Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

The Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs is in charge of the State Department's public relations and marketing work. In June 2008, James K. Glassman became the Undersecretary. Glassman is a former financial columnist, author of "Dow 36,000" and founder and long-time host of the "journo-lobbying" website Tech Central Station. Glassman resigned in January 2009; the Obama administration is expected to nominate Judith McHale to replace him.

Glassman's predecessor was Karen P. Hughes, a top advisor to George W. Bush and former Texas television reporter who went to work for public relations giant Burson-Marsteller after leaving the State Department. Hughes appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 22, 2005, in support of her nomination as Undersecretary. "The session barely delved into what Hughes will do about turning around anti-American sentiment in the world," according to the Associated Press. "If I had the opportunity to say just one thing to people throughout the world, it would be, I am eager to listen," Hughes told Republican Senators Richard Lugar and George Voinovich, who were the only committee members present. "I want to learn more about you and your lives, what you believe, what you fear, what you dream, what you value most." She was confirmed by the full Senate on July 29, 2005 and was sworn in on September 9, 2005.

Hughes' predecessor was former Morocco Ambassador Margaret D. Tutwiler. Tutwiler quit the position April 29, 2004, to take a position at the New York Stock Exchange.

Tutwiler's predecessor was Charlotte Beers, who took the post after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Beers was a marketing executive who had promoted Uncle Ben's rice and worked for the major ad firms J. Walter Thompson, Tatham-Lair & Kudner and Ogilvy & Mather. During her tenure, Beers launched the Shared Values ad campaign, which attempted to counteract growing anti-American sentiment in Arab countries. Beers resigned in March 2003 during the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq for "health reasons."

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Charlotte Beers
 * Coalition Information Center (precursor office)
 * Karen P. Hughes
 * Department of State
 * Department of State "rapid response office"
 * Dina Habib Powell
 * James K. Glassman
 * Judith A. McHale
 * Margaret D. Tutwiler
 * Rena Pederson

External articles

 * Steve Inskeep, "State Department Defends America's Image Abroad," "Morning Edition," NPR, March 27, 2006.
 * Steve Inskeep, "Hughes: No Short-Term Fix for U.S. Image Abroad," "Morning Edition," NPR, March 28, 2006.
 * Nicholas Kralev, "Arabic speakers monitor Net chats," Washington Times, March 9, 2007.
 * Cephalon press release, "Cephalon General Counsel John Osborn Nominated by President Bush to Serve on the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy," Cephalon via PR Newswire, May 16, 2007.
 * U.S. State Department Strategic Communication and Public Diplomacy Policy Coordinating Committee, "U.S. National Strategy for Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication" (PDF file), May 31, 2007 (unveiled).
 * Caroline Walters, "Hughes Releases First-Ever Comprehensive National Strategy for Public Diplomacy," USC Center for Public Diplomacy blog, June 8, 2007.
 * Warren P. Strobel, "New State Department center aims to counter terrorists," McClatchy Newspapers, June 12, 2007.
 * "Exit Interview: James K. Glassman Evaluates his Tenure at State," Interviewed by Anoush Rima Tatevossian, Public Diplomacy magazine, Winter 2009.