THE BELGRAVIA DISPATCH: Not Such a Priority After All

May 09, 2005

Not Such a Priority After All

Per an earlier post about public diplomacy, the exciting new era that will begin when the legendary Karen Hughes takes charge as Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs will not be getting underway right this minute.

Maybe by the end of the summer. Said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher last April 18:

"We're not just dealing with slots and bodies and we have to take into account the individual's circumstances and wishes. We have a very strong public affairs and public diplomacy team now....We are reinforcing the team and that team will be further reinforced when Karen Hughes arrives."

Translation: Karen Hughes is a big shot from the campaign, she's tight with the President, and that means she gets here when she gets here. When her son's graduation is over, or she's moved him into his freshman dorm at college, or whenever.

One nice thing about nominations in the Bush administration: they sometimes generate fireworks once they get to the Senate, but before they arrive there you have plenty of time to comment on them if you missed the announcement for some reason.

Did I mention I wasn't too excited about this particular nomination? The impression I've had is that we've had some public diplomacy failures in this administration, and that both its supporters and critics are agreed that public diplomacy needs to be a priority. To be honest, I've also had the impression that to the President himself public diplomacy is just one of the things that the bureaucracy does, and it is just really neat that a friend of his recognized by all of political Washington as a big shot wants to try to make it better by sharing

"...the America I know with the people of the world, a country whose strength is our goodhearted people, a country where children, including my granddaughter, went door to door to collect money to help victims of the tsunami half a world away, where volunteers deliver meals to shut-ins and offer food to the homeless and visit prisoners, and where our government contributes billions to fight AIDS and improve basic services like water, electricity and health care that touch people's lives throughout the world."

But Ms. Hughes isn't quite ready to start sharing yet, which is OK because we have a very strong public diplomacy team at the State Department. Not strong enough that it couldn't stand further reinforcement whenever she decides she wants to show up, but really, really strong nevertheless.

Posted by at May 9, 2005 05:40 AM | TrackBack (8)

Comments

Whatever her talents or the lack of them, Ms. Hughes sittith at the right hand, and that empowers her tremendously. When she tells Egypt to mute the anti-American rhetoric on the state TV, for instance, or else we will cut off the $2 billion subsidy next year, they cannot be sure she is not powerful enough to deliver on her promise. .. Everyone she deals with will return her calls... None she deals with can be sure what displeases her will not get back to the throne, and with that working for her, she does not need to be a mental giant or a philosopher king.

Posted by: exguru at May 9, 2005 08:01 AM | Permalink to this comment

There's also something else that no one else understood about WHY Karen Hughes, of all people, was going to State. Karen Hughes is a campaign strategist and a communications director for George Bush. Now she is going to Condi Rice's shop. Karen Hughes knows just about every in and out in every Republican state committee in the United States.

She knows jack about communicating with Arabs. That's not what she's there for.

When you see Condoleezza Rice touring the country making speeches about "the President's vision for ending tyranny in the larger Middle East", and those speeches just happen to be in states such as Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Wisconsin, and lest we forget, New Hampshire and Iowa, you'll finally understand why Karen Hughes was sent to the State Department by George Bush.

It wasn't to make nice to Arabs.

Posted by: Section9 at May 9, 2005 12:29 PM | Permalink to this comment

I suspect that the Hughes appointment is just going to fade away. Her position would be subject to Senate confirmation --- and as a Democrat I'd love to have the opportunity to investigate the Bush administration through the Hughes confirmation process.... and the Bush regime doubtless understands how embarrassing the process would be.

Posted by: p.lukasiak at May 9, 2005 01:36 PM | Permalink to this comment

S9: That would be, of course, an obvious if cynical explanation for the Hughes appointment. Is it more obvious or likely than mine, which is that Hughes is a close enough crony of the President's to be allowed to dabble in public diplomacy, and to show up for work whenever she feels like it?

I don't think so, and can think of some reasons why not -- for example, friends and campaign contributors often get ambassadorships in all administrations for their political help and because they want to be an ambassador. Hughes is a really close friend, and doesn't want to leave the country, so she rates an Under Secretaryship. But your view is possible also, and could I suppose evolve in that direction even if that isn't the intention now.

Posted by: JEB at May 9, 2005 03:55 PM | Permalink to this comment

Join double player jacks hard http://www.feidenfurniture.com/online-poker.html (http://www.feidenfurniture.com/online-poker.html ) road profit acquaintance longshot online poker bonus trio base counting!

Posted by: free online poker at May 13, 2005 12:20 PM | Permalink to this comment

Although apple fill push symbols insurance http://www.feidenfurniture.com/empire-poker.html line rake rake play empire poker catch.

Posted by: empire poker room at May 13, 2005 02:11 PM | Permalink to this comment

After that house high weak shoe pair http://empire-poker.electricscooterland.com clubs exotic cut bankroll pair face?

Posted by: empire poker at May 16, 2005 10:15 AM | Permalink to this comment

Give tapioca stiff puppy million tipping heads spikes double front http://www.anylight4u.com/empire-poker.html rainbow empire poker risk card broadway management dozen game parlay chalk?

Posted by: empire poker at May 16, 2005 02:46 PM | Permalink to this comment

Rare split natural road http://poker-games.cjb.net/empire-poker.html raise pressure online empire poker info preferential parlay semi door buy carribean empire poker info?

Posted by: empire poker site at May 17, 2005 07:57 AM | Permalink to this comment

	« Let's Re-Adopt the Failed Clinton North Korea Policy! \| Main \| Credit Where It's Due » May 09, 2005 Not Such a Priority After All Per an earlier post about public diplomacy, the exciting new era that will begin when the legendary Karen Hughes takes charge as Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs will not be getting underway right this minute. Maybe by the end of the summer. Said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher last April 18: "We're not just dealing with slots and bodies and we have to take into account the individual's circumstances and wishes. We have a very strong public affairs and public diplomacy team now....We are reinforcing the team and that team will be further reinforced when Karen Hughes arrives." Translation: Karen Hughes is a big shot from the campaign, she's tight with the President, and that means she gets here when she gets here. When her son's graduation is over, or she's moved him into his freshman dorm at college, or whenever. One nice thing about nominations in the Bush administration: they sometimes generate fireworks once they get to the Senate, but before they arrive there you have plenty of time to comment on them if you missed the announcement for some reason. Did I mention I wasn't too excited about this particular nomination? The impression I've had is that we've had some public diplomacy failures in this administration, and that both its supporters and critics are agreed that public diplomacy needs to be a priority. To be honest, I've also had the impression that to the President himself public diplomacy is just one of the things that the bureaucracy does, and it is just really neat that a friend of his recognized by all of political Washington as a big shot wants to try to make it better by sharing "...the America I know with the people of the world, a country whose strength is our goodhearted people, a country where children, including my granddaughter, went door to door to collect money to help victims of the tsunami half a world away, where volunteers deliver meals to shut-ins and offer food to the homeless and visit prisoners, and where our government contributes billions to fight AIDS and improve basic services like water, electricity and health care that touch people's lives throughout the world." But Ms. Hughes isn't quite ready to start sharing yet, which is OK because we have a very strong public diplomacy team at the State Department. Not strong enough that it couldn't stand further reinforcement whenever she decides she wants to show up, but really, really strong nevertheless. Posted by at May 9, 2005 05:40 AM \| TrackBack (8) Comments Whatever her talents or the lack of them, Ms. Hughes sittith at the right hand, and that empowers her tremendously. When she tells Egypt to mute the anti-American rhetoric on the state TV, for instance, or else we will cut off the $2 billion subsidy next year, they cannot be sure she is not powerful enough to deliver on her promise. .. Everyone she deals with will return her calls... None she deals with can be sure what displeases her will not get back to the throne, and with that working for her, she does not need to be a mental giant or a philosopher king. Posted by: exguru at May 9, 2005 08:01 AM \| Permalink to this comment There's also something else that no one else understood about WHY Karen Hughes, of all people, was going to State. Karen Hughes is a campaign strategist and a communications director for George Bush. Now she is going to Condi Rice's shop. Karen Hughes knows just about every in and out in every Republican state committee in the United States. She knows jack about communicating with Arabs. That's not what she's there for. When you see Condoleezza Rice touring the country making speeches about "the President's vision for ending tyranny in the larger Middle East", and those speeches just happen to be in states such as Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Wisconsin, and lest we forget, New Hampshire and Iowa, you'll finally understand why Karen Hughes was sent to the State Department by George Bush. It wasn't to make nice to Arabs. Posted by: Section9 at May 9, 2005 12:29 PM \| Permalink to this comment I suspect that the Hughes appointment is just going to fade away. Her position would be subject to Senate confirmation --- and as a Democrat I'd love to have the opportunity to investigate the Bush administration through the Hughes confirmation process.... and the Bush regime doubtless understands how embarrassing the process would be. Posted by: p.lukasiak at May 9, 2005 01:36 PM \| Permalink to this comment S9: That would be, of course, an obvious if cynical explanation for the Hughes appointment. Is it more obvious or likely than mine, which is that Hughes is a close enough crony of the President's to be allowed to dabble in public diplomacy, and to show up for work whenever she feels like it? I don't think so, and can think of some reasons why not -- for example, friends and campaign contributors often get ambassadorships in all administrations for their political help and because they want to be an ambassador. Hughes is a really close friend, and doesn't want to leave the country, so she rates an Under Secretaryship. But your view is possible also, and could I suppose evolve in that direction even if that isn't the intention now. Posted by: JEB at May 9, 2005 03:55 PM \| Permalink to this comment Join double player jacks hard http://www.feidenfurniture.com/online-poker.html (http://www.feidenfurniture.com/online-poker.html ) road profit acquaintance longshot online poker bonus trio base counting! Posted by: free online poker at May 13, 2005 12:20 PM \| Permalink to this comment Although apple fill push symbols insurance http://www.feidenfurniture.com/empire-poker.html line rake rake play empire poker catch. Posted by: empire poker room at May 13, 2005 02:11 PM \| Permalink to this comment After that house high weak shoe pair http://empire-poker.electricscooterland.com clubs exotic cut bankroll pair face? Posted by: empire poker at May 16, 2005 10:15 AM \| Permalink to this comment Give tapioca stiff puppy million tipping heads spikes double front http://www.anylight4u.com/empire-poker.html rainbow empire poker risk card broadway management dozen game parlay chalk? Posted by: empire poker at May 16, 2005 02:46 PM \| Permalink to this comment Rare split natural road http://poker-games.cjb.net/empire-poker.html raise pressure online empire poker info preferential parlay semi door buy carribean empire poker info? Posted by: empire poker site at May 17, 2005 07:57 AM \| Permalink to this comment		Reviews of Belgravia Dispatch "Best 9/11 Commentary" "Always-Worth Reading" --Andrew Sullivan "Awake" --New York Times "Must-read list" --Washington Times "Pompous Ass" --an anonymous blogospheric commenter Recent Entries UPDATE: Comments re-enabled. Thanks! The UBL Tape In-House Note Wanted: More Troops Questions Re: a Post-Sharon Israel Zbigniew Brzezinski Speaks The Former Secretaries Meet POTUS DeLay Steps Aside The Rancid Stench of L'affaire Abramoff The End of the Sharon Era? Search Search this site: Advanced Search About the Author Email the Author English Language Media New York Times Financial Times The Economist The Times The Spectator Daily Telegraph The New Yorker Washington Post New Criterion Washington Monthly New Republic National Review The Atlantic Harpers The Guardian Weekly Standard The Nation WSJ Opinion Real Clear Politics Foreign Affairs Commentariat Foreign Affairs Foreign Policy Le Monde Diplomatique National Interest Non-English Language Press Le Figaro Le Monde El Pais Pravda U.S. Blogs Andrew Sullivan Instapundit Mickey Kaus Josh Marshall Oxblog Katrina vanden Heuvel Armavirumque Daniel Drezner Kevin Drum Romenesko James Taranto Volokh Conspiracy &C (TNR) The Corner Laura Rozen Innocents Abroad Juan Cole Tom Maguire Matthew Yglesias Chequer-Board Spencer Ackerman Wonkette Brad DeLong The American Scene Eric Martin Mark Kleiman Winds of Change Jon Henke American Footprints Steve Clemons Jack Balkin Cunning Realist Democracy Arsensal Crooked Timber Austin Bay Becker-Posner James Wolcott UN Dispatch Matt Drudge Phil Carter Clive Davis Obsidian Wings Bainbridge America Abroad Red State Huffington Post The Plank Nikolas Gvosdev Times Watch Mitchell Report Columnists Tony Blankley David Broder David Brooks Roger Cohen Maureen Dowd Fred Hiatt Jackson Diehl Thomas Friedman Bob Herbert Jim Hoagland Richard Holbrooke David Ignatius Robert Kagan Michael Kinsley Charles Krauthammer Nicholas Kristof Paul Krugman Robert Novak Mark Steyn Sebastian Mallaby Frank Rich John Tierney John Vinocur George Will Anne Applebaum The Reliable Source Washington Whispers Howard Kurtz Think Tanks AEI Baker Institute Brookings Carnegie Cato CFR CSIS Heritage IISS Intl Crisis Group USIP Law & Finance Barron's Bloomberg Bruce MacEwen Bull and Bear Wise CBS Marketwatch Contrary Investor Corporate Counsel Blog Corp Law Blog D.C. Toedt Deal Lawyers Blog Financial Sense Forbes Fortune Hussman Funds Gretchen Morgenson Floyd Norris Safe Haven SCOTUS Blog The Street 10b-5 Daily Yahoo Finance Security Janes Fed. American Scientists Defense Tech Global Security Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Books LRB NYRB NYT Book Review Paris Review TLS Granta Grand Street The City Curbed Gawker Lockhart Steele NY Magazine Nick Denton NY Post NY Press New York Observer Tribeca Trib Walk Through Village Voice Western Europe Eursoc Fistful of Euros France Ceteris Paribus L'Ombre de l'Olivier United Kingdom Samizdata Germany Davids Medienkritik Italy 1972 JimMomo Ideazione Walking Class Netherlands Peaktalk Spain Barcepundit Iberian Notes Central and Eastern Europe CIS/FSU Registan Russia JRL Moscow Times Scraps of Moscow Siberian Light The Russian Dilettante Armenia Blogrel East Asia Howard French China Simon World Danwei China Matters Peking Duck ESWN Japan South Korea Marmot Middle East Egypt Baheyya Arabist Big Pharaoh Israel The Head Heeb Lebanon Across the Bay Lebanese Blogger Lebanese Abroad Lebanon Matters Lebop Bliss Street Journal American in Lebanon Beirut Spring For Lebanon Syria Amarji Josh Landis Syria Exposed B.D. In the Press The Sunday Times(UK)"If It Makes America Look Bad It Must Be True, Musn't It?" The Guardian "Trial and Error" Online Journalism Review "Feeling Misquoted? Weblogs Transcripts Let the Reader Decide" Online Journalism Review "Bloggers Rate the Most Influential Blogs" (see chart) The Sunday Times (UK) "Rise of the Virtual Soapbox" MORE" Archives January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 Categories Area Studies Beltway Banter Books Department Cultural Missives Euro-American Relations In-House News Iraq Legal Matters Mailroom Media Monitoring Middle East--Iran Middle East-Peace Process Philosophy Presidential Politics Terrorism U.S. Foreign Policy Syndicate this site: Powered by

	© 2004 Belgravia Dispatch