Monday, May 10, 2004
Back and Forth and Back
When one is fighting back against floods of allegations, it is frustrating and frankly, miserable to be on the short end of facts. Whenever you think you have made progress to rebut an allegation without substance, something happens to shift the spotlight. There is a new crisis, a new focus, a diversionary tactic by someone somewhere that destroys the force of the point you want to make.
When everyone is pointing at everyone else, the case is worse. You don't know whom to trust. In fact, you dare not trust anyone. People are looking at the end of careers and maybe, jail time. They will do anything to avoid that -- and they do.
So we sit in teleconferences and debate what we can say. It's back and forth and forth and back. We think this point might be forceful. It will change the debate. It's great. There is a pause: The lawyer begs to differ. Not so quick, he says. We aren't done with the investigation, he cautions. "But haven't we made the point public already sotto voce? Let's shout it from the rooftops." Another pause. The lawyer says he hasn't really interviewed enough people yet nor tracked down nearly enough data to allow the point to stand on its own. So why did we mention this point at all? One can hear air rushing from the room. It's off to another point and another still. Finally, we give up for the evening. There is nothing to say that we haven't said and that isn't strong enough to rebut a witness on national television.
Another long day of crisis peters out and everyone goes home. We'll try again tomorrow.
When everyone is pointing at everyone else, the case is worse. You don't know whom to trust. In fact, you dare not trust anyone. People are looking at the end of careers and maybe, jail time. They will do anything to avoid that -- and they do.
So we sit in teleconferences and debate what we can say. It's back and forth and forth and back. We think this point might be forceful. It will change the debate. It's great. There is a pause: The lawyer begs to differ. Not so quick, he says. We aren't done with the investigation, he cautions. "But haven't we made the point public already sotto voce? Let's shout it from the rooftops." Another pause. The lawyer says he hasn't really interviewed enough people yet nor tracked down nearly enough data to allow the point to stand on its own. So why did we mention this point at all? One can hear air rushing from the room. It's off to another point and another still. Finally, we give up for the evening. There is nothing to say that we haven't said and that isn't strong enough to rebut a witness on national television.
Another long day of crisis peters out and everyone goes home. We'll try again tomorrow.
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