Remake the Bully Pulpit

Michael D. McCurry was White House press secretary for President Bill Clinton. Here is his advice for President-Elect Obama.

From Reader's Digest

Read more memos to President-Elect Barack Obama.

Nothing will help your presidency or threaten its success more than how well you communicate with the American people. The "bully pulpit" of the presidency (as Theodore Roosevelt called it) needs a remake for the 21st century because we are still using communication techniques that date back to the first President Roosevelt.

First, abolish the practice of holding a single televised daily press briefing by the White House press secretary. No matter how witty and attractive the Press Secretary might be, he or she cannot become an alternative daytime TV star up against the soap operas. We need a full-scale assault on the gigantic volume of information processed each day by the federal government and the presidential press secretary needs to orchestrate a great symphony of public information.More data and facts need to get out the door. Less spin and "message control." More experts in government across all agencies talking about what they know best.

Second, look at what is popular on television.Reality shows. Make the White House one.I attended very few meetings and briefings that could not have been carried live on TV. They would have reassured the American public that the President gets good information from smart people.(Or maybe they would have shown citizens how confined the "bubble" of the Oval Office can be.) I think more transparency will restore trust in government. So let's let Americans watch more of it.

Third, make sure other agencies of government and the other branches on Capitol Hill and the Supreme Court get equal time. We let too much attention focus on the White House where there is not always earth shattering news every day. Let's get the media to focus on other places where critical work is happening in the name of the American people. That means upgrading the quality and competency of all those communicating the work of government to the American people. So let's have hundreds of great press secretaries in Washington, not just one at the White House.

From Reader's Digest - January 2009

• Barack Obama
• Presidential Inauguration

• Memo to President Barack Obama
• As Mr. Obama takes office, we asked 18 leaders to offer him their best advice.
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• More Memos to President Obama
• As Mr. Obama takes office, we asked leaders to offer him their best advice. Their responses can inspire us all to renew America's dream.
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