As regular readers know, I have always been a supporter of the Purple Line by whatever name the state and/or supporters want to put on it. This is, at best, a rail line that would run between Bethesda and Silver Spring and ultimately to New Carrolton. It is expensive and not without some controversy because it would affect a country club where there are apparently a lot of lawyers.
Lately, there have been a lot of press releases and media events in support of the Purple Line. In the old days, these would have been real grassroots efforts by residents, environmental groups, labor unions, etc. These events are being put on by a high-profile public relations firm in Bethesda.
Normally I wouldn’t think anything of it, but, knowing how expensive this firm can be, it caught my attention and made me wonder who is behind these efforts: Who is paying the bills to support the Purple Line?
Via e-mail, I have asked different individuals at this PR firm who is paying for their efforts related to the Purple Line and how much are they paying, and I have yet to get a response.
This is usually what happens at PR firms when you ask them a tough question. They put their head in the sand and hope that the “problem” will just go away. In Public Relations 101 classes they should have learned that not answering the question makes the questioner want to dig deeper to find out what’s really going on.
There may be nothing suspicious going on here, but not answering the question raises doubts. Is this effort to promote the recently dormant Purple Line being paid by contractors who would benefit from the work?
Is it being paid for by a coalition of environmental groups such as the Sierra Club?
Is it being paid for by one political party that hopes to embarrass the other during an election season?
This is a fair and reasonable question and it deserves a response regardless of who is asking it.
Interstate system’s 50th
Here’s a clever media relations event that’s being conducted by the Maryland State Highway Administration: It was 50 years ago this Thursday that President Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway Bill that gave birth to our Interstate Highway System.
As we have detailed in this space, the president’s experience in 1919 trying to get from the East Coast to the West Coast with a couple hundred troops and support equipment fueled his desire to build an interstate system. One of the first obstacles in the original group’s way was a covered bridge in Emittsburg, Md.
As a reverse re-enactment convoy of historic vehicles is on its way here from San Francisco (where Eisenhower’s trip ended) and it will get “stopped” by this crossing of Route 15 (a state road, which is NOT an interstate) at Tom’s Creek.
That’s when and where all of the speeches will take place.
A clever idea and a neat way to highlight one of the major events in this nation’s history.
Questions, comments, random musings? Write to [email protected].
