Todd Defren Tweeted me Tuesday on the subject of Waggoner-Edstrom, Microsoft and the briefing paper on Wired Contributing Editor Fred Vogelstein, but I've been too busy preparing people for interviews to write much about it.

To begin with, who hasn't prepared an interview subject with a list of possible questions, the tone of those questions, the possible bias of the journalist, and other tidbits, all in the hope of preparing the interviewee with as much information that they can feel capable and ready? Or provided advice in advance of the interview? If you're in public relations, you've prepared something like what was produced by Waggoner-Edstrom for Microsoft.

However, not often do we have our preparation materials delivered to the media or the reporter we're working with like the recent example. But it happened to me last year. A briefing paper I prepared for a judge was handed over by that judge to the Los Angeles Times. I became part of the story.

(I need to remind everyone that I work for the Clark County Courts in Las Vegas, NV and my views here on this blog are not intended to reflect the views of my employer.)

At the time I was upset with myself for discussing strategy and tactics, which later were used as a political tool. I felt betrayed. Afterall, I was asked for the advice and the help. However, it may not have been so bad. For instance, the judiciary has been under attack for years and it would seem reasonable that it would begin turning to communications professionals to advise and empower its message. It is my job to provide professional support, educated advice and powerful communication strategies.

When I prepare my CEO, a judge or a program manager, I have one goal in mind: to help both the journalist and the court to explain to the public how the judicary works, clear up any confusion, and work toward telling a complete story. If that seems like 'managing the message' or 'presenting only a part of the truth', I would argue that I am doing my job to help the court be as transparent and open as possible, which I think is completely opposite from preventing the complete message from reaching the public.