The President's PR Challenges
Since September 11, 2001

By Frank Williams, President
Pioneer Strategies, Inc.
March 13, 2003

In late 2001, shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks against our country, I published two articles analyzing the complex communications environment in which the Bush administration was operating at that time.  How has the Bush administration done in the nearly 18 months since those articles were written? 

Was the United States up to the challenge?
As outlined in the September 24, 2001 analysis, one of the key challenges facing the President in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks was demonstrating to the American people that the administration was ready, willing, and able to meet this new challenge facing our country.  Our nation was in shock, and our citizens wanted something done in response to the terrorists' actions.  The President and other leaders singled out Osama Bin Laden as "public enemy number one" in the aftermath of the attacks.  On October 7th, the United States launched a military campaign in Afghanistan which has since liberated the Afghanistan from the grips of the Taliban.  Thousands of individuals with terrorist connections have been captured or, as the President put it in his 2003 State of the Union address, "otherwise dealt with."   Even as I was working on this review, the United States and Pakistan teamed up to capture Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Al Qaeda's Operations Chief and the alleged mastermind of the September 11th attacks.  The administration has effectively communicated the fact that our campaign against Al Qaeda and the Taliban has been successful thus far.  However, because Osama Bin Laden was singled out as public enemy number one, and because he is still at large, the public will likely not view this portion of the war on terror as being complete until he is captured or killed.

Educating the American People on the Task Ahead
The administration was also faced with the task of educating the American people on the unconventional nature of the war on terrorism.  The president had to explain that our enemy was not a single nation, but a shadowy organization whose terrorist agents were scattered all over the globe.  Our war was not against Afghanistan; that nation was simply the first front in a war unlike any we have ever seen.  The administration was challenged with communicating the fact that the fall of Kabul did not signal the end of the war on terror; it simply ended the initial phase by deposing the Taliban, Afghanistan's ruling militia which had harbored Osama Bin Laden and other Al Qaeda leaders.  

Many of the battles in this war on terror would not be shown on CNN; in fact, many would never see the light of day.  Some of the unconventional battles in this new type of conflict would include increasing intelligence, using that intelligence to stop terrorist attacks, disrupting the terrorists' financial networks, and so on.  These unconventional battles would not seem glamorous, and might not even seem significant in the eyes of a public that expects to see CNN videos of smart bombs blowing up buildings.  The administration was faced with educating the public on the unconventional nature of the challenge ahead.

Part of this process included calling on a "give me results -- yesterday" citizenry to be patient.  Because of the nature of our enemy, the war on terror would not be won overnight.  Instead, it would be a long, drawn-out process that might never have a definitive finale.  This is a tough sell with an American public that is impatient, easily distracted, and often has a short attention span.

Maintaining Calm & Vigilance at Home
One of the greatest communication challenges has been been in the area of Homeland Security.  How do we communicate potential threats to our people without inciting a panic?  If the administration announces a terror alert or potential threat and no attack materializes, the people may disregard future announcements.   If the administration chooses not to announce a potential threat and we are attacked, the President will face criticism for not letting the people know about the threat.  The President forms a new Department of Homeland Security, and his political opponents immediately begin asking what it has done -- almost before the department head takes office.  Sounds like a no-win situation, doesn't it?   

Demonstrating American Unity
In the immediate aftermath of September 11th, Americans were as unified as we have ever been.  As I stated in my September 24, 2001 analysis, one of the key challenges facing the president would be preserving this unity as weeks and months passed.  As the initial post-attack shock has worn off, people have become distracted and partisanship has once again reared its head in Washington.  Many of the president's political opponents say they "support the war against terror," but seem to criticize every step the administration takes in terms of strengthening homeland security or combating terror.  As the shock has worn off, so has our display of unity decreased. 

"We will make no distinction between the terrorists and the nations that harbor them"
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, President Bush let the world know that the United States would make no distinction between terrorists and the nations that provide them with safe harbor.  His initial challenge was demonstrating that he meant business -- that these were not just empty words.  It's safe to say that this message came through loud and clear when the U. S. - aided Afghan resistance rolled into Kabul and deposed the Taliban.  

However, the public's recollection of this statement seemed to disappear as the Taliban lost their grip on power.  Today, President Bush is seeking to make a case for military action against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.  It is clear that the President views Iraq as the next front in the war on terror, while some in America and many around the world do not see the connection.  The ongoing challenge facing the President is to remind the world that the United States will make no distinction between terrorists and the nations that harbor them -- and that this message was not directed only at the Taliban, but at any nation which harbors or otherwise supports terrorist organizations with global reach.

Summary
For the past 18 months, the Bush administration has been forced to operate in an amazingly complex communications environment.  In the aftermath of September 11th, our nation was in shock and our people were amazingly unified.  The terrorist attacks were the topic of nearly every conversation.  As months have gone by, the public's thoughts have wandered to other topics.  Over time, the thoughts of many politicians have returned to their own political ambitions.  Predictably, partisanship has returned to form on Capitol Hill, and attacks by the President's political opponents only serve to increase the complexity of the communications environment in which he is working. 

The looming conflict with Iraq has also greatly complicated the PR challenges facing the administration.  In my next analysis I will explore the communications battlefield on which the president must operate in 2003.