TRY THIS QUIZ !
By Chris Daly
1. The United States is undergoing a housing/mortgage crisis. Quick: Who is the secretary of Housing and Urban Development?
2. The stock market is tanking. Name the secretary of the Treasury.
3. The global climate is changing, resulting in tsunamis, wildfires, floods, etc. Who is the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?
4. Gasoline now costs more than $4 a gallon. Who is the U.S. secretary of Energy?
(Answers below. Be sure to get to the SUPER BONUS CHALLENGE ! )
How did you do?
If you blanked on the names, don’t feel too bad. The reason no one knows any of these people is partly due to the way they are covered. Most members of the Bush Cabinet are never in the news. When something bad happens, reporters don’t call the responsible agency looking for “comment.”
Part of the reason for
that is that some of these powerful officials preside over areas of government that used to have reporters assigned specifically to them. Those reporters had a “beat” that they were responsible for. So, if you had the “housing beat” at the
New York Times, let’s say, you covered housing all the time, and you were expected to know the issues inside and out, as well as all the key players. (The HUD secretary, the chairs of the congressional committees, the CEO of the biggest builder in the country, the heads of advocacy groups, etc.) Anytime something happened on your beat, you reflexively called these people and got their “take” on the latest developments.
That does not happen so often anymore. One reason is many newsrooms have been “downsized,” and many of those beats have been eliminated. As a result, the news media (and by extension, the voting public) are flying blind.
Another reason for the lack of comment by Cabinet officials may go a bit deeper. It may be the ultimate fruits of seven years of the Bush philosophy of government. That is:
YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN.
When there’s a problem, don’t expect a federal agency to take the lead. Don’t look for bold initiatives or swift action. (Remember Hurricane Katrina.) Bush and Cheney have been consistent in trying to wean Americans off the expectation that government is good for anything.
So, when all hell breaks loose, don’t call the government for comment.
Here are the QUIZ answers: (along with the press office for each one)
1. Steve Preston. (HUD public affairs office: 202-708-0980)
2. Henry M. “Hank” Paulson. (Press Office: 202-622-2960)
3. Stephen L. Johnson (Hq press calls: 202-564-4355)
4. Sam Bodman (Hq Press Office: 202-586-4940)
SUPER BONUS CHALLENGE:
Match the official portrait with the officeholder!
(hint: don’t focus on elements that are the same in all photos: race, gender, flag. Try to find elements that are different!)
