Mapes Blames Everyone ... But Herself

Mary Mapes goes on a rampage against everyone ... letting everyone know that she's partially infallible, but is the best reporter that has ever walked this green Earth.

From the article comes this doozy of a quote:
"I'm a human being; I do things wrong from the first breath I take in the morning," Mapes said. "I don't in any way feel I am without responsibility in this. . . . I probably shouldn't have been as pliable or as malleable as I was" when her bosses were finalizing the story. "This is a huge shortcoming. I didn't know how to say no. . . . I was trying very hard to please them."
Now, maybe I am being naive, but reporters are not supposed to be human ... well, they are not supposed to make mistakes, and if they do, are they not supposed to own up to them?

The article - and I'm sure the book - are amazing reads. Here is a woman that is able to find a conspiracy against her around every corner, and yet does not own up to anything. And, while I do not find CBS' handling of the affair to be anything to hold up as a great example of crisis communications, at least they did not pass the buck so readily. They might not have fully owned up to the mistakes, but Mapes refuses to at least admit to her part in the crisis and still believes she is right.

Mapes wants to stay in journalism - good, at least she will not enter public relations. A course in crisis communications and ownership might do her some good, though.

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Comments
1 comment
  1. Denial. Flat-out, ugly denial.

    Mapes' appology is about as heart-felt and well conceived as Terrell Owens' earlier this week. He got slapped down for it and so should she.

    I'll include your post in my wrap-up of marketing/PR blog posts for the week in tomorrow's (11/11) "Much Ado About Marketing" blog.

    Thanks again,

    Mike Bawden
    Brand Central Station

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