We had planned to spend our entire day (all of us, including children and spouses/spousal equivalents) in service with various organizations around Kentucky. But this was too ripe not to address publicly. Because I feel it’s a good idea for readership to know the kind of bullshiz we put up with from people 24/7.
Misty Cruse, a woman who does (or has done) PR for Jewish Hospital, the State Fair Board and the Airport Authority sent me an email this morning in an attempt to spin Greg Fischer’s State of the City Address. We should, according to her, issue a retraction because we dared suggest Fischer’s address wasn’t open to the public.
As you learned last week, Fischer gave the speech at Downtown Rotary, a members-only club. We made sure to point that out here.
Cruse said:
Thanks for mentioning Rotary in your post last week. I just wanted to clarify that Rotary meetings are not member-only events. We would love for community members to join us. Anyone can actually walk in to a meeting any Thursday at the Galt House and pay the $20 lunch fee to join us. Or, if they would prefer to register in advance, they can do so by calling 502-589-1800. I hope you’ll post this information and encourage the community to take part in the centennial year of Rotary.
Rather than drag this out, here’s how I responded:
Exactly. $20 per person. For a public address.
You work in public relations, so I’m assuming that’ll sink in quickly.
Easy to comprehend, right? If you have to pay $20 to attend, it’s a members-only club. You don’t get in for free. It’s not open to the public. Joe Blow off the street with no money can’t get in to hear the mayor deliver what should be a public address. Only dues-paying members get in without paying.
Nope, too tough to comprehend, apparently:
Sorry Jacob, I’m not sure I’m following you … what do you mean? Are you saying people have to pay $20 for a PSA basically? If that’s how you mean it, then that’s not really my point. I see what you mean but the issue I’m addressing is your post said the event was “members-only” and that’s not accurate. I just was hoping you could print a retraction stating the correct information. Whether or not people to choose to come and pay is their business of course, but most of the professional organizations are basically paying for a PSA whether political or business issue based. If I misunderstood your point, let me know. :)
Complete with a smiley face emoticon.
“For a PSA basically.” Yes, a PSA. The mayor’s State of the City Address is a “PSA basically.”
Yep. And you wonder why Louisville can’t have nice things.
Yes, I’m an admitted asshole but this is absurd. It’s a testament to the mentality of folks surrounding Greg Fischer and constantly apologizing for him. “Oh, it’s no big deal that you have to pay $20 to hear his annual State of the City Address. So get your semantics right with a smiley face.” “Oh, it’s okay that he’s justifying corruption because he’s a nice man.”
Head – desk.
UPDATE — Here’s even more about why this wasn’t an event that was open to the general public:
I am PR counsel to the Rotary of Louisville. And FYI, here’s how it works – Rotary members who have joined since 1991 prepay nearly $200 per quarter for the luncheons. Those joining before 1991 have the option to pay as they go the $17 entrance fee. Guests of Rotary members pay $17 at the door and guests of Rotary members who are actually prospective members and first time guests get in free. The members who joined before 1991 can also skip lunch and pay $5 just to hear the speaker.
$800 per year club. That’s where Greg Fischer delivered his State of the City Address.
Yes, you can go to a library to watch it for “free.” Maybe Fischer will even deliver the speech again at a free event. But that doesn’t change the fact that Greg felt it appropriate to restrict his annual address about the city to a room of folks dropping cash to hear it. That’s telling the average citizen that people with the cash to pay are more worthy and deserve to hear the remarks before everyone else.
Now, get your ass out and do something today.
18 responses so far ↓
1 Cavemouse // Jan 16, 2012 at 11:14 am
“A nice man” who is in totally over his head. Having finally met the man, he is either dumber then a box of rocks or a brilliant actor. Wonder how he will feel about the Rotary calling his speech a “PSA”? He did email it out to all the Metro employees for free!
2 Just a ? // Jan 16, 2012 at 11:51 am
So, why wasn’t this speech delivered in the Mayor’s Gallery (or the Council Chambers) before an audience of the elected officials + the general public and simulcast on MetroTV? Cause you know, that’s sort of how it works on a federal level.
3 jake // Jan 16, 2012 at 11:55 am
Also how it works on the state level and in most other cities in Kentucky that have a tradition of annual addresses.
4 fleur-de-gris // Jan 16, 2012 at 12:00 pm
i can’t remember for certain, but this isn’t a new issue is it? didn’t abramson usually do the same: deliver this talk at rotary? doesn’t make it better, only suggesting that maybe the model was in place and maybe fischer just failed to change course.
also, if this speech were to get broadcast on radio and metro tv, it might help. does either happen?
5 jake // Jan 16, 2012 at 12:02 pm
It gets broadcast, eventually, yes.
That doesn’t make it better.
Last chunk of text in the post says why.
6 Debbie // Jan 16, 2012 at 12:09 pm
They don’t get it Jake and they don’t want to get it. You were right the venue was totally wrong for that speech which is to the people of Louisville Metro. The flacks they are hiring now do not have a clue what it is all about. You called them out and rightfullu so!
7 jtt // Jan 16, 2012 at 12:17 pm
He desperately needs better PR advice. PR isn’t a bad word, it is looking at how it will “play to the crowd.” An address of this nature should always be done publicly – in at least a semi-public forum, and in these days in times, broadcast and streamed in a free environment so that everyone can see it live. (That doesn’t mean on “government TV” – since you have to have cable to watch that.)
8 David // Jan 16, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Mole hill = mountain
Sensationalism wins the day.
9 jake // Jan 16, 2012 at 12:42 pm
15,000 little mole hills combine to form a pretty big mountain in just a year.
10 ppe // Jan 16, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Clearly the Rotary PR person doesn’t understand the purpose or the meaning of State of the Union. Its typically given in a forum available for all constituents or in front of the governing body and broadcast in some way made available to all to listen or view. The fact that she views the State of the Union message as a PSA is really disheartening.
11 totalfailure // Jan 16, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Clearly the Mayor’s crew called Rotary’s PR and had her come to his defense. Just another apologist for Fischy because he’s spineless clueless wimp that will be Louisville’s worst leader
12 totalfailure // Jan 16, 2012 at 8:40 pm
As Louisville burns (cash and other nightmares) he’s more concerned about his image. This bozo had the perfect opportunities to do the right thing and instead he managed make things go from bad to worse. He truly doesn’t get it and he has surrounded himself with folks that are dumber and more thin-skinned. What’s the over/under on how many times this moron screws-up? 3 0r 4 times a day??? At least the number of screw ups match the number of times he’ll appear in the east end gossip rag.
13 Linda // Jan 17, 2012 at 10:26 am
I’m beginning to believe that he was born with such a huge silver spoon shoved up his nether regions that he just doesn’t understand at all. I wouldn’t spend $20 to hear a horrible speaker and have a mediocre lunch, not because I couldn’t, but because I SHOULDN’T HAVE TO. Other people voted for you and you got the job. Now do it. Oh, and it’s a full package: you have to SERVE the poor, the stinky, the uneducated, the gangbangers, the elderly who count pennies to buy bread, as well as those nicely-groomed people in the nice clothes with the advanced degrees, the ancestral wealthy, the business owners, the movers and shakers. And every single one of us in the middle. All of us. Oh, and you are supposed to do so without thought of what the constituent can do for you, except maybe throw you a merit vote next time around. But you certainly don’t have to worry about merit votes, Mayor. No, you certainly don’t.
14 Steve // Jan 17, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Ms Cruse has really missed the point in this one. The issue is not about the Rotary Club, it’s members and guest who can afford to pay to hear the speaker they have invited. The issue is about an elected official, the Mayor, giving the State of the City address at a function that required all citizens in Metro Louisivlle to pay to hear it. Just by the very nature of the $20 fee that was charged prevented some from attending due to the price of admission and there financial situation. The Mayor was all about all the people in Louisville when he was trying to get elected. It beginning to appear that was just political talk to help him accomplish his goal.
15 matushka // Jan 17, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Does the mayor read this site and the letters? I just want someone to get through his thick and clueless head. I’m starting to have as much a visceral reaction to him as I do Newt, Santorum, etc. He just turns my stomach with his combination of arrogance and cluelessness.
16 Steve // Jan 17, 2012 at 1:35 pm
I have a question for Ms Cruise, did the Rotary Club invite the Mayor to give his State of the City address in the hopes of making money off of it?
17 jake // Jan 17, 2012 at 5:09 pm
matushka: He reads and comments here.
18 Debbie // Jan 17, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Mr. Mayor read the above comments and learn from them..maybe you really are uninformed and arrogant. It’s a shame, I really thought your heart was in the right place. We really need a leader right now…has anybody seen one lately?
Leave a Comment