I'd like a non-evasive answer, but don't expect one. What I expect is to be asked a question instead of getting mine answered. Hope I'm wrong.
You ask for an answer. It is not pretty, but it is real.
I previously forwarded a list of outstanding PR people to family friend of Terri's. Was told at that time it was being acted upon. It needs to be.
Am willing to come down to Pinellas County to try to explain to family why this needs to be done.
Same re: lawyer. Can provide names there also. They need the best.
They will also need $ to pay for it. FReepers and concerned others would need to do fund raisers. The best is not cheap.
Why do I stress the need for professionals?
A few years ago, after a local PR guy had completely screwed up the case in order to promote his own political career, I was asked to go help in another publicly debated issue... at the last minute.
I went there, met with the family, met with the lawyers (they were good), got some old media friends on the phone, (including Rush's producer, John Fund and the EE of the Wash Post Writers Group) and worked out a strategy.
The strategy was very simple. It's easy to send a Cuban boy back to Cuba, but it would be much harder to send "The Newest American" back to Cuba.
Imagine pictures of young Elian at his first baseball game, eating his first BigMac and fries at a McDonalds, taking the oath in his little blue Cub Scout uniform, roller skating in the street as we was on the little patio behind his Uncle's home.
Imagine video of that on the nightly news everywhere, rather than another relative babbling on in Spanish.
Previously, we had arranged for a prominent Cuban-American to take Elian to Disneyworld and it was a huge media hit.,,, and even better, it was a huge public boost.
We had a great, new, operational PR plan. Elian needed public support. Clinton wouldn't take a dump without a poll indicating approval. This would have given Elian the PR boost he needed.
My one day visit was obviously going to be at least a one month project, so I came back to Orlando overnight to get clothes, explain to the wife, etc.
In the morning I turned on the TV.... and they had taken him.
While I was there at Elian's, something happened that I will never forget. A man who had escaped from Hungary in 1956 came and gave the family his bank book. He contributed $18K to the cause. I asked him why. He said.... "Because I remember..."
In another case, a woman told me why she hated Casto so much.
As she escaped Cuba, her last memory of her father was seeing him hanging from a lamp post.
His crime? He had been the village postmaster under Batista.
I have never forgiven myself for not acting earlier.
Now do you understand my desire to see Terri's supporters to it right, and do it right now?
The ball is in your court.