Karen Hughes embarks on 'listening tour' to patch U.S. image

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

By Barbara Slavin, USA TODAY
Thu Sep 22, 7:14 AM ET

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20050922/ts_usatoday/hughesembarksonlisteningtourtopatchusimage

Karen Hughes, the State Department's top public relations envoy to the world, is embarking on her first overseas trip Saturday as the nation's image among Muslim nations continues to suffer.

Complicating an already difficult mission for the new undersecretary of State for public diplomacy and public affairs is Hurricane Katrina, which stranded thousands of black and poor Americans for days.

Hughes, a close adviser to President Bush known for her domestic political skills, started work at the State Department last month. She calls her trip a "listening tour" of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Alberto Fernandez, the top public diplomacy officer in the State Department's Middle East bureau, told a Washington conference last week that apart from thanking countries for donations and planning to send jazz bands overseas, the administration was "not quite there yet about what we want to say" to foreign audiences about the disaster. Media in the Muslim world, including nations Hughes will visit, have focused on the plight of poor, predominantly black Americans and accused the administration of insensitivity and ineptness.

[clydefrand]

1. "listening tour"??? Didn't know deaf people could hear.

[mr_hat]

2. Advance team already hand-picking those to whom she'll listen...

[jasmeel]

3. This is all I have to say about * Hughes!

:hurts: :nuke: :puke: :puke: :mad:

[unhappycamper]

4. Listen to Mother Nature.

[Cha]

13. That's a perfect cloud..

It sends the message to bushwa that She's Mad and She's not going to take it anymore. Watch Out bushwa..your fucking wimpy ass is Grass.

[Imagevision]

5. Karen Hughes - Author of the "they died for a noble cause" speech

Impeach Bush!!!!

[ClintonTyree]

6. I thought she wanted to spend more time with her family?

I guess her family must be as fucked up as her and she wanted to get the hell out of Dodge.
A "listening tour". :eyes: This woman can't keep her yap shut for 5 minutes, there's no way she's going to "listen" to anyone.
PROPAGANDA TOUR! Now there's something you can bet on!

[Cha]

12. Haven't you heard..she was

downgraded to an ambassador to bumfuck? I guess they decided to reel her in cause she wasn't putting a good face on American policy abroad.

[JHB]

7. Memo to Karen: A "listening tour" entails not only shutting up yourself...

...but also taking the fingers/plugs/wax out of your ears and a cessation of the "LALALALALALALA" chant. And then actually listening, not just waiting for them to shut up.

Now enjoy your taxpayer funded trip to discover what anyone could find out by simply reading the foreign press for a whole lot less!

[IndyOp]

8. When are they ever going to understand that PR will not work

to cover up MURDER?!?! F***ing business school mentality trolls.

:grr: :mad: :nuke:

[kanrok]

9. HEY KAREN: LISTEN TO THIS!!!

In true South-side fashion as I grab my crotch.

[stopbush]

10. "Hey, Hughes. Go FUCK Yourself!"

[Cha]

11. Oh, Shit!

And who's going to be Booted out of their screened meetings?