Part 5/10:
Holmes’s manipulative strategies extended beyond self-presentation; she also crafted associations with influential public figures. Speeches and endorsements from notable personalities, including Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, provided an aura of credibility that masked the inefficacy of Theranos’s products. Agnew notes that mere affiliation with respected figures allowed Holmes to sidestep scrutiny, as observers unconsciously equated her enterprise’s validity with the endorsement of familiar public figures.
This “integrity by association” tactic is not new, but Holmes's application of it was particularly effective. The appearance of high-profile visits and positive testimonials created a facade of reliability, overshadowing the substantial issues surrounding Theranos’s technology.