Before a January, 2002, appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," Treasury Department public relations chief Michele Davis sent Secretary O'Neill a 3-page memo explaining how he should deal with host Tim Russert. The memo, which coaches O'Neill on how to avoid the substance of Russert's questions, is a classic of political spin. O'Neill was told to answer the first question by praising the President's economic stimulus proposals, "no matter the question." "You need to interject the President's message," Davis coached O'Neill, "even if the question has nothing to do with that."