As Mr. Bush’s 9/11 exploitation (re-election) campaign goes full throttle with canned “surprise” appearances in a city decidedly more-at-risk than it was on 9/10/01, the rest of the world also grapples with the dangerous new reality wrought by his policies.
From Gaza, we learn of the formation of a coalition government wherein the terrorist group Hamas will join forces with (the less overt terrorist group) Fatah. Meanwhile, Israel, which endured its share of condemnation in the court of public opinion for its ill-fated foray into Lebanon, has appointed a new PR chief: “Miri Eisen is Israel’s Karl Rove in a skirt, high heels but far more attractive and with better sense of style…” Geesh.
In reading the story of her appointment, it was clear that Ms. Eisen has made her fair share of on-camera appearances. And, in fact, it sounds like her command of the English language is impeccable and northern Californian accent-free — a presumed plus. (How’s her Arabic, I wonder?)
Still the analogy to Mr. Rove — the mysterious and manipulative mastermind we rarely see before the cameras — may be a bit of a stretch. Does the beleaguered State of Israel really believe Ms. Eisen’s telegenics, diction and elocution are what’s needed to cure its perceptual ills? I have no doubts that Ms. Eisen will serve as a credible and even persuasive spokesperson, but as a PR/media strategist in the merciless mold of Rove, I’m not so sure.
* Public Relations (in Hebrew)
Postscript: My friend and sometimes colleague Marco Greenberg shared with me a related piece he penned last January for Jewish Week. (In so doing, he pointed out that Hasbara mean “explaining” in Hebrew. Thanks, Marco.)