These people need to fire their public relations people, fire that jerk of a general counsel, then get one of the sane Gates family members involved and straighten this mess out before they damage their brand for the next 30 years. Coors is STILL fighting to clear its name 30 YEARS after Harvey Milk took them on. Microsoft is getting perilously close to damaging its reputation permanently in our community.
This latest article from MSNBC (which, to its credit, notes that it is owned partly by Microsoft) is perhaps the best one yet in terms of surreality:
Tami Bergasse, a senior corporate spokeswoman for Microsoft, said Friday that the company’s stances on diversity and nondiscrimination had not changed and noted that Microsoft issued a letter in support of the Washington legislation, which has been introduced annually for many years, as recently as the last session.What kind of asinine comment is that? Your positions haven't changed? Well, yeah they did. Last year you endorsed the gay rights law. This year you're not endorsing it. In what possible universe is that "not changed"?
And what the hell do you mean by telling us you issued a letter of support for the legislation LAST YEAR and the years before that, but NOT THIS YEAR, so we're supposed to be really really happy about that? Let me get this straight. Honey, I know I just beat you black and blue, but look at the good side, I didn't beat you last year or the year before that.
This is what goes as corporate PR nowadays?
Reports that Microsoft had rescinded its support for anti-discrimination policies misrepresented the company’s position, Bergasse said. “What the reality is is that we moved to a neutral position on this bill, and we did it well before the legislative session,” she said.Thanks, Mr. Clinton, I'm glad you clarified that one for us. So let's get this straight, as it were. Last year you supported the legislation, and this year you're neutral on it and not giving your support. So that's not really "rescinding" your support, it's - what? - "neutralizing" your support?
So in the world of Microsoft logic, if Company A supported the bill last year and is neutral on it this year, that means their position hasn't changed. And if Company B opposed the bill last year and is neutral on it this year, that would also be "not changing" their position. So while neither the opponent of the bill nor the supporter of the bill has changed their position, each now has the same position. And there's nothing wrong with this picture.
I just have to applaud, because that is the stupidest effort at wriggling out of taking responsibility I have seen in my years in PR.
Bergasse said Microsoft’s government relations specialists chose to focus their legislative efforts this year on more central priorities “that have a direct impact on our industry and our business,” specifically computer privacy, education, competitiveness and transportation. She did not rule out that the company could support the measure again in the future, saying it reassessed its legislative priorities every year.Gee, you mean if we're really really really good for a year maybe next year the beatings will stop? I knew you really loved us.
And can I just say, it takes a special kind of chutzpah to lie to your own news service.
