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Even after denial, Bloomberg says Jay Carney in the running for Apple PR head

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Last week, Re/code reported that former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has been “bandied about” in connection to filling Katie Cotton’s role as Apple’s Corporate Communications and PR chief:

Kalanick is still looking, having talked to other political players such as former Obama White House press secretary Jay Carney (whose name is also being bandied about for the other big job opening in tech PR, at Apple).

Following that report, Jim Dalrymple’s sources said that the claim is untrue:

Nope. Tim Cook has never even met Jay Carney.

Today, after the denial, Bloomberg is agreeing with Re/code:

Apple Inc. (AAPL) has talked with former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney about a public relations job, a friend of his said.

Carney hasn’t made up his mind, according to the person, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private and no agreement has been reached.

Carney declined to specify whether he’s talking to Apple or any other specific company. “I’m talking to a lot of different people about a variety of potential opportunities,” he said in an e-mail today.

Who to believe? Both Bloomberg and Re/code are extremely reputable publications with years of top-notch sourcing, and I believe there is truth to Carney being in the running for the top Apple PR gig.

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Comments

  1. rogifan - 10 years ago

    Has Jim Dalrymple ever said “nope” and been wrong? If he is wrong and Apple does hire Carney it will be another Browlett type mistake and a big PR disaster. Is Tim Cook that stupid?

    • Tim Jr. - 10 years ago

      Nope.. Exactly.. Jim’s got a 100% reliability record right now.. soooooo… Gonna go with Jim on this one.. Bloomberg reliable? they’ve made some whoppers about Apple past few years.. many turning out to be false..

      If Jim’s right, Tim’s never met Carney and thus how could Tim be stupid for something he isn’t even doing? This is likely just a an opportunistic political slamming of Apple… and an attempt at headlining.. kind of like reality shows.. it’s all real.. right?!

      • rogifan - 10 years ago

        Yep, I’m inclined to trust Dalrymple over. Bloomberg. Plus Re/code never said Apple met with Carney, just that his name was being “banded about”.

  2. anoneemousone - 10 years ago

    This guy has no credibility after lying for Obama for so many years. Bad choice!

    • rogifan - 10 years ago

      That Bloomberg article has over 200 comments most of them mocking Apple. God I hope Tim Cook isn’t that tone deaf and stupid (or just letting his politics cloud his judgement). If he is, he just lost me as a customer.

      • Allen Kaplan - 10 years ago

        so you choose your computer and phone equipment by who is the PR person is for that firm. I agree that is the way to do it. if the PR person is changed again you can again change you computer and phone equipment. Good for sales.

    • Victor O - 10 years ago

      It isn’t a job that requires public credibility despite the title being *public* relations. Unlike being press secretary for the White House where televised vestigial press briefings are done in addition to the *actual* job, being Apple’s PR chief is not a visible role. When was the last time you saw Katie Cotton in front of cameras? The job is about crafting a message in line with Apple’s goals and having others speak that for you: Cook, Schiller, Federighi …

    • Gregory Wright - 10 years ago

      Must we endure Republic talking points here too.

      • BERTONIFILMS - 10 years ago

        As a non-republican, my calling Jay Carney a lying weaselly douche is just being accurate.

    • Michael T. Smith - 10 years ago

      we must if they hire someone so partisan

  3. Carney is such a hideous hack. Apple needs PR person not a mindless drone.

  4. Lee (@leemahi) - 10 years ago

    Lets hope he doesnt convince Tim Cook that it is for our benifit that the NSA spys on us.

    • RP - 10 years ago

      No that was Bush and the american people went along with it. Bush and his Patriot Act were obvious disasters but the American people went along with both and we suffered the consequences

      • South Jersey Droid - 10 years ago

        You do realize that the Democratic Congress enacted the Patriot Act, right? Bush just never vetoed it.

  5. Billy Devine - 10 years ago

    Are people really that upset over the idea of him being hired ? Such thin skin..

    • Victor O - 10 years ago

      People are upset because they don’t understand the role of the presidential press secretary or Apple’s PR chief. They are afraid that someone they have political issues with is now going to be front and center at each keynote, when that is far from reality.

  6. iJonni - 10 years ago

    Bloomberg reputable?? They are always second to the table. Always rehashing what others have said. They never break news. They are typically wrong. And Jim dalrymple has never said “Nope”and been proven wrong later.

  7. Michael T. Smith - 10 years ago

    What a colossal screw up that would be. Jay Carney just lies lies lies.. so is that what apple wants as their PR voice? A well known liar?

  8. cincinnatils1 - 10 years ago

    As of June 21, 2013, Yahoo news reported Carney has responded in some variation of “I don’t know” over 1,900 times since his first briefing.[8] It was further reported Carney had somehow dodged a question approximately 9,486 times.[9]

    On November 21, 2013, a majority of the news outlets covering the White House submitted a joint letter to Carney complaining about the lack of access provided to reporters.[10] The letter specifically addressed several instances where the Press Corps was told a certain event was private, yet the White House allowed White House Photographer Pete Souza exclusive access to the event.[10] On December 12, 2013, Carney was confronted by most of the White House Press Corps for the unprecedented lack of access to the President during a routine news conference.[11] During the discussion, the reporters became increasingly frustrated and often talked over Carney.[12] The White House Press Corps noted that while President Obama promised a more transparent administration, CNN’s Brianna Keilar notes, “anyone here can tell you there’s less access than under the Bush administration”.[11] Carney proceeded to cite the rise of internet journalism for making photojournalists obsolete, but promised the White House would do everything it could to rectify this problem. [13]

  9. It would make sense for Apple to express interest in Carney. He clearly knows how the executive branch thinks and has strong high level connections in government. That is always an asset. He also has very strong media credentials.

  10. liberty4all2 - 10 years ago

    Why would Apple even contemplate hiring this man. At the end of Carney’s tenure his lying had reached the heights of the infamous Baghdad Bob who’s lies were so egregious they were comical.

    Hiring this man would be a disaster for Apple.

  11. André Hedegaard Petersen - 10 years ago

    Not going to happen. Apple don’t take “press secretary” off the streets and hire, especially that one.
    He quite simply dosen’t have anything to bring to Apple. Hes just told what to say, at Apple you have to THINK and figure out things by yourself.

  12. Carney is carrying around too much political baggage with him. Damaging to Apple’s image.

  13. garytreible - 10 years ago

    This guy could be a genius, I really don’t know. The problem Apple would have with him is that, because of his background, everything he might say will be judged in a (partisan) political context. It’s a bit like “Here’s to the crazy ones, but not you, the sane ones.” It doesn’t work. I’m sure Apple has thought of that.

  14. Ian Grant - 10 years ago

    I still think he’s perfect for the job.

    And it would be fun to see all those right wing “dittoheads” explode. :-)

    Hold on a mo’. I’m fetching the popcorn. :-D

    • cincinnatils1 - 10 years ago

      The problem is, the left wingers hated him just as much. So the only thing of entertainment would be seeing everyone gang up, once more, on one man. Maybe entertaining, but definitely not cool.

      And obviously Apple won’t pick someone the media hates to be Apple’s interface with the media.