Campaign Ethics in a Pandemic

What are the ethics of running for office in a pandemic? Project on Ethics in Political Communication director Peter Loge is joined by former US Secretary of Agriculture, former US Representative and Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program Dan Glickman; veteran political reporter and co-owner of Campaigns & Elections Shane D'Aprile; and George Washington University philosophy professor Jeffrey Brand to discuss campaign ethics during COVID-19

A Conversation about Ethics in Political Speechwriting

On March 11 the Project on Ethics in Political Communication hosted a conversation with the former director of speechwriting for the Romney/Ryan campaign Lindsay Hayes of Redpath Writing, Clinton White House speechwriter Vinca LaFleur of West Wing Writers, rhetorical scholar David Frank of the University of Oregon, and the director of the Project on Ethics in Political Communication Peter Loge.

Five Questions about Ethics in Political Communication: Sarah Isgur

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Sarah Isgur has worked in all three branches of government and on three presidential campaigns, including serving as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Carly for President, and was a Fellow at Harvard University's Institute of Politics during the last presidential cycle. She most recently served in the Department of Justice as Director of the Office of Public Affairs and Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General . Sarah took her bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and completed her thesis on the Americanization of British campaign communication at the London School of Economics. At Harvard Law School, she was President of the Harvard Federalist Society and staffed the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. After law school, she served as a law clerk to Judge Edith Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Sarah is a staff writer at The Dispatch, a political analyst for CNN, and a professional lecturer in the School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University. @whignewtons

1) To what ethical standard should political communication be held? Where should political communication ethics be grounded?

The ethical standards we hold ourselves and others to in our personal lives should be no different when we cross into the political realm. Despite how television and movies may portray our politics, we do not leave our personal, moral, and ethical codes at the door. In fact, they should be enhanced by the responsibility and duty of public service. The golden rule is no less true behind the White House podium or on a CNN panel, and yet in the age of reality television and fictionalized dramas, we seem to accept a certain level of brutality as “the rules of the game.”

2) Why should someone in political communication behave ethically?

It is, of course, in a communicator's self interest to be regarded as an ethical person. It builds credibility both inside and outside your own organization. And you serve your boss and organization far better as a credible communicator. That being said, there are larger reasons as well. It sounds silly to say that you may sleep better at night knowing that you have done your best and served your country, but it is also true. Whether you get fired or lose the race, in my experience, you will have fewer regrets and spend less time dwelling on misfortune when you adhere to your own code of ethics in your professional life.

3) Can you give an example of ethical political communication? What can people point to and say “do more of that?”

Not enough people admit when they were wrong. It’s surprising when you think about it because it is so effective at disarming your opposition but we see so little of it in our political conversation. Changing your mind, saying you were wrong in the face of new facts is both an ethical and effective path of political communication that I would like to see more of.

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?

Rarely a day goes by in a high profile job that a communicator is not given the opportunity to lie and that lying is, in fact, the easier choice. But most people believe lying is bad. And so it is often that case that people will start from the lie and then back track from there until they get to a place that they can defend as ‘not a lie.’ This is the wrong approach. A communicator should start from a place of radical candor and then determine what obligations she has from that position. Candor should always be the goal and the starting place.

5) What advice about ethics do you have for people studying political communication or starting their careers in the field?

Answer the question you were asked. Show grace to those around you. Be a skeptic but never a cynic.

Five Questions about Ethics in Political Communication: Tom Sheridan

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Tom Sheridan is the president and founder of the Sheridan Group, a progressive strategic communication firm. Frequently named a “Top Lobbyist” by The Hill newspaper, Tom Sheridan is described as a “powerbroker for those without a voice.” His debut book, Helping the Good Do Better: How a White Hat Lobbyist Advocates for Social Change, was released in June 2019. @tfsheridan

1) To what ethical standard should political communication be held? Where should political communication ethics be grounded?

The ethical standard is “truth”. While the truth may be subjective, we all know that there is a broad and bright line between true and false. Interpretation will always be part of debates and the distinguishing element of policy positions or political messages – that’s a given. However, when political communications intentionally use falsehoods, rumors, or unsubstantiated data in the interest of harming another candidate or issue group then the ethical lines have been crossed. In civil rights movements we have a saying – “there are no rights without remedies” and the grounding of our ethics in politics should be in a consequence (or remedy) such that future work or aspirations are crippled when violated. An independent arbitrator should have the power to call balls/strikes. Any professional committing three strikes should be out and there should be a mechanism to do it. Sadly, in politics the lack of consequence is frequently interpreted as permission. 

2 - Why should someone in political communication behave ethically?
Because democratic participation in government is a privilege shared equally by all citizens. For someone to manipulate the power of citizenship by using political communications to drive falsehoods or corrupt agendas is as corrosive to our democracy as any assault by adversaries.   We have seen war, tension, terrorism – many of those come from abroad but we are only now understanding that powerful assaults against democracy can come from within. Professionals in politics must be the front lines of defense for the nation and the democratic norms we value.    

3 - Can you give an example of ethical-political communication? What can people point to and say “do more of that?”
Sure, every year the JFK Library gives out their “Profiles in Courage Award”. Frequently these are politicians who stood up for principals and values and did “the right thing”. Sadly, many of them pay a price for such courage. What if that award came with something else – a large cash prize like the McArthur Genius Award so that when good is demonstrated it’s rewarded and not punished, the recipient can then fight back against the money interests that are almost always on the other side and bragging about the defeat (i.e. the NRA). Justin Amash is a lone former Republican in the House to stand up to Donald Trump – will he win his next campaign? Will a primary opponent out of Trump’s swamp amass such sums as to push Amash out? We’re all grown-ups – we look at who wins and who loses in these matches. When “good” loses it sends a message. That has to change.

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?

You can not play in this game at any level of seriousness and not face challenges ethically.  They seem to spring out of the woodwork, sometimes daily. For me, the challenges come in balancing tactics that require “fighting fire with fire”. In the heat of an intense lobby effort there are moments when hedging on the truth, pulling a punch, or manipulating others feels necessary and opportunistic. The moment pushes you to do it in the interest of winning for the greater good. This is my threshold moment when I think I can do this and forgive myself for the “greater good”, I stop! The thought is the warning and the warning should be heeded – there is no “greater good” served by bad or unethical actions.   

5 - What advice about ethics do you have for people studying political communication or starting their careers in the field?
If you’ve chosen politics as a career choice be clear you’ve entered a “service industry”.   Politics at it’s best is in service to others. If your motivation is something other than service you are already vulnerable to the influences that compromise ethics and frequently break laws.  Corruption doesn’t appear dressed for the dance – it’s slow, subtle, and seductive. It breeds in people who haven’t grounded themselves in the humility of service. Emotionally mature adults with balanced lives do best in this business in the long term. Surround yourself with family and friends who share your values and keep you rooted in them. Treasure those who tell you when they see you stray! 

Five Questions about Ethics in Political Communication - Myles Goldman

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Myles Goldman is the communications manager at 340B Health, a Washington, D.C. based nonprofit association representing safety-net hospitals and health systems participating in the federal 340B drug pricing program. There he manages digital media. He has a B.A. in Political Communication from The George Washington University. @mylesgoldmanma   

1) To what ethical standard should political communication be held? Where should political communication ethics be grounded?

Political communication needs to be grounded in facts, and we need to hold ourselves and our colleagues to that standard. We may disagree about which policy solutions are most appropriate, but the only way we can persuade and move our cause forward is by working with a set of proven facts. Otherwise, the debate becomes bogged down in discerning which points are facts, rather than moving toward policy outcomes.

 This doesn’t mean that we can’t set an agenda by highlighting certain issues. We can also point out particular facts within that issue – otherwise known as framing. Agenda setting and framing are both essential to an effective political communication campaign. It simply means that we should be applying these communication principles with critical facts rather than statements that are false or based solely on emotion.

2) Why should someone in political communication behave ethically?

Political communication is all about relationship building through communication on behalf of a cause, candidate, or elected official. The communication can be to the media, to an elected official, to policy thought leaders such as a think tank or to the general public. No matter the audience, credibility remains crucial and ultimately the majority of policy goals cannot be achieved without it. Unethical political communication is one of the quickest ways to damage credibility because it goes right to the heart of trust. If a reporter can’t trust the information you are providing them is credible, then they are unlikely to look at you as a source for stories and the organization or person you represent will suffer for that in the lack of coverage received. In other words, ethical political communication is good for the business of effectively communicating and achieving the policy goal your organization, candidate, or office holder seeks.

3) Can you give an example of ethical political communication? What can people point to and say “do more of that?”

The common perception of political communication is that it is all about political campaigns or working for an elected official. It is important to remember that it also includes jobs working at trade associations, non profits, public affairs for corporations, and public affairs agencies. With that in mind, I think the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), who I am a member of, does a good job with its code of ethics. Every September is PRSA’s Ethics Month, where they discuss many of the same questions that emerge in political communication. PRSA’s Code of Ethics demands honesty and accountability and includes guidelines for how to disclose information, appropriately protect client information, and how to address potential conflicts of interest. It is a great starting point for a conversation around political communication ethics.

Additionally, the Digital Advertising Alliance released in June new transparency guidelines for digital political advertising that creates a system for political advertisements online to include an icon that identifies it as a political advertisement and gives the viewer the opportunity to learn more about who is behind the advertisement. Transparency is a vital component of political communication and these types of guidelines are necessary for ethical political communication in the ever-growing digital space.

 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?

There is going to be continued questions for advocacy organizations that create so called “astroturf” campaigns. This is where the supporters of the third-party campaign or organization don’t exist. Building a grassroots or grasstops campaign can be an effective strategy to achieve a policy outcome and demonstrate the support a policy position has. The problem becomes when a campaign communicates that it has stronger support than it actually has, which can unduly influence the decision making of voters, the media, and policymakers. This is especially a problem at a time when it is easy to purchase Twitter followers through third-party companies. In many cases reporting has demonstrated that the followers purchased are mostly bot and fake accounts.

 5) What advice about ethics do you have for people studying political communication or starting their careers in the field?

No matter what the latest digital platform is or what types of media outlets political communicators are interacting with, the basics of political communication ethics should remain the same. This means that people beginning their career in the field should determine before they start their first job what their ethical boundaries are, since they shouldn’t be dictated by the latest technology trend. This is not only important for when an ethical challenge occurs, which often happens under chaotic circumstances, but can also guide what type of organization they work for to begin with. People should aim to work for an organization that has the same ethical values they do. Although this doesn’t guarantee political communication ethics bliss, it is likely to put them on a good ethical path to start.