The recent appointment of 3 high-profile women who are all close confidantes of President Bush is a strong indication that W. intends to change a department that often seemed to be missing the point of George Schultz's classic story, and pursuing its own policies abroad.
The first appointment is one everybody knows: Condoleeza Rice. The President now has a Secretary of State who is seen around the world as someone who speaks with his voice (and sometimes vice-versa). Well, the model of powerful women who are close confidantes of the President must be working, because W. just extended it. Twice.
In large organizations, there's a saying: "personnel IS policy." That's certainly true here.
Political types will recognize Karen Hughes, who used to be W.'s communications guru and is now Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. Nobody in Washington was more in sync with the President than Karen Hughes, and installing her in this position gives Ms. Rice a powerful ally both inside and outside the department. It also places a clear stamp on both the importance and the tone of State Department communications. Blogger New Sisyphus grasps this, and explains it well while answering insider critics of her appointment (Hat Tip: Mike Daley).
Even political junkies probably won't recognize Karen Hughes' new deputy Dina Powell, however, despite her role as a key player in selecting candidates for top jobs in the administration. Ms. Powell was born in Egypt and came to the USA as a child. She speaks fluent Arabic, and is the highest ranking Middle Eastern woman in the administration. She's also just 31 years old, and comes to this job after serving as the administration's personnel director.
The symbolism, both within the department and abroad, couldn't be clearer. Bureaucrats have to pay attention to the implicit message of a former personnel director who can observe the department's workings from the inside. Especially one whose stake in the President's policies is arguably personal as well as professional. Putting both of these high-powered appointments in the public diplomacy office also highlights expectations that all State Department employees will become more active public advocates for America's position abroad, and in a way that supports the messages GeorgeWBushCondiRiceKarenHughesDinaPowell are trying to send.
To which I can only say: it's about damn time.
The Christian Science Monitor blog has more, noting that the presence of these 3 powerful women is making the State Department a bigger policy player - even as it promises to reshape the Department of State. Many of W's detractors have been screaming about giving "diplomacy" (as they understand it) more importance, and it looks like they're about to get their wish. As the old maxim goes: careful what you wish for...
I wonder how long before the left-liberal set begins referring to these women as "The Witches 3"? Charmed, I'm sure.
As for the CSM, It's good to see a respected newspaper that understands where blogging fits. Let's hope Ms. Hughes and Ms. Powell get it, too, as they move into their new positions and begin thinking about American public diplomacy. If not, Winds team member and venture capitalist Tim Oren could explain it to them (We are all Ambassadors Now: The Age of Citizens' Diplomacy). John Burgess, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Information Agency, added his guest blog thoughts in All for One: Citizen Dipomacy and the Foreign Service - but Tim's much more of a "one for all" guy, as whe explains in The Strategic Communications Dilemma.
If Condi Rice, Karen Hughes and Dina Powell can harness the power of Citizen Diplomacy AND help put the professional diplomats back on track, they'll leave a mark on U.S. diplomacy that will last for decades. Dina Powell, meet Big Pharaoh and you'll see what we mean...
UPDATE: Some thoughts in the Comments section on how this links to the "glass ceiling" phenomenon...
"I wonder how long before the left-liberal set begins referring to these women as "The Witches 3"? Charmed, I'm sure."
We'll all watch and wait for that one.
Although I sense a bit of projection here.
Not a fan of Karen Hughes, but I've been impressed by Rice so far. Thought she was a lousy NSA, but perhaps she was boxed in by the Powell-Rumsfeld contretemps. Dina could be good. Not excited about the Veep's daughter.
Not a fan of Karen Hughes? What, are you kidding? She's amazing! She could sell sand in the Sahara, she's THAT good a salesman.
The question that springs to my (post)feminist mind is one that might get Larry Summers castrated--but I'm a girl and far from Cambridge so here goes--can these women LEAD? Can they lead a huge, dysfunctional organization, no less? The power they hold (at least the two majors) derives (as with most of us on the distaff side, sad to say) from relationships with a powerful (underratedly progressive) man. That does not automatically translate into leadership skills.
I think Condie stands a better chance than M. Albright at making her mark on State (had many friends and loved ones at Main State under her tenure, all attested to her lack of rapport or outreach to all below the top ranks--vastly different and less successful than Powell, by the way). But the chaos and backbiting at the NSC under her watch does not augur well. We'll see.
"Be careful what you wish for" sums up the essentially the entire Bush era.
"I want troops out of Saudi Arabia, the Iraqi embargo lifted, and the US to stop interfering in Palestine!"
"Go to the UN"
"Get authorization from Congress!"
"Investigate Valerie Plame leak!"
Clio,
The massive effect of one's relationship with the President on power relationships within the Washington bureaucracy is immutable, invariant, and utterly sexless.
But let's step out of the political angle and focus on the corporate/ organizational angle for a sec.
Indeed, if you're worried about the glass ceiling, this sort of thing is EXACTLY what you ought to be asking for. R. Don Steele explains why - and whether you like this or not, this is the reality for women AND men in any large organization.
What you're seeing is one potential political star (Condi), one trusted power player who can write her own ticket (Hughes), and one future top bureaucrat/ executive in the making (Powell- who is obviously NOT Colin's daughter given her origin details).
The biggest winner in all of this? Powell, even if this lands Rice a VP stint. Why? Because as of now, Ms. Powell is corporate CEO material. If you doubt that, read Steele, and consider:
If glass ceilings worry you, this is how the real world works, and how that game is played. The women profiled here are all doing just fine thank you - and providing examples that ANY ambitious corporate climber, male or female, ought to play close attention to.
And Davebo - the stinger wasn't the moniker, but the TV reference. Though the use of the moniker wouldn't surprise, given the vicious racial caricatures that have been aimed at Ms. Rice and the general belief in Republican Eeeevil ™.
Personally, I was tickled by the metaphor of 3 women using their unusual powers in order to save the world amidst an ongoing battle between good and evil. If the moniker ever does get used, therefore, it may not echo in quite the manner intended.
One more semi-hidden "be careful what you wish for" illustration? Yes.
I wrote and sent this letter to President Bush a week ago and never received a reply.
President Bush:
My name is Robert Roy of Reno, Nevada. In early 2003 I wrote to you and asked for your help with an immigration matter and you referred me to Homeland Security. I am sorry to say I did nor receive any help from this department. The only reason I would bother you with this problem is the hopelessness of this situation because of the abuse of power by the immigration department.
Almost four years ago I met and married a Muslim woman in Morocco. My wife had endured a life of severe physical abuse from her father and her brother, beatings which resulted with one of her eyes being knocked out of it's socket at one time. I mention this only to explain the seriousness of the situation. Add to this is my wife's intention to become Christian after we married. Her brother attacked her again with the intent of serious harm, I had to fly back to Morocco and take her into hiding in her own country. She has been in hiding for almost four years, and her brother still looks for her.
My wife has been hospitalized twice in these last four years because of nervous breakdowns. She now lives in a housing compound that is protected by armed guards.
I have pleaded and begged the immigration department to allow her entry into the United States, but to no avail. The Immigration office in Reno has done all in their power to keep her out of the U.S. even though her application has been accepted by the National Visa center in New Hampshire. Our file was lost for one whole year in this Reno office, only to be found later in this same office on someone's desk. And now our file has been lost again and I have been told we will have to start our paperwork all over again. They have not asked for the copies that I have at home, neither have they explained why none of our paperwork was not put on computer files in their offices. There is something really bad going on in this Reno Immigration office and my wife and I are suffering for it. I am appealing to you President Bush for help in this matter because I do not want my wife to die. She is a wonderful person and a self taught painter, her paintings have been admired by many.
I have appealed to my Senators here in Nevada through their office employees. These employees seem to feel that all is normal and see no reason to bring this matter before the eyes of the senators. So we have senators, but we can't reach them. I have spent all my savings on this problem, I do not have the money to start all over again. The question is often asked " Why do we have eleven million illegal aliens in the U.S." People lose Hope, Faith and respect for the government.
I have worked hard, paid my taxes and with this immigration matter my wife and I have done everything needed in a proper way, and we have been treated in a very unchristian way, how do I explain this to my wife.
I saw you on the news today Mr. President, you stated that Immigration Law does not work and that people needed to be treated with compassion. I am asking for Christian Compassion from you President Bush, because no one else wants to help. My wife needs at this moment to experience Christian compassion and I should tell you I need, at this time in my life, to experience it also. I pray that you will help us in this matter, we have no one else to turn to. Please let my wife into the United States. Sincerely, Robert G. Roy