"The White House rolled out a plan this weekend to contain political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina," reports the New York Times. Led by Bush political adviser Karl Rove and communications director Dan Bartlett, the PR plan includes "visits by cabinet members to the region," leading up to Bush's Labor Day return (during "his first visit, on Friday ... the president had little contact with residents left homeless"). "Administration officials who went on television on Sunday were instructed to avoid getting drawn into exchanges about the problems of the past week, and to turn the discussion to what the government is doing now." And, in accordance with "Mr. Rove's tough political style, the administration is also working to shift the blame away from the White House and toward officials of New Orleans and Louisiana who, as it happens, are Democrats."

An "angry op-ed" in the Dallas Morning News claimed the city's school system was "limiting the future and opportunities for our children" by not enacting policies mandated under the federal No Child Left Behind law more quickly. The author, Marcela Garcini, described herself as a "ninja parent," neglecting to disclose that the nonprofit organization she heads had "received two unsolicited grants, totaling $900,000, from the U.S. Education Department." USA Today reports, "Federal investigators probing the department's public relations contracts ... say the department has given nearly $4.7 million to groups including Garcini's to promote administration education priorities since 2002, but that in 10 of 11 cases examined, the groups didn't disclose - in print, on radio or in other media, such as brochures or handbooks - that taxpayer funds were used." Such disclosure is mandated by law, but the department's Inspector General says these lapses do not constitute "covert propaganda."

"It's not all that unusual for Arab countries to enlist U.S. PR firms to help with any image problems that they might be experiencing in the United States," said PR Week's Washington DC bureau chief. "These countries need the assistance of people on the ground ... who are familiar with the best tactics for earning beneficial media coverage for controversial clients." And several Arab governments have increased PR efforts since September 11, 2001. Kuwait "hired the New York PR firm Peppercom to market a Kuwaiti-directed documentary about the 11 September attacks," even sponsoring screenings. Saudi Arabia spent more than $15 million on PR campaigns in 2002, mostly with Qorvis Communications. A Syrian embassy spokesperson said their ambassador to the U.S. "had several informal conversations with New Bridge President Joe Allbaugh, a long-time political ally of President Bush," though the Syrian government has not officially hired the firm.

Katsuya Okada, the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan and the main rival to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, has hired PR firm Fleishman-Hillard to help buff his image ahead of the September 11 national election. Okada, who has adopted the slogan of "upright and single-minded", is described as rarely smiling "when he's out delivering his dead-earnest campaign message." Koizumi, whose slogan is "Don't Stop Reform", called an early election following the defeat of legislation seeking to privatize the publicly owned Post Office, which also provides insurance and banking services. The latest poll suggests that Koizumi's LDP, which has previously formed a coalition government with minor parties, will win an absolute majority.