has wasted $400 million – fire the Department’s Public Affairs Officer, Debbie Crane.

Reporters getting their hands on government emails generates bad press – so delete the emails.

The problem here is simple. Press Officers don’t solve problems. They manage them. Their theory goes like this: If we manage the perceptions and the Governor looks good the problems don’t matter.

But, in that regard, lately, the Press Office has had a disaster on its hands. It’s learning the hard way reality in its mean mode whips perception and no amount of ‘damage control’ can explain away, say, a $400 million mental health disaster, after it blows up.

The result? Today, the Press Office is about shot. According to the newspapers, it’s hard to even get a Press Officer on the phone there these days – which is a pretty clear sign of breakdown when your job is dealing with reporters.

If the Governor’s just got his mind set on keeping on being Mike Easley, and not getting obsessed with running the state, he’s going to have to find a way to replace some Press Officers with some problem solvers. Some folks who deal with reality. Not perception.

He can put running government in their hands and, then, go back to being Mike Easley.