The WaPo hits another one out of the park in the World Series of context-free journalism

unfriggingly believable... the sons-of-bitches write a story on bush's appointment of a new U.S. representative to the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference, and then don't even have the good grace to MENTION that bush nominated karen hughes for a virtually identical purpose in march 2005, using almost identical language... and, in the final insult to our intelligence, they don't even BOTHER to reference their own article...

here's the story from today's edition...

President Bush announced plans yesterday to appoint an envoy to an organization of Islamic nations with the intention of improving the battered image of the United States in the Muslim world.

Speaking at the rededication of the half-century-old Islamic Center in Washington, Bush said the new U.S. representative to the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference "will listen to and learn from the representatives from Muslim states and will share with them America's views and values."

"This is an opportunity for Americans to demonstrate to Muslim communities our interest in respectful dialogue and continued friendship," said Bush, who has not yet named anyone to the job.

[...]

The decision to send an envoy to the group comes at a time when the image of the United States is flagging in many corners of the globe and particularly in the Muslim world. A survey by the Pew Global Attitudes Project released yesterday found that unfavorable views of the United States outweighed favorable views by lopsided margins in several predominantly Muslim nations that are U.S. allies, including Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey.

but no mention whatsoever of THIS story from the march 12, 2005 edition...

Former White House counselor Karen P. Hughes will take over the Bush administration's troubled public diplomacy effort intended to burnish the U.S. image abroad, particularly in the Muslim world, where anti-Americanism has fueled extremist groups and terrorism, a senior administration official said yesterday.

Hughes, 48, who has been one of President Bush's closest advisers since his tenure as Texas governor, plans to return to Washington soon to rejoin the president's team after a three-year absence and set up shop at the State Department, where she will work with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to reinvigorate the campaign for hearts and minds overseas.

Hughes will take over an operation that has been criticized as lackluster by many analysts and, privately, even by some administration officials, despite its mission of waging a war of ideas against Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda and other Islamic extremist organizations.

[...]

Through exchange programs, foreign language media and other initiatives, the public diplomacy campaign aims to promote American values of democracy, tolerance and pluralism abroad while combating negative images propagated in many parts of the world.

just for giggles and grins, let's compare phraseology...

June 2007
...improving the battered image of the United States in the Muslim world

March 2005
...intended to burnish the U.S. image abroad, particularly in the Muslim world

June 2007
...listen to and learn from the representatives from Muslim states and will share with them America's views and values

March 2005
...promote American values of democracy, tolerance and pluralism abroad

June 2007
...unfavorable views of the United States outweighed favorable views by lopsided margins in several predominantly Muslim nations that are U.S. allies

March 2005
...combating negative images propagated in many parts of the world

June 2007
...our interest in respectful dialogue and continued friendship

March 2005
...reinvigorate the campaign for hearts and minds overseas

something else not mentioned... one month after her senate confirmation in september 2005, here's a review of karen's first trip in her new capacity...

Bush confidante Karen Hughes , the newly appointed, "relentlessly upbeat" Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, has returned from her recent five-day mission to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Marketed as a "listening tour," Hurricane Karen's foray into the volatile region turned into a near feeding frenzy directed at her by the western media, despite the State Department's best efforts to win over the press —which included providing seats to 16 reporters aboard the Under Secretary's Air Force jet.

Hughes's PR failure with her home media would be of little importance if it did not lead to a simple but troubling question: If the administration's Under Secretary in a key foreign policy post can't demonstrate to western reporters that she's a serious professional, how will she ever be able to convince the rest of the world, so doubtful about the Bush administration's intentions and actions, that her official assignment—winning hearts and minds abroad—is worth any attention or respect?

we are truly living in a time-warped, alternate universe...

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