When "Truth" Becomes "TMI"

While I hate to write about the same event twice in a row, I believe there is another lesson to learn from South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford when it comes to dealing with a media relations issue.
By now we're all familiar with the tragic tale of the South Carolina Governor who disappeared for a weekend of "hiking" and turned out to be in Argentina seeing his mistress. We've seen endless clips from his press conference where he confessed his infidelity and symbolicaly beat his chest in a public mea culpa. No matter what we may have thought of his actions (well, I can't imagine anyone who didn't think they were despicable), we could at least respect the fact that he'd come clean. Now perhaps he could begin to rebuild his personal life, if not his political one.
Unfortunately, now the Governor won't shut up. In his latest interview, he not only gives more details of his affair with his Argentine "soul mate", he reveals he's "crossed the line" with numerous other women. Sanford says he did not have a sexual affair with any other woman, but that he did things he shouldn't have.
Am I the only person here who thinks maybe it's time the Governor zipped his lip and spent a little more time trying to get his life back together? It's hard to fault his need to come clean. As it's long been said, confession is good for the soul. But maybe we've gotten to the point where it's all just "TMI", Too Much Information.
When I give advice on dealing with the media, I always stress, first and foremost, honesty and disclosure. But there comes a time when, while still being completely truthful, it's best to stop volunteering information. Don't schedule any interviews for a while. Keep your face as far from the cameras as possible. Lay low and let the media fire burn itself out. Then you can begin to recover from whatever your crisis has been.
The media feeds on crisis, that's what makes news. If you let the media start leading your response, you become the latest snack. I'm not advocating being less than truthful or not disclosing the facts, I am saying there are times when silence will do you better service than another rehashing of your mistakes. Take time to take a breath, gather your thoughts and prepare your response, then get back in the fray. It's a bit like taking a time out in a basketball game when the other team has run off the last 10 points. You're not quitting the game, you're not closing up shop, you're making the adjustments you need to stop the run, and get a run of your own started. The same thing can be done when dealing with the media. It's okay to refuse an interview request, politely but firmly, while assuring that you will be available in the near future. There are times when, like Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons sang, "Silence is Golden".
I'll close with another chestnut, "Before you can climb out of the hole, you have to stop digging it deeper". So far, Governor Sanford has been digging, not climbing.

Bob Campbell is a career broadcaster who consults individuals and companies in the art and science of media relations.