Hana Callaghan is the director of the Government Ethics Program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. She has a background in law, government, and politics and is the author of Campaign Ethics; A Field Guide. @scuethics
1) To what ethical standard should political communication be held? Where should political communication ethics be grounded?
Our political process is based on the ethical ideal of creating an informed electorate. In order to fulfill their duty to inform, candidates’ communications should always be truthful, fair, relevant, and substantive.
2) Why should someone in political communication behave ethically?
All people in politics, be they candidate, staff, consultant, or volunteer have a duty to preserve the integrity of the electoral process because when the public loses faith in their representative institutions, government doesn’t work. It is also in the candidate’s self interest to behave ethically. Voters perceive that how a candidate campaigns is a good indicator on how he or she will govern. Studies have shown that when a candidate attacks a candidate unethically, the attack impacts public perception of the attacker.
3) Can you give an example of ethical political communication? What can people point to and say “do more of that?”
One of pleasant surprises in the 2020 presidential race was a mass email from Pete Buttigiege’s campaign manager to supporters clearly articulating the values that inform the campaign. This was not a set of policy positions, but rather a code of conduct for everyone associated with the campaign. The Mayor not only asked his staff to sign “Pete’s Rules of the Road,” but he asked supporters as well.
4) Can you give an example of an ethical challenge or question you or political communication professionals in your field have faced or are likely to face?
One of the best examples of ethical campaigning was seen in the 2008 race between Barack Obama and John McCain. McCain corrected a supporter in a town hall meeting who said she couldn’t vote for Obama because he was, “An Arab.” Instead of agreeing with a potential supporter, McCain responded, “No, ma'am. He's a decent family man [and] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign's all about. He's not [an Arab]." He told the crowd, "I have to tell you, Senator Obama is a decent person and a person you don’t have to be scared of as president of the United States." At John McCain’s funeral, Barack Obama relayed this story and said, “[T]hat was John's instinct. I never saw John treat anyone differently because of their race or religion or gender. That in those moments that have been referred to during the campaign he saw himself as defending America's character, not just mine. He considered it the imperative of every citizen that loves this country to treat all people fairly.”
5) What advice about ethics do you have for people studying political communication or starting their careers in the field?
Everyone participating in civic engagement is to be praised for their commitment to our democratic ideals. Although politics is a noble pursuit, there will be many times when you are faced with ethical dilemmas on the campaign trail. The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics has designed a Framework for Ethical Decision Making to help people reflect and engage in an ethical process when faced with difficult choices. It is available for free on our website at https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/a-framework-for-ethical-decision-making/.
