Reflections on Public Morality

Abstract

ident controls a tendency to exploit each technological development in mass com munications for its public relations impact, the less likely he is to become over-in sulated, and the more likely he is to benefit from constructive debate and criticism. Press secretaries are little more than convenient appurtenances to each Presi dent. The image caretaker exists only to complement the President. A Chief Exec utive will want help in areas where he be lieves himself to be weak; in choosing as sistants to help him with the mass media, a President must consider only his own needs. The caretaker of the Presidential image is what the President wants him to be, nothing more and nothing less. Their personalities and abilities complement each other. Without such a good meshing of the variables, the relationship would be dys functional.