In a public relations jam? Manipulate the media. But if you get caught . . .

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency held a press conference without any press, putting up FEMA personnel to pose really tough questions to official FEMA spokespeople, media folk figured it out. FEMA, as usual, came out smelling like a skunk.

More recently, Hillary Clinton’s campaign was discovered to have planted questions in an Iowa audience. A college  student had wanted to ask a question about Clinton’s energy plan. But a campaign operative told her beforehand that Mrs. Clinton wasn’t all that up on her energy plan. Instead, the operative showed her a question about global warming. Why not use that?

Mysteriously, the student was called on by Mrs. Clinton for one of only four questions out of approximately 200 people in the room.

So the student asked the question. Clinton was quick to mention that she often gets asked that by young people. Gee whiz, what a coincidence, eh?

When the student, feeling used, spoke out about this trickery, Mrs. Clinton attempted to calm the story’s wake. She, of course, knew nothing about it. Such behavior by anyone in her campaign, she went on to say, “will certainly not be tolerated.”

But wait a second. It was Hillary who picked this student out of the crowd. How did Hillary know to do that? Did someone tell her? Who?

And, one more thing: When will the press ask these basic follow-up questions?

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.