I DON'T NEED YOU WHEN I'M RIGHT: Confessions of a Washington PR Man

by Vic. Gold ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 30, 1975

When the Watergate burglars were arrested, Jeb Magruder broke the news to Bob Mardian: ""It looks like we have a little PR problem."" According to Gold, this understatement betrays a common myopia about public relations, especially in politics: the nation can be sold anything, from a president on down. But if that's so, Gold asks, why couldn't the millions spent by Rockefeller win him the presidential nomination which he tried for and lost three times running? Two answers: the Republicans just weren't buying Rocky; and he ran his campaign too erratically, announcing his candidacy too early, quitting before the primaries, then jumping back in when all hope was lost. It was almost as if Rockefeller had a will to lose (or perhaps to get into the Oval Office via the 25th Amendment, without the bother of being elected). Gold spent much of his PR life fronting for Spiro Agnew and blocking hostile newsmen after the vice president attacked the media as ""nattering nabobs of negativism."" He also staunchly supported Agnew right up to the day of his resignation. Gold has many stories (less funny than they should be) to spring about Nixon, Sinatra, Shirley Temple Black, John Mitchell, Jerry Ford and others as well as anecdotes about his twisted fate as a publicity expert for various companies. He concludes that PR men are too wrapped up in their own dream worlds to manipulate public opinion effectively. Short on style and wit, and like most PR releases, quite momentary.

Pub Date: June 30, 1975

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1975

Categories: NONFICTION