From Reuters: "... opinion polls around the world continue to show high levels of anti-Americanism, which the Pew Research Center in Washington says is strongest in the Muslim world. 'Attitudes have grown much more negative in many parts of the world,' said Richard Wike, senior researcher with the Pew Global Attitudes Project. Public support for the United States has even declined among allies Germany and Britain."
But Hughes, whose reasons for leaving are not clear, declared Mission Accomplished:
"I feel that I have done what Secretary Rice and President Bush asked of me by transforming public diplomacy and making it a national security priority."
Spin on, Karen, spin on.
Comments (6)
Now she is free to accept a PR leadership position with PRSA.
Posted by Les Potter | October 31, 2007 5:51 PM
Posted on October 31, 2007 17:51
Should that happen, I'd have to cancel my membership. If I had one.
Greg
Posted by Greg Marsh | October 31, 2007 8:09 PM
Posted on October 31, 2007 20:09
I, too, would have to cancel my theoretical membership. Les? Can we count on you to cancel your non-existent PRSA membership in solidarity?
Posted by David Murray | October 31, 2007 8:15 PM
Posted on October 31, 2007 20:15
First, I'll be happy to join the group, and cancel my non-membership with PRSA.
Secondly, I think Karen Hughes is an excellent case study for those of us trying to work with/communicate for executives. I have been alternately puzzled and infuriated by the extensive capacity both friends-of-Bush and executives seem to have, to utterly miss (I prefer this explanation to "intentionally ignore" naive as that may be) things that are punching the rest of us repeatedly in the face.
It's a phenomenon we really need to understand better if we are to have any hope of convincing our execs. that the front line people can, in fact, see that the emperor is naked (and old and wrinkled) no matter how many protestations come from the senior guys that he looks fantastic, and they should perhaps consider just addressing the issues.
Posted by Kristen | November 1, 2007 8:02 AM
Posted on November 1, 2007 08:02
Well I do hope Hughes is an extreme case.
A CEO who bragged so much in the face of such steady reversals—well, it's almost unprecedented, isn't it?
I mean, does any honest American including Hughes believe Hughes or anyone else has "transformed American public diplomacy"?
I was all over the CEO of Mattel recently, but at least he's not out there touting a huge increase in toy safety made possible by his company's importing of Chinese products!
Posted by David Murray | November 1, 2007 10:35 AM
Posted on November 1, 2007 10:35
We discussed Karen Hughes' presentation at PRSA and how it might generate audience protest, hence my joke about her in a PR capacity for PRSA.
Not that there is anything wrong with that....
Maybe something in conference planning?
Or this: we know Bush's approval ratings are in the toilet. But hey, the opposition-controlled House and Senate have an approval rating considerably lower than his. Karen?
Posted by Les Potter | November 1, 2007 1:14 PM
Posted on November 1, 2007 13:14