Posted on 01/10/2006 10:25:18 AM PST by presidio9
Gov. Joe Manchin started out his week telling the world that a miracle might happen in West Virginia and giving hope to the families of 13 trapped coal miners that their loved ones would survive.
On Thursday, Manchin was again on national television, this time fending off criticism that he had contributed to one of the most heart-wrenching communication failures in the state's history.
Manchin became the face and voice for West Virginia during this week's Sago Mine disaster in Upshur County.
He cut short a much anticipated trip to Atlanta Monday to watch his beloved West Virginia University football team win the Sugar Bowl, and he spent the next 48 hours side by side with the miners' grief-stricken family members.
He worried with them when the men were missing. He celebrated with them when they were told 12 of the miners were alive. He then was left trying to explain to them and the world that a mistake had been made and that all but one of the men were dead.
His role as the state's spokesman in the disaster is one that many governors have had to play before, in floods, industrial accidents and big events both good and bad that have focused national or international attention on the state.
It is safe to say that few have faced - and will continue to face -- as difficult a task as Manchin did this week as fallout from the disaster is felt around the state.
"The governor's focus from the first day was to be there for the families and to be there in a support role because he had personal experience with this," said Manchin spokeswoman Lara Ramsburg.
"He had gone through it, and he wanted to be there for them. By the time these three days were over, he felt like he was an extended family member himself. I don't think in any way he would ever change his decision to be there and try to provide them comfort."
Still, Manchin told CNN's Anderson Cooper Thursday night that in hindsight, he probably would have done things differently.
Before the outcome of the disaster became clear, experts in Charleston hailed Manchin for his actions in the face of what could have turned out to be an uplifting experience for the state.
Manchin apparently dropped everything Monday and got to the scene of the mine accident within hours.
"The governor's instincts are 100 percent correct," Charles Ryan, president of the Charleston public relations firm of the same name, said earlier this week. "It's a basic tenet in public relations that if there is a major event, any chief executive will do well to go to the scene of the event, to see it firsthand to answer questions and show interest and be involved in the management and handling of the situation."
Manchin took on the responsibility for communicating information about the miners to people outside Sago. In a rare role usually occupied by a crowded staff of spokesmen, Manchin took on the job of updating the media about what was transpiring in and around the mine. He appeared on dozens of national news broadcasts over a two-day period, television spots that in better circumstances would be savored by state officials as a way to shine a spotlight on West Virginia.
In the midst of a crisis, however, that 24-hour media spotlight instead can be blinding and difficult to control, Ryan said.
Ryan, as a former television reporter, covered the 1968 Farmington coal mine disaster that killed 78 men, including Manchin's uncle. Ryan has seen firsthand how media coverage of such disasters has changed and how politicians and public leaders have had to evolve to keep up with it.
"We had media from all over the country, if not the world, back then, but what you're looking at is The Associated Press, the BBC and three television networks," Ryan said.
"Now, there is a forest of dishes at the site broadcasting all over the world. While governors have always been present, I don't think they were ever so attuned to the necessity of communicating with the public through the media."
In his early reports from the scene, Manchin was cautious about giving false hope to the miners' families or causing anyone to worry unnecessarily.
Now, some of his comments seem like eerie foreshadowing.
"That's why I wanted to come back here," Manchin told a television reporter on Tuesday, half a day before the miners would be found dead while their families were celebrating their survival.
"In this situation, you are clinging to every word. Everything becomes a rumor, and there is so much information going out. That's why I wanted to do this, so I can help keep people informed of what's going on and so people wouldn't be just hearing rumors."
But later that evening, Manchin was swept up in the euphoria when rumors began to fly that 12 of the trapped miners had been found alive.
Family members hugged and danced between the pews of the Sago Baptist Church, people began singing hymns and praising God for the miners' survival, and Manchin said he proclaimed that "the miracle of all miracles" had happened in West Virginia.
He stood on the steps of the church where families had gathered, flashing a thumbs-up sign to people outside.
He left a few minutes later to get more information and, some said, with a promise to bring back the lost men.
Manchin said Wednesday he knew 30 minutes after celebrations began that something had gone terribly wrong.
Other mine officials and public figures also say they began hearing reports 15 to 45 minutes after families began rejoicing that the miners were dead.
But relatives and friends received no word of the miners' deaths until nearly three hours had passed.
They received the news from Ben Hatfield, president and CEO of International Coal Group, who was accompanied by Manchin.
Ramsburg, Manchin's spokeswoman, said Manchin's office would review the events of that night and look for a way to improve communications in such a crisis.
She said the governor's intentions were good and no one can be blamed for mistakes that happened or for families being uninformed.
"The governor tried to be as honest and up front with everyone and give the most accurate information that we could confirm," Ramsburg said. "Nobody did anything with any ill intent. We watched as rescue crews and officials went above and beyond what their safety limits were to rescue these men, and people need to remember that."
Ann Green, president of Ann Green Communications Inc. in South Charleston, said she believes once some of the pain of the accident subsides, most people will accept that Manchin and all those involved in the rescue and aftermath tried to do the best they could.
"If there was anything I took away from everybody, it was that there was a sincerity there," Green said today.
"I have seen clients in this situation similarly losing employees. It's incredibly emotional for them. They're often up many, many hours and that can cause challenges. He seemed to be caring deeply, and I think that's an incredibly important part of this. You have to communicate that you care and that you want to help in any way.
"That's what he did, and it seemed to be very genuine."
You don't hear a lot about Joe Manchin, because the liberal media hates him for the same reason that they hate Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman, and pretend to love Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. But, if Joe Manchin had been the VP candidate in 2004, John Kerry would probably be President right now.
Some facts about Manchin: *57 years old *Catholic grandson of Italian immigrant *Pro life *Endorsed by the NRA *Supports Bush's foreign policy initiatives, including Iraq *Against gay marriage *Against Kyoto *Wants to bring capital punishment back to WV *Has lowered WV taxes
For the life of me I can't figure why this guy calls himself a Democrat, but as a VP candidate, this is one guy who scares me.
Which made it obvious.
Well, let's thank God he wasn't the VP candidate.
Ditto that. My leftie friends loathe him. He's got real bipartisan appeal.
You sure have a high opinion of Joe. He doesn't impress me. Just a good ole boy from Farmington who is really good at being in the right place at the right time. The family connections help.
BTW, don't expect to see him as a VP candidate. He is smarter than that. He is currently in line to be WV's next senator. He won't even have to campaign or run in an election.
Thank God he doesn't help someone like HRC, who has alienated her base in favor of reaching out to the middle, but he would certainly be an asset to a proud lefty like Kerry. The fact that he is from a borderline Southern state doesn't hurt either.
Personally, Joe Manchin doesn't impress me. Heck, George Bush doesn't impress me either. The point is that he has an unusual set of irons in the fire.
Wasn't his father the Treasurer of WV???
I met Joe Manchin years ago when he was a state senator (prolly 15 or so years now). I think your assessment is fairly accurate.
For what it is worth, I stayed up all night watching coverage of those remarkable events. Both the governor and the president of the mining company impressed me. Both men knew they faced a horribly sad situation and both comported themselves with dignity and compassion.
The governor sat before a mass of reporters and allowed himself to be grilled for what seemed to me, more than an hour. He never lost his temper nor did he seem to be anything but genuine. I was not aware of his party affiliation because it wasn't mentioned. I looked it up the following day.
The bottom line is, I'm still impressed with what I saw.
Uncle, I believe. The one who lost all the pension funds playing in derivatives and was threatened with impeachment.
"Wasn't his father the Treasurer of WV???"
No, that was his crazy uncle A. James. AJ nearly bankrupted the state but was darn charismatic. Joe clearly inherited that trait.
"Wasn't his father the Treasurer of WV???"
No, that was his crazy uncle A. James. AJ nearly bankrupted the state but was darn charismatic. Joe clearly inherited that trait.
I agree. Joe is not very intelligent nor visionary. He's gotten elected to his various posts on the basis of his uncle's name. Sadly, I think you're right that he could be elected U.S. Senator. It's a toss-up as to which is stupider, Manchin or Rockefeller.
No, I doubt Joe will run for senator. I do however think that he can hang on to the governor's seat for at least another term. With Senator Byrd's age and health what they are, it is highly likely that Joe will get to appoint a person to fill Byrd's unexpired term. And yes, it is not unheard of for governors to appoint themselves in such situations.
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