Heck of a Job, Hughsie- -Karen Hughes throws in the towel

[babylonsister]

Heck of a Job, HughsieKaren Hughes throws in the towel.
By Fred Kaplan
Posted Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, at 6:55 PM ET


And so Karen Hughes is leaving her post as "public diplomat" in much the same way she assumed it, with an air of farce and mystery.

The farcical qualities, in both phases, were up front for all to see. Her entrance two years ago, in a high-profile PR trip to the Middle East, was a jaw-dropping display of ignorance and malapropism that made her the laughing stock of the region. Her announced exit yesterday was marked by tributes to her alleged achievements that were simply surreal.

But it is the mysteries that are murkier. Why was Karen Hughes—this hard-headed but provincial Texan with no experience in foreign affairs and only a smattering of irrelevant Spanish—handed the job of repairing America's image in the Muslim world? And, with just over a year to go in his presidency, why is this avid Bush loyalist leaving now?

This latter question is at least intriguing and perhaps ominous. Her move, I'm told, came as a complete surprise to her senior staff, some of whom had been assured only days earlier that she'd stick around till the end of the term. Her publicly stated reasons for departing are unpersuasive—a mix of the banal (she wants to spend more time with her husband) and the absurd (she's accomplished everything she set out to do).

A long time ago, President Bush said, quite reasonably, that a government program should be judged by its results. By that measure, Hughes' tenure as undersecretary of state for public affairs has been a bust.

The main purpose of public diplomacy is to foster a better understanding of America and to improve its image in the world. Yet since Hughes took the job, our image—already bleak—has deteriorated to new lows.

Hughes can hardly be blamed for this dreadful situation, any more than Bill Cosby could be blamed for the failure of New Coke. You can wrap swill in the grandest ad campaign, but no one with taste buds will be fooled. It's the same with foreign policy: You can craft a fine message and recite it with a smile, but the reception will be determined by what a country does.

more...

http://www.slate.com/id/2177248/pagenum/all/

[eFriendly]

1. With "public diplomats" like Karen Hughes... who needs enemies? n/t

[tanyev]

2. A sudden, surprise departure. Interesting.

[whistle]

3. I thought she quit last week, oh well, maybe yesterday it was official

[BOSSHOG]

4. Its like ray-gun's funeral. Their exits have to dragged on

seemingly forever and for no apparent reason.

[Baby Snooks]

5. Maybe Bush is going to replace her...

Maybe Bush is going to replace her with "Pickles" who proudly announced she has been very involved in this administration all along, albeit it privately, behind-the-scenes of course, which is interesting given so many who were publicly involved are now trying to deny the involvement. But not "Pickles." She doesn't just stand by her man. She apparently advises him. Gives him a little encouragement at times. A little push at other times. Threatens to relegate him to the Oval Office for sex with the interns if he doesn't do as he's told.

Will Texans be treated to Senator Bush next? The Bushes and the Clintons. More than just dynasties. More like political recycling machines. Except they ain't green machines.

[katty]

6. Karen the Opportunist-WH is crumbling...I'm outta here!

need to write a book and save my so-called career-bye bye bush

[Cha]

7. Excellent~Rec'd..

The only reason hughes wasn't laughed outta her job by the US is because of our corporatemediawhores taking steno instead of reporting hughes' non-existent qualifications.

Does anyone think we'd have this heinous farce of government representatives if our so-called media investigated them instead of making sure their knee-pads were buffed?

[Lisa]

8. just days after her much-touted propaganda ad made a big blooper!

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2007/10/28/4612542-ap.html

I don't think this made the news in the States, but people all over Canada were laughing at how she'd fumbled -- big-time! Even our lead news anchors couldn't refrain from smirking with delight ... Karen doesn't do her homework!