Did you ever wonder why, when you watch proceedings from the floor of the House of Representatives on C-SPAN, you can see only a fraction of the action? It's because House rules forbid the camera panning to see the floor which is often barren of members.
The new Democratic leadership and its proclaimed spirit of openness seemed to offer hope for change. After all, shouldn't we citizens be able to see the same picture we would witness if we were sitting there in the gallery live and in person? Forget about it.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi denied a request by C-SPAN to widen its birds eye view, citing a need to maintain "dignity and decorum." Reports indicate that the Speaker later backpedaled a bit by offering to meet with C-SPAN Chairman Brian Lamb, but it does not appear that meeting has yet occurred.
No matter what happens now, Pelosi has a perception problem. If she holds to her first reaction, she loses credibility points in the battle for openness. If she changes course and allows cameras to pan the chamber, savvy communicators will ask why she didn't do that in the first place and avoid the entire flap.
It's the same lesson all organizations wrestle with at times, no matter how small or large, or how high a public profile they maintain. Make the right decision the first time and save yourself a potential world of pain later.
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