DRAFT 9-11 COMMISSION PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY

OVERALL OBJECTIVES

"What do we want people to say on July 22, 2004?"

• The Commission's report is a credible and objective historical document.
• The report provides a thorough and authoritative account of the events and
circumstances surrounding the 9/11 attacks.
• The Commission's recommendations should be implemented on a bipartisan basis.
• The Commission fulfilled its mandate.

TARGET AUDIENCES
1) Policy
2) Press
3) Public
a. 9/11 Families
b. General U.S.
c. International
d. Higher Learning

BASIC STRATEGY

Design and implement a three-tier campaign that addresses the unique needs and
challenges of the Commission's target audiences.

GENERAL TIMELINE...

Report Release: When: Thursday, July 22

Where: DC, New York (Reverse order?)
Pre-Rollout Phase: June 1-July 16
Roll-out Phase: July 18-August 6
Post-Rollout Phase: August 9 onward

...AND DATES TO KEEP IN MIND

House & Senate In Session: June 1-25; July 6-23

August Recess: July 26-September 6
Democratic Convention July 22-26, 2004
Summer Olympics August 11-29
GOP Convention August 30-September 2, 2004
PUBLISHER
• PublicAffairs (see proposal for more details)
• The report release will coincide with the book's national distribution on July 22
• If and when we announce this partnership, what will we say?

POLICY

OBJECTIVES
• Objective dissemination of the 9/11 story, thereby laying the factual predicate for
policy recommendations.
• Buy-in by key stakeholders on recommendations prior to the report's release.
• Widespread awareness of, and bipartisan support for, the Commission's
recommendations at the release and beyond.
• Incorporation of recommendations into party platforms and policy debates.
• Implementation of recommendations through executive orders, legislation, and/or
other vehicles.

TARGET AUDIENCE
1) President and Democratic Nominee
2) Executive Branch
3) Congress
4) Think Tanks/Research Institutions
5) Elite Experts a.k.a. "Wise Men"
6) Foreign Governments
7) State Governments
8) Local Governments
9) Private Sector

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES
• Private meetings and roundtables scheduled with the aforementioned stakeholders,
starting months before the report's release—perhaps as early as May depending on
the subject.
• Create a menu of major policy speeches, possibly one speech per "big idea" along the
lines of the Commission's recent policy discussion. Lay factual predicate for
recommendations as it relates to the 9/11 story. Send Commissioners to targeted
events and locations across the country.
• Op-Eds released in seriatim in various publications, similar to themes listed above.
• Hearings after Labor Day

POLICY PACKAGE (PRINT AND DIGITAL)

• Report
• Executive Summary
• Monographs (as appropriate; perhaps on CD)
• Niche Recommendation Materials
• Op-Eds
 PRESS

OBJECTIVES
• Accurately tell the 9/11 story, separating fact from fiction.
• Maximize "inches and airtime" for policy recommendations.
• Keep focus on substance, not process.
• Maintain bipartisan message.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Print Media
• Regular Beat Reporters/Wire Services
• National News Reporters
• Syndicated Columnists
• Editorial Boards
• Book Reviews
• Online News Forums (sponsored by major periodicals)

Broadcast Media
• Television
o Network News
o Cable News
o PBS, C-SPAN
o Morning and Sunday Shows
o Newsmagazine
o Talk Shows
o Pre-Recorded Town Hall Meetings (i.e., Nightline on July 22)
o Local and Satellite News
• Radio
o NPR
o Syndicated Shows

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES
• Send embargoed executive summary/report to carefully selected group
• Pre-release backgrounders
• Prioritize broadcast media, assign 1 -2 Commissioners to cover the spectrum
• Think about outsourcing press clips in July/August

MEDIA PACKAGE (PRINT AND DIGITAL)

• Press Release(s)
• Report
• Executive Summary
• Unclassified Monographs (as appropriate)
• Commissioner and Senior Staff Bios
• "Final Report" Section on the Internet, with stock photos and Commission Seal
available on the website
• FAQs
• Op-Eds
 PUBLIC

OBJECTIVES
• Establish awareness of the Commission's work by delivering the report directly to the
American people.
• Accurately tell the 9/11 story, separating fact from fiction.
• Keep focus on substance, not process.

TARGET AUDIENCES
• Families
• General U.S.
• International
• Higher Learning

FAMILIES

Family Package
• Final Report (How do we deal with the issue of gratis copies?)
• Executive Summary
• Unclassified Monographs
• Family Question and Answer Sheet

Event Ideas
• Preview of the report to select family group on the morning of the release
• Do we "invite" families to the rollout?
• Nightline Town Hall meeting in NY on July 22

INTERNATIONAL & EDUCATIONAL

PublicAffairs can...
• Ensure international distribution of report
• Seek various translations of the report
• Promote the report at academic shows and associations
• Promote the report to university libraries and academic departments
• Can or should we reach below the university-level (i.e., AP Government and History
programs)?

Event Ideas
• University speeches (KSG Forum, Georgetown)
• Outreach to Arab-American community?