The Flack

This weblog attempts to shine a brighter light on the subtle role public relations plays in politics, culture, media, business and sports. Through greater transparency, the author hopes to make the profession better understood and perhaps more widely appreciated.

The New York Times today reports on the front page of its national section (not to be confused with its front page) an effort in Ohio to reverse some of the legal gains made by the Intelligent Design crowd.

The article was accompanied by a pro-science op-ed written in response to the much-publicized efforts of a youthful NASA PR guy who tried to force his non-intelligent ideologies on one of the more intelligent scientists working at the national space agency.

Separately, a Harvard-trained evolutionary biologist turned filmmaker recently screened his new documentary called “Flock of Dodos: The Evolution - Intelligent Design Circus” that chronicles the foibles of the debate that’s taking place today — some four score after the Scopes Monkey Trial.

His conclusions: intelligent design is making greater strides because its supporters are “…energetic, likeable people who compensate for their shaky theory’s shortcomings through organization, personal appeal, and money.” They also are “…backed by media-savvy, well-financed organizations like the Discovery Institute that aren’t afraid to hire high-powered public relations firms to advance their cause.”

“Scientists, on the other hand, squander their factual edge through indifference and poor communication skills.” Ahhh. Where are the media trainers when we need them? Sure sounds like the Dems and Republicans.


Posted in NASA, Institutions & Enterprises, Events, Intelligent Design | 1 Comment »

You Say You Want an Evolution…

Posted by Peter Himler on 8th November 2005


The outcome of today’s vote in Kansas to adopt “intelligent design” in its schools will ripple through the curricula-design trenches of the nation’s public education system.

The many interest groups involved on both sides of this Darwinian issue are not waiting for the verdict to come in. In the typical double-speak to which we’ve grown accustomed these last few years, Casey Luskin, a spokesperson for the cleverly named Discovery Institute, the drivers of I.D. (whose website nefariously looks like National Geographic’s ), had this to say: “Under these standards students will learn more about evolution, not less.”

On the other side of the argument, the Campaign to Defend the Constitution, launched an email campaign to espouse its point of view. Its PR firm is Fenton Communications, which is probably the top firm in the industry for left-of-center cause-related advocacy. (Think Cindy Sheehan, Greenpeace, moveon.org, etc.) Whatever your political leanings may be, Fenton is a first-rate firm schooled in the most cutting-edge PR techniques. (DNC, are you paying attention?)

Even so, some days it feels like we’re all living in a surreal dream. I read yesterday that the makers of the popular doll American Girl are under attack – no doubt by backers of Intelligent Design — for supporting a 140-year-old non-profit organization called Girls Inc..

Posted in Junk Science, Intelligent Design, Places, Kansas | 2 Comments »