Have you given much thought to Michelle Obama’s role in her husband’s campaign? I hadn’t — at least not until I saw this headline on USA Today. Now I’m wondering, “why do people think she’s a distraction?” “Is she going to hurt her husband’s chances?”

The same thing happens to you when you respond to others’ accusations. When you issue denials like “We’re not going to condemn private property,” “We’re not going to hurt the economy,” “We’re not extremists,” and the like, a lot of people who never thought about it before will start to wonder about whether there’s any truth to the allegations you are denying.

Since people are apparently accusing Mrs. Obama of being a distraction, how do you think she should have responded to that?

And if those same people accused you of being an environmental extremist, how could you respond other than deny it?

I’m sure there’s some way to improve the cover of this booklet from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, but I can’t think of it offhand. Can you?

And the use of images is generally strong throughout the piece. Check out these winners:

Simple rules worth repeating:

• Family and children are words that work!
• A picture is worth a thousand words!
• Pictures of people enjoying the outdoors together are much much much better than pictures of people enjoying the outdoors alone!
• If you want minorities to feel included, you have to show pictures of them.

Click here to download the complete booklet.

Here’s a great resource for your work with the old media. Kelly, with Black River Action Team, dropped me a note with this tip: Sign up as a source a at Help A Reporter Out. It’s a service for matching reporters who are working on various stories with experts (including nature protection and pollution control experts like you) who can provide insight and quotes for their stories.

It’s an idea whose time has come. Media layoffs mean that those reporters who still have jobs are covering more territory and have less experience in their subject matter than we might wish for. The host, Peter Shankman writes:

Each day, you’ll receive up to three emails, each with anywhere from 15-30 queries per email… If you see a query you can answer, go for it! HelpAReporter.com really is that simple.

And Water Words reader Kelly writes:

Over the last ten days, I’ve received at least 20 emails and all of them have contained at least one story where a quote from a local nonprofit agency would be perfect.

Help A Reporter Out has some various rules and procedures in place to address blatant self-promotion — so show some restraint and offer your assistance when you really have something to say.

And here’s a great tip for your work with the new media. Erika at Beaconfire sent it my way. It’s Agency Tool — a comprehensive and well-organized resource for “anyone designing, developing, marketing or maintaining websites.”

Some of the articles they index here are waaaaay over my head — aimed at actual coders and the like — but there are some useful resources here for everybody. If you’re the webmaster for your organization, take five minutes to poke around and see if this is for you.

If you’re ready to speak out about the absurdity of bottled water, the tragedy of overfishing, and various other nature protection and pollution control issues, consider throwing your hat in the ring for the communications director position at Food and Water Watch (a client of mine). The communications director:

… directs the press staff to develop and maintain relationships with reporters, editors, and producers for print, radio, television, and online news sources, to create press materials, and to pitch stories on national, regional, and local issue campaigns. The communications director also edits the organization’s written materials and oversees the design and publications manager to ensure the quality of Food & Water Watch newsletters, fact sheets, reports, and other collateral material.

Food and Water Watch is an outspoken advocacy organization that likes to make some waves, so it’s a great place to work if you are itching to speak some truth to power. And for what it’s worth, their offices are in a price location in one of Washington DC’s most congenial neighborhoods.

Click here to learn more. Good luck!