Free Advice for Condit

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If Rep. Gary Condit is looking for some PR advice, he could check out this column by Fraser P. Seitel, the former editor and publisher of Public Relations Strategist (the official publication of the Public Relations Society of America). Seitel advises Condit to give a public interview, following Monica Lewinsky's example: (1) Select a friendly interviewer. Lewinsky chose Barbara Walters; Seitel thinks Condit should try Larry King. (2) Impose strict ground rules and make certain topics "off limits." Seitel notes that ABC agreed to Lewinsky's terms "without a peep" and thinks that Condit can get away with similar demands. (3) Apologize early and often. "No matter what he is asked, Condit should always end up by acknowledging how wrong he was and how sorry he is." (4) Stay on message. Seitel advises Condit to repeat a "mantra" of "great shock and sadness about Chandra's disappearance."