"Public Diplomacy" Chief Gets Mixed Reviews

"As veteran ad executive Charlotte Beers finishes her first year as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs there are mixed reviews over whether she has accomplished her goal of improving the nation's image beyond its borders," writes Advertising Age. "Even supporters [of Beers] agree that the nation's image has suffered, but they suggest it is unfair to blame Ms. Beers, placing the blame instead on Bush administration policies on Israel and Iraq. Ms. Beers' success, they say, should ultimately be judged not on whether she can get people in other countries to embrace U.S. policies, but whether she can employ the right mix of tools to at least more clearly communicate the nation's view to the rest of the world."