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American Morning
What's Behind All the Face Time for the Administration on Television These Days?
Aired February 20, 2002 - 07:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's not the Pentagon's office of strategic influence, but maybe it's the White House's office of non-strategic influence. There is a bit of a P.R. strategy at work. Last week, First Lady Laura Bush traded yuks with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show." And then we had Colin Powell over the weekend talking about sex on MTV. And then last night the vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney, was on "The Tonight Show." Check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO: I've been fascinated in the last few months watching you, your reputation as you go from like this one undisclosed location to the other. Like Saturday's "New York Times," it says, "Mr. Cheney has taken on a James Bond like aura."
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Right.
LENO: Do you see yourself in that role?
CHENEY: There are certain elements of the Bond lifestyle I have yet to experience, Jay. But I'm hopeful.
LENO: Could you say your name like he does? Could you...
CHENEY: Dick. Dick Cheney.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAFFERTY: Shaken, not stirred.
So what's behind all the face time for the administration on television these days?
Advertising executive Jerry Della Femina is here to offer a little insight.
Strategy? Coincidence?
JERRY DELLA FEMINA, ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE: Brilliant. Great idea. I mean first of all, didn't you always think that Dick Cheney was born with a jacket and tie and takes a shower in a jacket and tie? Suddenly he turns warm and cuddly and funny. CAFFERTY: Yes. But where are the questions about Enron?
DELLA FEMINA: Well, there was a question about Enron, but they, you know, he handled it well and to be asked a question by Jay Leno is a lot easier than being asked a question by Tim Russert or Jack Cafferty.
CAFFERTY: Is there a quid pro quo? "The Tonight Show" is perceived as being a soft appearance. You just mentioned, it's not "Meet The Press," it's not "Crossfire," it's not "60 Minutes." Is there a quid pro quo, we'll give you the vice president but don't go too tough on the Enron stuff?
DELLA FEMINA: I think it's softer. I think they feel better -- also, people get a chance to see him. I mean, interesting, he had a flag on his lapel and everyone looked at it and remembers that we can't forget September 11. So there's a lot of messages being sent out there by having him on the show. And Laura Bush was wonderful on there.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
DELLA FEMINA: So she's a very engaging character. And what's happening, all my life people have said to me how could you be a Republican, you have a sense of humor?
CAFFERTY: That's good.
DELLA FEMINA: Well, these people have a sense of humor and they're showing it now.
CAFFERTY: Is there any risk to doing this kind of thing? Does it tend to trivialize the highest office of the nation? I mean are there any risks at all? Is there any down side to doing this?
DELLA FEMINA: There is no down side and you can see a lot more of it. I mean you can see Condoleezza Rice trading recipes with Martha Stewart.
CAFFERTY: Well, that's something to look forward to, isn't it?
DELLA FEMINA: How about Paul O'Neill on "Sesame Street?" That's a good one, too.
CAFFERTY: Yes, well, I ain't going near that because I'll get both of us in trouble. The idea that Colin Powell goes on MTV and talks about condom use and might as well double up his fists and hit the right-wing of the Republican Party right between the eyes. I mean it was a clear departure from the conservative wing of the Republican philosophy and yet the White House has been strangely silent on his remarks and his appearance.
DELLA FEMINA: Because I think that what it does is it sort of humanizes these people. He had an opinion and he gives it. I think that there's no down side to this. This is very smart and they're going to do a lot more of it. I mean they're suddenly realizing that they've got to, you know, they're reaching a totally different consistency. You don't see that many people, I mean, you know, they're away from the question and answer shows and really on let's have some fun, let's see -- these people are human. Hey, I may even vote for them.
CAFFERTY: Is 9-11 behind the idea that suddenly these guys are cool, they're fodder for the late night talk shows? Is it an outgrowth of what happened and the patriotic fervor that followed that or...
DELLA FEMINA: Yes. We get to see them in, you know, we've now seen them in a much more heroic -- Bush and, I mean, you know, you look at a guy like Dick Cheney and he was in danger. And he had to change places. So the fact is that you got to see a different Dick Cheney, you know. And that's important.
And yes, they are heroes.
CAFFERTY: Any thoughts about why we would see both a Laura Bush and Dick Cheney on "The Tonight Show" and not on the Letterman show, where it's a little more like juggling hand grenades when you're sitting down with David?
DELLA FEMINA: Probably someone thought about that and said I don't think we want David to hit us with his barbs. Yes, they went to Leno, who's much more middle America and easier.
CAFFERTY: All right, Jerry, it's good to see you. Thanks for coming in.
DELLA FEMINA: Good to be here.
CAFFERTY: All right, Jerry Della Femina, one of the better known gentlemen on Madison Avenue. He runs his own advertising firm here in New York -- Paula.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: I thought Mr. Cheney did a masterful job on that Dick, Dick Cheney.
CAFFERTY: Yes, shaken, not stirred.
ZAHN: James Bond.
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