Keith Nagy is the digital manager for Holly McCormack, a Democratic candidate running against Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia's 14th congressional district. Originally from rural Kansas, Nagy holds a B.A. in political science from The George Washington University. He is currently pursuing a master's degree from GW's Graduate School of Political Management. Previously, Nagy has held positions with the National Audubon Society, Cardinal Infrastructure, and the Kansas Department of Transportation. @nagy_minaj
1) To what ethical standard should political communication be held? Where should political communication ethics be grounded?
Political communicators ought to be held to a similar ethical standard as journalists. While the Fourth Estate will always be essential to hold the powerful accountable, those in political communications should strive to make that function unnecessary. Like media ethics, political communication ethics must be grounded in truth. While all political communicators undoubtedly make mistakes, they must be committed to correcting their errors. Although the truth is relative, it is not subjective. One should look to the words of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan: “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.”
2) Why should someone in political communication behave ethically?
I suppose that the value of conducting oneself ethically is to build a positive reputation amongst peers and potential followers. An unethical political communicator is inherently dangerous in a democracy, as their disinformation leads to the erosion of truth and trust in our institutions. Trust is critical in politics, not just between leaders and their constituencies, but between the political players themselves. Few people want to be allies with a communicator who utilizes unethical methods, whether that be deception or breach of confidence. If even your allies recognize your word means nothing, you should expect your career in politics to be ineffectual.
3) Can you give an example of ethical political communication? What can people point to and say “do more of that?”
Some contemporary examples of ethical political communication that come to mind are the daily briefings by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. Yes, to some, her press briefings may just seem more ethical in juxtaposition with her predecessors. It is also true that White House press briefings intrinsically include a partisan slant to the facts. However, I hold great admiration for Psaki’s ability to admit she does not have an answer to every question. So often, when political communicators are put on the spot with a “gotcha question”, they conjure a meaningless word salad, or worse, they outright lie. Being straightforward about the available facts, or lack thereof, is critical to building trust in political communication.
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?
Like I mentioned, all political communicators will eventually receive a question that stumps them or catches them off guard. The worst possible option is to lie, but it is also the most popular option. Deception is commonly chosen, sometimes in the heat of the moment, to avoid seeming uninformed or unprepared. However, I would contend that either of those labels is preferable to seeming untruthful. More ethical options exist, such as pivoting to a different topic, or perhaps objecting to the premise of the question. There is also enormous value in just a straightforward “I don’t know the answer, I’ll try to get back to you on that.”
5) What advice about ethics do you have for people studying political communication or starting their careers in the field?
I would urge those pursuing a future in political communications to put themselves in the shoes of someone apathetic about politics, and then ask themselves “Why has this person chosen to avoid our political systems?” Could it be because they are distrustful of political communicators? Are they just tired of the spin and the propaganda? There are millions of Americans who share this sentiment, and their retreat from participatory democracy is not healthy for our country. It then becomes the onus of political communicators to determine how to bring trust back to our institutions. It should be every person’s goal to bring more people into the political process, rather than perpetuate a culture of cynicism.