A good friend in a high government position faced this problem — two reporters were coming to get him — he had no budget for a PIO on staff (public information officer, an official mouthpiece, who handles PR), and was facing a set-up instigated by a political rival. Ugly situation actually, and my friend is a good guy on the right side of freedom issues, managing a multi-billion-dollar budget. He asked me for help. I cut out the frills and gave him the straight dope, knowing how underhanded, deceptive, unfair and biased reporters can be — especially if two of them just took their marching orders from a politico with an axe to grind. Don’t be naive — it happens all the time. Sometimes the axe grinder is just… the editor.
