The Difference Between PR and Governance

In the last week we have seen a lot of our governor (California) in responding to the fires in the southern part of the state. If you are on the Governor's press list, and I am, you have gotten a ton of press releases which explain all the things that the Governor has done. Many of those things are not entirely substantive. And that led one reporter to make the comment that this was the Arnold playing the role of the "super-action hero." That is a cheap shot.

The contrast when Katrina-rita hit could not have been more stark. The governor (now former) of Louisiana was made to look semi-competent because of the complete incompetence of the Mayor of New Orleans and the director of FEMA. But as time went on she even blew that initial standing. The comparison at that time between the governor of Mississippi and the idiots in Louisiana could not have been more stark. In both instances FEMA was slow in responding but in Mississippi, the governor acted quickly. Indeed some of his actions were symbolic but he really did move heaven and earth to get relief when it was possible. But he also used the symbols of office to show the people that he and his administration was on the job.

Our governor learned that lesson well. Some of his actions have been like Haley Barbour's - symbolic. But in a time of crisis a governor can perform a great service simply by calming the waters. And there the Governor has done very well - but that calming has also be followed by substance. There is also a lot of evidence that Schwarzennegger has a good idea about how to fill in on the substance. He was on the scene quickly but also seems to have mobilized every resource he could find to meet people's needs. That is a pretty good model of governance in crisis and is not deserving of the comments tying his current role to his former ones.