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Karen’s Rules on how to sell the US

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: Karen Hughes, who is in charge of media diplomacy in the war against terrorism, has asked US foreign missions and such of their officials who deal with the media or the public to “get out in front of an issue or at best have a strong response to a negative story.”

In a memo sent out by her office and made public by the online news and opinion service, Common Dreams, Ms Hughes, one of President Bush’s most trusted aides and advisers, wants US representative out there to get “frequently in front of the cameras, in the columns of your local and regional press” and mobilise their staff “to wake up every morning with media in mind.”

In what she calls Karen’s Rules, Ms Hughes says, “Use what’s out there. You are always on sure ground if you use what the President, Secretary Rice, Sean McCormack, or any USG spokesman has already said on a particular subject. You never need clearance to background a journalist though you should certainly pay careful attention to how your comments may be used.”

Karen’s Rule No 3 lays down, “Think local. Because your key audience is your local - or regional - audience, you do not need clearance to speak to any local media, print, or television. And, you do not need clearance to speak to US media in your country if you are quoting a senior official who has spoken on the record on a particular subject.” This does not apply when the official happens to be in the United States.

Rule No 4 urges “common sense to respond to natural disasters or tragedies” for which no State Department clearance is required. Officials are free to “express condolences in the event of a loss, or express sympathy and support in response to a natural disaster.” However, she advises them not to commit US funds for support or relief without approval from the State Department.

Rule No 5 advises officials in the field not to “make policy”, that being a sensitive area about which they should be careful. She asks them to use their own judgment and always “err on the side of caution.” She also asks them not to come up with “surprises” and to check with her office if they can’t formulate a response using local resources. She emphasises that “forceful advocacy of US interests and positions is critical to our effort to marginalise the extremists and share a positive vision of hope for all countries and people.” She adds, “I encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to speak out, and look forward to our aggressive promotion of US policy. Aggressive promotion of US policy – that’s the problem at the moment.”

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