I spoke with Jimmy Glotfelty on Friday.  The message they are stressing is that FERC is injecting much needed certainty.  I think we should add that to our message as well.

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Shortridge, Pat  
Sent:	Sunday, September 30, 2001 2:52 PM
To:	Philipp, Meredith; Palmer, Mark A. (PR); Robertson, Linda; Shelk, John; Shapiro, Richard; Kean, Steven J.; Steffes, James D.; Nord, Sue; Guerrero, Janel; Novosel, Sarah
Subject:	RTO week message

How we frame "RTO week" could have a big impact on what, if anything, happens legislatively between now and the end of the session.  While we all realize that what Pat Wood laid out last week was of enormous import, I don't think we can afford to allow that to become the conventional wisdom.  

In fact, that will be the message of our opponents: "Pat Wood turned the world upside down last week.  He went off in a radical direction that he doesn't even possess the authority to go in.  You have to do something before his December 15th deadline."

I believe we have to consistently send the message that "he went in a direction that's perfectly consistent with previous commission orders fitting with previously set timeframes.  It's the action you'd expect a new chairman to take in order to get his arms around a big and possibly contentious issue."  

We should point out that he took a very middle-of-the-road approach.  We can contrast what Pat Wood laid out versus a more radical approach that he didn't take.

The more often we can aggressively drive media coverage and send signals in the press, especially in DC,  that this is orderly business as usual with no need for outside intervention, the more likely we are to avoid legislative action.

On top of the day to day activity to drive this message, I think we should look at some media briefings, probably a combination of conference calls and one-on-one interviews.  Sooner would be better than later given the truncated legislative schedule.