Michigan Matters: PR Consultant Gives Snyder A 'D' For Flint Water Crisis 'Stunt'
By CBS Detroit
Longtime PR crisis expert Jason Vines gave Gov. Rick Snyder a "D" for his handling of the Flint water crisis and announcement this week he would drink filtered water from a Flint household for 30 days.
Vines called it a "stunt" and said it would not appease anyone in the city reeling from the man-made lead-tainted water crisis.
Vines, who has advised top executives at Ford, Chrysler and other global corporations, said he applauded Snyder when he originally took responsibility for the sad saga. But he added it fell by the wayside when he changed his words last week during the Michigan Chronicle's "Pancakes and Politics" forum where Snyder said his people misled him.
Vines was joined on the panel by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who disagreed and said Snyder's 30-day drinking idea was a smart tactical move.
On other issues, Charlie Beckham, Group Executive in Charge of Detroit Neighborhoods, who rounded out the panel , said that Mayor Mike Duggan would make an announcement soon on who would replace retiring Deputy Mayor Ike McKinnon, who is leaving to return to teaching.
The three leaders appeared with Carol Cain, Senior Producer/Host of "Michigan Matters."
They also talked about prospects of Trump gaining the nomination before the GOP convention in Cleveland this summer.
And the red hot contest that will take place between Trump and Hillary Clinton, who all agreed would win the Democratic nomination.
Clinton will appear next Sunday at the NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner in Detroit and will also hold a fundraiser while here..
It will mark her first time back in the state after losing Michigan's primary to Bernie Sanders.
Then, Terry Barclay, president and CEO of Inforum, and Scott DeRue, Associate Dean of Executive Education and Professor, Ross School of Business, appear and talked about an unique joint program they are offering this fall to help train women executives who aspire to the corporate suite.
The program is called "Ascending to the C-Suite: From Theory to Practice," and combines leaders from UM with leading business executives for a transformational leadership development experience.
The first program will be held Nov. 28 through Dec. 2 at the University of Michigan, Fairlane Center in Dearborn. Applications are being accepted. See inforummichigan.org.
You can hear more about Flint, presidential politics, and women in business by watching "Michigan Matters" 11:30 am Sunday only on CBS62.
