The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

295: L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is Bad in a Crisis. Here's Why

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The episode examines the mismanagement of communication during the recent LA wildfires, focusing on Mayor Karen Bass's absence during the crisis and the subsequent erosion of public trust. Key lessons in crisis communication emphasize the need for transparency, empathy, and accountability from leaders facing critical situations. 

• Analysis of Mayor Bass's timeline during the wildfires 
• Discussion on the impact of her international travel 
• Examination of communication failures and trust erosion 
• Connection made between budget cuts and fire response 
• Overview of public reactions and online petitions for resignation 
• Key lessons for leaders in crisis communication 
• Importance of empathy and transparency in restoring trust

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Molly McPherson:

Southern California is no stranger to wildfires, but last week's infernos in Los Angeles were a wake-up call. Thousands of homes destroyed, families displaced, a beloved landscape reduced to ash, lives lost and at the center of this fiery storm, leadership meltdown. Let's break down the timeline of the crisis and why Mayor Karen Bass is facing sharp criticism for her handling of it this week. On the PR Breakdown, la Mayor Karen Bass gives every leader a lesson in how ineffective communication creates ineffective leadership. This isn't just about one politician's travel plans. It's a stark lesson in crisis communication and how quickly trust can erode when those in charge fail to connect with the people they serve. Now let's set the timeline.

Molly McPherson:

January 4th the National Weather Service issues a fire weather Watch warning of critical fire conditions due to strong Santa Ana winds and dry brush. On the same day, mayor Bass travels to Ghana as part of a US delegation to attend the inauguration of the country's new president. January 5th Weather weather watches upgrade to warnings. January 6th National Weather Service warns of quote particularly dangerous situation end quote due to extreme fire risk. According to reports, bass was warned about the Santa Ana winds and was advised to stay in the city for the potential emergency. However, she instead carried on with her plans to travel to Ghana.

Molly McPherson:

January 7th, several wildfires erupt Palisades and the Eton fires. Also on January 7th, bass declares a state of emergency From Ghana. January 8th, 24 hours later, bass returns to LA and surveys the fire damage with Governor Gavin Newsom. January 9th. The numbers Palisades fire burns over 23,000 acres. Eaton fire burns over 14,000 acres.

Molly McPherson:

Now, of all the luck, mayor Karen Bass out of the country when the disaster hits. That left a void in leadership just when Angeleno's needed it most. So let's dissect her handling of the LA wildfires via communications, to understand how even well-intentioned leaders can make critical mistakes in moments of crisis. And, more importantly, I'll lay out a roadmap for effective crisis communication. It's important to remember that when a disaster strikes, clear, honest, empathetic communication isn't just good PR. It can be the difference between chaos and a coordinated, effective response.

Molly McPherson:

Now here's why Bass lost trust with stakeholders during this crisis. Number one was her absence, the international travel during emergency. It reminded me of South Carolina Governor I'm pulling this from the top of my head Mark Sanford. I don't know the year, but several years ago when he was called out married, mark Sanford was called out for going to Argentina. Do you remember that, and it turns out he was with his girlfriend, but he said he was backpacking by himself, while his wife stayed at their home on Sullivan's Island in South Carolina with her kids and she had no idea what was going on. But then everybody found out what was going on.

Molly McPherson:

Something else that just popped in my head it also reminds me, probably closer aligned with this is when the governor of Texas, greg Abbott, was out of town. He was in China, I believe, on a trade mission, when a Category 1 hurricane barreled into Texas. Well, it didn't even barrel into Houston, it was a Category 1. The CEO of Centerpoint Energy did a horrible job trying to explain why there wasn't any power in Texas. That crisis for Governor Abbott absolutely coincides, it links with this one, and the difference is Governor Abbott fought back, and that was during a time where he was having a pissing match with President Biden, who was coming off those horrible debates. So it became political. But this is very similar when Bass was out of town and, unlike Abbott fighting back to deflect from the fact she was out of town, mayor Bass froze in the moment of her crisis. Now it is worth noting that Bass did declare a state of emergency from Ghana, but the optics of her being away were terrible. Her return was met with anger and calls for her resignation, and Bass did what leaders often do defended her actions. She claimed that she had been in constant contact with officials, that she had taken quote the fastest route back quote to Los Angeles. But the damage was clearly done.

Molly McPherson:

Now I'm going to play the video that put the mayor deep, deep into a crisis hole. Now you are only listening to this podcast and trust me when I say watching it is far more painful. I mentioned that I talk about Governor Abbott and the Centerpoint Energy's response in one of my keynotes. I am now adding this video to my keynote. So here's I'll just insert it like a quick add in. Here have annual meetings, leadership, annual meetings, and you want me to speak about breakdown and leadership and how to build up from that, how to come back when the critics are overtaking. You can reach out to me I have a link in the show notes, but this video is going into that keynote.

Molly McPherson:

The sound of this news clip is a reporter asking the mayor about her trip. I'll give you the visual in one sentence Deer in headlights. So she's departing the plane and you know how the jet bridge comes up to planes. Typically you would walk the jet bridge to go into the airport, but as an official she's going to step onto the jet bridge and then she's going to go straight out that door where the luggage typically goes when you're boarding a plane, and the jet bridge operators are taking all the luggage off. So she's waiting for that door to open, but you need a jet bridge operator to open the door, so she is just standing there in silence. Take a listen.

Reporter:

Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars? Madam Mayor, have you nothing to say today? Have you absolutely?

Reporter:

nothing to say to the citizens today? Elon Musk says that you're utterly incompetent. Are you considering your position, madam Mayor? Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today who are dealing with this disaster? No apology for them. Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home? Madam Mayor, let me ask you just again have you anything to say to the citizens today as you return? No, no, no, no, no.

Speaker 4:

Madam hold on one second as you return.

Reporter:

Madam Mayor, just a few words for the citizens today as you return to deal with the catastrophe.

Speaker 1:

Can you take this down?

Molly McPherson:

No comment is a reputation death sentence. I could end the episode right here. Comment is a reputation death sentence. I could end the episode right here. Bass had over 7,000 miles on that plane, flying back from Ghana to LAX, to come up with a state from the jetway. She had to have staffers on that plane with her. She had her jacket, so clearly she must have known, or a staffer said, uh, Madam Mayor, here's your jacket to put on when you come off the flight. Like she knew she was going to be photographed. You would have to know the questions were going to be there as well. Now, one of the reasons why she likely was silenced is because, since this crisis happened and this is what happens in a crisis people start digging. There was a 2021 interview with the New York Times that resurfaced, in which she said quote if I win the election, not only would I, of course, live here, but I also would not travel internationally. The only places I would go would be DC, Sacramento, San Francisco and New York. In relation to LA end quote. And the trip to Ghana. That was her fifth international trip Her fifth. She clearly wasn't expecting the ambush on the jet bridge, but how could you not, With all the criticism mounting on Bass from the trip to Ghana, things went from bad to worse.

Molly McPherson:

Now, typically in a crisis, leaders will already have some fault lines that will contribute to the erosion of trust For Bass. In 2024, she had slashed the LA fire department's the LAFD's budget by $17.5 million. So, of course, critics come out and they started arguing that these cuts hampered the city's fire response. And then people on social media chime in with their public opinion. Critics at the time warned that the city would not be able to afford these types of contracts because they would make for significant budget cuts to basic services like the fire department. So the timing of the budget cuts added to that erosion.

Molly McPherson:

Number three the credibility is clearly in question. The criticism has started. She's on the trip, she's gone back on her word. The policies contributed to the chaos of the lack of water in the fire hydrants to fight the blazes, and they're going to say it's the decision that she cut the LAFD's funds. So now Bass is in a position where she has to defend these reductions. Now, does it mean she made a mistake in these reductions? Well, that's up for the people in Los Angeles to determine. However, leaders are allowed to make their decisions, even if they're unpopular decisions. You just have to specify why it was made. Sometimes decisions are tough decisions. That's the type of language that leaders should put out there when they are dealing with this type of issue in the throes of a crisis. Also, the luck, she had someone who was directly contradicting her and was a member of her team, and that is the LAFD chief, Kristen Crowley. She was not afraid to go on camera and speak about what the cuts did.

Reporter:

Did the city of Los Angeles fail you and your department and our city and our city? It's my job to stand up as a chief and exactly say, justifiably, what the fire department needs to operate to meet the demands of the community. Did they fail you? That is our job and I tell you that's why I'm here. So let's get us what we need so our firefighters can do their jobs. Did they fail you? Yes, Ouch.

Molly McPherson:

When you have your fire chief directly contradicting you, that is creating a firestorm within the firestorm. That was bold leadership on the fire chief's part to do that. Put her job at great risk. This is the point. The critics come out and the critics are vocal. They're talking to reporters, they're on social media. The criticism mixes with public opinion. And where do we get public opinion? Of course, on social media. Then you get celebrities chiming in like a Kardashian. Of course Khloe says on Instagram quote I stand by you, chief Crowley, four bangers, mayor Bass, you are a joke. Four bangers. That type of criticism it doesn't matter if it's from a Kardashian. That type of criticism starting with the letter K matters because the Kardashians have followers. The press is going to pull any type of commentary by celebrities. It just adds to the criticism and it erodes the trust. With the erosion in trust comes the retaliation. Erosion in trust comes the retaliation. That's when people, the public, they start to stand up and they demand justice.

Molly McPherson:

At the time, there was an online petition. At the time of this recording, there are over 134,000 names calling for the resignation of the mayor. I often get asked in these situations do these petitions work? Well, boards don't determine to fire leaders, and people don't get fired directly because of a petition. My goodness, could you imagine if that would be the reason? However, it's a metric that the press can use and put in their stories. It's a scientific measurement. If there are over 134,000 verified names, now we have verified evidence that at least 134,000 people want this woman gone. Next, broken promises, broken leadership. The criticism of the mayor and her response to the wildfires continued to grow. The broken promise of stating she was not going to travel, the potential broken promises with the LA Fire Department that the chief was calling her out for. Broken promises in leadership also can be a death knell to leadership. Next, it's deflecting responsibility, instead of acknowledging the public's concerns about her absence or the impact of her budget cuts.

Speaker 1:

Can you address the criticism now over the budget issue and the slashing $17 million slashing of the budget, you know, I think if you go back and look at the reductions that were made, there were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation that we were dealing with over the last couple of days. And then there was a little bit of confusion because money was allocated to be distributed later on, which was actually going to support salaries and other parts of the fire department that were distributed a little later.

Molly McPherson:

In defense of Mayor Bass and anyone else standing before a press conference. I used to do press conference training for officials when I was at FEMA. It's important to have optics match your words, because people watch press conferences. They don't necessarily just listen to them, they watch them while listening to them. So if your words are discordant with the optics, people are going to defer to the optics. So if I'm going to speak about her fault lines, I have to speak about why she is at a disadvantage right out the gate.

Molly McPherson:

Next number six a lack of empathy. Her initial statements lack the emotional resonance needed to connect with a community reeling from a disaster. Her emphasis on resisting efforts to pull us apart and being more focused on political unity than acknowledging the real pain and loss faced by Angelenos people in the area. That lack of empathy can also erode trust. So now let's focus on the key lessons in crisis communication. What could Bass have done differently? These are the key takeaways for anyone in a position of leadership when a crisis hits. Number one show executive presence. Females people identifying as females minority. Anyone who's not an experienced white male behind a microphone has a disadvantage. That's why you have to find the ways to show more executive presence where you can. Two you have to take ownership, and that means you have to name the criticism. If people are calling you out for a fault line and it's true you have to address it.

Molly McPherson:

She should have addressed the fact that she was out of the country, even if people were going to blame her and still come at her for doing it. She needs to go on the record and explain why. Instead, she was a deer in headlights that is going to follow her straight into the election. She prioritized the protection of her name over the reasons why she chose to go to Ghana during the middle of growing crisis. Three be present Literally impossible. That means be on the ground, be visible, be engaged. So she's already broken a promise by traveling out of town, but she's going to a presidential inauguration. Let's say that's already out in the press and people are already talking. She could use that as a talking point. I was at the airport heading out. That's true, I was heading out for an inauguration, but then I was keeping up to date on the potential of a crisis and I pulled back and we came back to the city so I could help prepare in case something happened and something happened, and that's why.

Molly McPherson:

I'm here. Next, you have to acknowledge concerns. Address the elephant in the room directly. She should have acknowledged them head on. A simple, heartfelt statement expressing regret for the timing, emphasizing her immediate focus on the crisis, could have gone a long, long way in dampening that storyline. Next, it's just showing empathy.

Molly McPherson:

This is not a time for scripted talking points. People need to see and hear that their leaders understand and share their pain. Use clear, direct language. Acknowledge the impact of the crisis on individuals. Bass could have done so much more to express genuine sorrow for those who lost loved ones, their homes, their livelihoods.

Molly McPherson:

Understandable that, as a leader, you don't want to go off message In this environment. Critics will bury you, so you want to make sure that you're on message. However, it is very difficult to go off message when you're talking about compassion. How difficult is it to be a mayor and say that you are hurting? You were just driving around Los Angeles. Talk about what you saw, talk about the pain, talk about how it makes you feel. I am thickened by what happened Driving around Los Angeles, getting out, talking to the victims, talking to the firefighters. Our city is in ruins. Okay, I just pulled a quote from Bruce Springsteen, but it's not that difficult to do.

Molly McPherson:

Next, be transparent. Be accountable. Don't shy away from difficult questions. Bass's attempts to downplay the LAFD budget cuts and defer accountability only made her appear defensive and untrustworthy. A more effective approach is to acknowledge the budget realities, explain the difficult decisions that were made and pledge a thorough review of the city's fire preparedness after the crisis.

Molly McPherson:

Don't say you're examining everything after the crisis, because there are things that you can examine right there on the spot. But going through a budget, going through those decisions, the public, the press, they should understand. Now's not the time for me to do accounting. I'll get to that, we'll talk about it, but right now my focus is on the city and the Angelenos who are suffering from this fire. Finally, the focus should be on solutions Own it, explain it, promise it. People want to see their leaders taking action.

Molly McPherson:

She could have used her platform to highlight the specific steps being taken to fight the fire, support evacuees and address the immediate needs of those affected. She did this much, much later. Those could have been her talking points as she was standing on that jetway like a deer in headlights. The bottom line Bass is going to have a lot of difficulty in a reelection if she chooses to run again, she has lost the trust of stakeholders. She was literally backed into a corner. For all leaders, if you do not have the trust of stakeholders, then you are backed into a corner.

Molly McPherson:

These LA wildfires highlight a critical truth Managing a crisis isn't just about handling the event. It's about maintaining trust. Effective leaders communicate clearly, empathize deeply and take accountability. Did you enjoy this background? Well then, I encourage you to subscribe, leave a review and share with your network of fellow communicators and anyone else who's listening to this podcast your network of fellow communicators and anyone else who's listening to this podcast. So follow me on social media for more insights into PR strategies and crisis communication. It could come from celebrities, it could come from leaders, but I promise you it's always going to be ripped from the headlines. Thanks for listening. Come back for next week's big story. Bye for now.

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