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The Public Diplomacy Blog is intended to stimulate dialog among scholars, researchers, practitioners and professionals from around the world in the public diplomacy sphere. The opinions represented here are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School.
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEXT U.S. ADMINISTRATION
FEB 22, 2007 - 3:23PM PDT
Posted by Alvin Snyder
All posts by this author
Who is the fairest of them all?
Worldcasting refers to White House presidential aspirants, and where public diplomacy could be headed in the next administration.
What emerges in our admittedly unscientific survey of several PD practitioners past and present, are some basic concerns: Will the next administration realize the availability of abundant PD resources in both the U.S. public and private sectors? Will they utilize these resources to further foreign policy and national security interests? And if so, will the next administration proceed wisely and responsibly?
Some feel that the practice of public diplomacy is considered sacred and ought not to be sullied by anyone passing through, be it a president or his charges. "Washington is riveted by Iraq and Iran. PD is on the sidelines now," said a veteran Foreign Service Officer.
Although Worldcasting was cautioned by one former Foreign Service Officer (FSO) that speculating about the next administration and PD could wind up as "Bar-side thumb sucking," we proceeded to see what we could find out anyway, and here is some of what we learned.
The issue of preserving the integrity of U.S. public diplomacy appeared in our informal survey to be paramount and concern regarding the potential for political abuse was mentioned often.
Foreign Service Officer Daniel F. Whitman believes "an interesting study for a grad student would be the use of the Wireless/Washington File by administrations in the past, who have used it for their domestic political agendas.
He would be alarmed if the White House ever "took over PD... which has been the fear and expectation of many, who would want PD to remain a non-partisan foreign policy instrument.... Too many consider PD a megaphone for getting out a given message. If it ever ceases being channel for genuine dialogue, we’re sunk."
There seemed to be little interest in taking the time and energy required to reconstitute the USIA or starting a new agency. "It's easier to break crockery than to put it back together, as we all learned from Humpty Dumpty," said one Foreign Service Officer, who did not wish to be identified.
Several potential presidential candidates were mentioned as possessing an appreciation for the potential of public diplomacy.
It was pointed out that Evelyn Lieberman is Senator Hillary Clinton's Chief Operating Officer. "Evelyn was first PD Under Secretary at State and thus the Clinton campaign indeed has resident expertise," a former FSO mentioned to Worldcasting.
Henry Catto, a former director of the United States Information Agency, felt that all presidential hopefuls may "be ignorant of the art (of public diplomacy) but maybe not. The original McCain, campaigning in New Hampshire, seemed to be good at charming the press," but may not be "an applicable skill for genuine PD."
Alan Kotok, editor of PublicDiplomacy.org, said that General Wesley Clark "advocates a wholesale change in the way our country approaches foreign affairs. He believes we need to make use of a wide array of national resources -- political, economic, and ideological (in the strict sense of the term), as well as military power -- in our dealings with nations and peoples outside this country. This position is not unlike Joseph Nye's "Soft Power" thesis. Public diplomacy, therefore, becomes one of the critical tools in our foreign affairs repertoire."
Worldcasting believes even given the array of U.S. public diplomacy tools available: the education and cultural exchanges, the broadcasts, the Internet, the wire services/e-magazines, the local in-country contacts and all the rest, that the next U.S. president must be personally enthusiastic about the effectiveness of public diplomacy. And a president who can communicate effectively with audiences abroad would be a definite asset for U.S. PD.
Worldcasting recommends that international town meetings be held as part of the presidential campaign process . In these forums, presidential candidates can interact with audiences at home and abroad via satellite TV and the Internet, allowing the public to witness first-hand how their next president might engage in public diplomacy.
Good reviews for a president abroad would be good for PD, and good for America.
Read Comments (10) | Add Your Own
 Read Comments:
say_what? on February 22, 2007 @ 8:21 pm:
It's a grand concept Mr. Snyder, International Town Hall Meetings.
(applause! applause!)
General Wesley Clark already has excellent reviews abroad. Such a venue would be his forte' were he to announce a candidacy. Moreover, the international community as well as our own would benefit for the opportunity to participate in such a town hall meeting.
mad4clark on February 23, 2007 @ 5:41 am:
Wes Clark would be a natural at this as I assume the questions would be a bit more substantive than we sometimes see on the campaign trail.
Also, he mentioned when he ran in '04 that, as president, he would continue town hall meetings.
Holly C on February 23, 2007 @ 6:43 am:
We've seen our American debate "system" degrade over time- I would be positively elated to see Worldcasting become part of the dialogue! Currently we just don't get to hear from candidates in a longer forum & with tensions abroad and here at home higher than ever, this could be an invaluable tool to elevate the debate- something badly needed. As well, it would go some way towards leveling the playing field between self-made, grassroots oriented candidates & establishment candidates with limitless corporate backing. Wes Clark has had my heart & my vote since 2003, but all candidates need to have a serious eye turned towards international arenas. I hope worldcasting can also be expanded domestically- time to modernize these campaigns & leverage technology FOR us, not against us.
eve on February 23, 2007 @ 6:49 am:
For some time I've found it troubling when presidential aspirants, whether or not they have foreign affais experience, use saber rattling for domestic political purposes. I appreciate your noting Alan Kotok's accurate observation that Wes Clark understands the wisdom of diplomacy in international relations. I also think that in this political climate Wes Clark's support of diplomacy as a problem solving tool, shows good judgement and personal courage. His would be a higher caliber leadership should he choose to run in 2008.
KayCeSF on February 23, 2007 @ 9:24 am:
What a great idea. Imagine international eyes and ears on these candidates! I have found our present campaign debates less than informative about the candidates. I would hope these International Town Hall Meeting Moderators would come from outside the mainstream media? I believe the questions would be more substantive and fair.
Wesley Clark would prove himself a hands-down winner!
Thank you for a great idea!
a. wilhelmena on February 23, 2007 @ 10:25 am:
hindsight being what it is, this communicating idea should have been instituted roughly 15 years ago and we wouldn't be where we are now. that being said, the sooner the better. i like johnny mcain.
J. Ruesz on February 23, 2007 @ 3:34 pm:
Hindsight being what it is, I'll take a leader with sound foresight any day. I'm tired of using crisis management to deal with issues arising out of bad policy judgments.
Gen. Clark was absolutely correct in his assessment of Iraq when it counted, as quoted from his Sept '02 testimony to Congress:
"The war is unpredictable and could be difficult and costly. And what is at risk in the aftermath is an open-ended American ground commitment in Iraq and an even deeper sense of humiliation in the Arab world, which could intensify our problems in the region and elsewhere."
"we're going to have chaos in that region. ....in fact, what may happen is that we'll remove a repressive regime and have it replaced with a fundamentalist regime which contributes to the strategic problem rather than helping to solve it."
Gen. Clark is again leading with foresight in reference to Iran, and is promoting "soft Power" and the importance of diplomacy to solve a problem complex situations.
Clark simply states, "War is not the answer". It is simple because it is true.
VoteVets.org and Wes Clark's new website, http://www.stopiranwar.com/
Doris J. on February 25, 2007 @ 11:07 am:
Public diplomacy is, in fact, not a new concept, and it's success requires examining it in an historical view, with it's relationship to personal charisma. Teddy Roosevelt is a prime example. With only newspapers to spread his ideas, he took himself to the public with his fiery speeches in the o ut doors. Franklin Roosevelt did it with his Fireside Chats. The reality of the situation, for better or worse, is that Presidential candidates who succeed, are those who are charismatic individuals who are more than eager to use their chaarisma to get things done, and in fact, are energized by public response to this personality trait. The reality of the situation is this: in today's electronic world, where politicians are easily seen and heard by millions, public diplomacy has already made private sector diplomacy less important. Watch Rudy Giuliani: he's a "natural".
Wayne Potrafka on February 25, 2007 @ 3:31 pm:
There is noone on the pre-presidential scene today with more capacity to effectively communicate the "American dream" both to our people and the people of the world, than Barrack Obama. His ability to speak, his background, his integrity, and his intellegence stand him out from the crowd. I think very highly of Gen. Clark, as well as John Edwards and Bill Richardson, and think each would bring a wonderul frame of reference to the table as a Vice President to President Obama. In an ideal world, perhaps there would be merit to Obama waiting a few years to run, but we are in anything but an ideal world, and whether or not it is his time, it is our time of need for him...and he has responded.
Alan J Simpson on March 5, 2007 @ 10:05 am:
Great stuff Al. Now do something about it. Talk with the government pensioners is cheap, and the last time I sat down with Wesley Clark he knew he hadn't a hope of winning. So stop dreaming and start Worldcasting!
We have just launched our concept of the global brand "America Entertains" drawing on the 2 billion audience for the Oscars to see the positive aspects of America and how it is the entertainment center of the world. We didn't write academic papers or talk about it. We allocated servers and started building content.
Now let's see the well heeled experts in California convert their abstract ideas into action.
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