The New Orleans Five and the ADA's Worst Week

Five scientists were escorted out of a diabetes conference by police for handing out a scientific paper — published in the host's own journal. By the time the American Diabetes Association finished explaining itself, its president and president-elect had resigned, and the editorial those five hoped 200 people might read had 76,000 views.Everyone is covering the removal. Molly is covering the two statements that came after it — the apology that blamed the people it was apologizing to, the peace-offering email that arrived days after an arrest threat, and the moment the ADA's response became a bigger story than the thing it was responding to.Chapters:0:00 — The PR Breakdown Live: New Format, One Deep-Dive Crisis1:43 — Why the American Diabetes Association Story Is Personal: Type 1 Diabetes and a Donor's Stake3:03 — The One-Sentence Version: ADA Removes Five of Its Own Scientists6:07 — ADA Scientific Sessions in New Orleans and the NIH Keynote Spark8:56 — Keynote Canceled for a Trump Meeting: Members Mobilize12:06 — Friday June 5: The Diabetes Care Editorial Handout12:57 — Police Remove the New Orleans Five: Why Optics Always Win14:25 — The Scott Pelley CBS Parallel: Making It About Policy and Procedure19:31 — The ADA's First Statement: Policy Defense and a Blaming Apology29:18 — Own It, Explain It, Promise It: The Indestructible PR Framework31:07 — The Badge Offer Backfires: An Olive Branch on Fire36:14 — Running the Crisis Playbook Backwards41:33 — Two Crisis Traps: Protecting the Institution and Playing the Victim43:45 — The Media Data: 24 to 86 Articles and 60% Negative Sentiment46:27 — The Resignations: ADA President and President-Elect Step Down50:41 — How the ADA Recovers: The Courageous Leadership Playbook👇 Stay Connected📧 Weekly Substack Lives and Newsletter [https://mollymcpherson.substack.com/]📧 Weekly PR Newsletter: [https://www.mollymcpherson.com/newsletter]📣 Speaking Inquiries [https://www.apbspeakers.com/speaker/molly-mcpherson/]🎙️ THE PR BREAKDOWN PODCAST [https://www.prbreakdownpodcast.com/]  🎙️ Apple Podcasts: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pr-breakdown-with-molly-mcpherson/id1486221150](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pr-breakdown-with-molly-mcpherson/id1441897190]    🎙️ Spotify: [https://open.spotify.com/show/5EyV7NvgDwUZpuFb1fSuBF]]    📱 MOLLY ON SOCIAL TikTok: [https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson]     Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/]     Substack: [https://substack.com/@mollymcpherson?utm_source=user-menu]     Twitter/X: [https://x.com/MollyMcPherson]     ⚖️ DISCLAIMER     This video is for educational and commentary purposes only.    Some links may be affiliate links. Sponsorships are always disclosed in-video.    Videos are based on publicly available information unless otherwise stated.    Copyright © 2026 Molly McPhersonWant More Behind the Breakdown? Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, private member chats, weekly live sessions, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It is the inside hub for communicators who want real strategy, clear judgment, and a little side-eye where it counts.Follow Molly on Substack Subscribe to Molly's Weekly Newsletter  Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting. Follow & Connect with Molly:https://www.youtube.com/mollymcphersonhttps://mollymcpherson.substack.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcphersonhttps://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/...