There has always been room on the American public stage for a maverick. There is always room in the world of journalism for someone willing to say the unexpected, or willing to say what the news media wants to hear.
Whether it translates to votes or not, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been enjoying a summer of free air time as one of the few top Republicans ready to harshly criticize Donald Trump.
Since he first ran for governor, blunt talk has been his calling card. You might say he was Trump before Trump. But the Christie style has been an effective approach in garnering news media attention for a long time.
Former Connecticut Governor Lowell Weicker enjoyed his public persona as a maverick, willing to take on his own party, and willing to say the unexpected. Former U.S. Senator John McCain is another politician who was embraced by the news media largely because he understood what the news media wanted him to say and he knew how to find a way to say it while not offending his voters.
What is the lesson for the rest of us?
Bottom Line: A big part of getting news coverage, or becoming a favorite of the news media, is knowing what the media needs - in terms of quotes - to do its job, and finding a way to provide that content. That often means being unpredictable and playing against type.
It all goes back to the classic definition of news. If a dog bites a man, that’s not news. If a man bites a dog - that’s news!