Tell the whole story and nothing but the whole story. I thought a real life political convention anecdote would be appropriate considering all the partisan NDP talk on the blog these days.  At the last convention in Quebec City, I rushed out a research document after Laytonʼs leadership approval numbers were released.  The list had an impressive 20+ other results from similar convention review votes.  Layton was one of the best rated!

I was thrilled as TV reporters, print journalists, and bloggers snapped up my paper and went to air.  Then, I took my last handout and passed it over to Chantal Hébert of the Toronto Star.  She took a glance, handed it back, and I learned her institutional memory went back farther than the internet and a top-notch research team with an hour of time could muster.

She instantly tossed out three review votes we had not listed; two of which the totals were higher than just released for Layton.  Her look was withering.  I withered.

Now, it wasnʼt out of malice or a ham-fisted attempt that the list I was handing out “wasnʼt complete” as she said to me.  There are a lot of  leadership review votes in Canadian history.  Itʼs highly subjective which you would include.

Lesson Learned

Hébert was making three points:
1) I know this information already and I know more than the information you are feeding me.
2) If you want to give me information, give it all to me, not just the stuff you think I should know.
3) Even if you donʼt try to “spin,” it still comes off that way.