The curious case of male egos in PR coups
I hate to say it, but former President Clinton’s ability to secure the release of the two journalists in North Korea seems yet another example of male ego at play when it comes to staging PR “coups.” Not so much his ego, but that of Kim Jong Il.
The leader of North Korea couldn’t lose face by negotiating with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom he likened to a “school girl,” nor with a sitting president. He had to pull a coup by talking to Bill Clinton. You could argue that any former dignitary would have worked, but somehow I can’t see Kim Jong agreeing to deal with a Madeline Albright, or a Jimmy Carter. It had to be a certain kind of personality with ‘star power’ and ultimate PR effect.
Kind of reminds me of Iran’s deliberate delaying of the hostage release until after Jimmy Carter left office. They would have lost face if they relinquished their prize to a sitting president, so they just waited until Reagan took the reins.
Is it a reach to equate closed societies like North Korea and Iran to PR 1.0? Not much two-way PR 2.0 communication going on in those communities. Not much dialogue, but lots of monologue.
If women ruled the world, there would be far fewer PR coups. And LOTS more restrooms.
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Comments
August 5th, 2009 at 10:22 am
But it’s a well-known fact that women get the BEST restrooms. Not only do they get benches and chairs, but often there are potted plants. Plus, my spys tell me you folks actually talk to each other in there and share stuff. How do I know this? Well, let’s just say I has me ways.
August 5th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Interesting take on the situation Linda. There is no question that dictators have huge egos. That’s why they plaster their posters everywhere and erect huge monuments.
However, I’m not sure about them losing face if they negotiated with a sitting US President. That would have been a bigger PR coup if the President had been in NKorea and state media blasting that the US had apologized. I don’t think there was a chance the Administration was going to engage directly. Since the Obama Admin wanted to stay away from this – lest it appear that it was caving into the North.
Both partied needed someone sufficiently removed from the Admin to take care of this. Now, lets see – what are the options? Bush I? Maybe. Possibly. Bush II? No way. Carter? Too old school and not enough star power.
The reality is Bill Clinton is a mega-star on the world stage.
Now regarding Iran – I’m not too versed in that.
August 5th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Jim – I’m glad you said you had spies that filled you in on the lovely amenities in the typical womens restroom. Else I’d wonder how you knew….Now if we could only learn to plan our coups WHILE in the restroom….
Shailesh – it just seems to be human nature to not let your perceived adversary-of-the-moment get the better of you. That said, I do sense that women might not be quite so adamant about maintaining that position. What do you think?
August 5th, 2009 at 10:47 am
I don’t know if women in leadership have necessarily demonstrated that level of flexibility. Perhaps it’s hard to know because we do live in such a male dominated world. But I think of leaders like Thatcher (her war with Argentina), Gold Meir (“Iron Lady” of Israeli politics )and Indira Gandhi (who stared down terrorist and fought a war with Pakistan) . These were tough women, leading countries in tough times and they fought hard.
We see this in women who become CEO’s of major corporations as well. Tough, tenacious fighters with sufficient egos.
But again it’s hard to say – since we are indeed in a world dominated by the male ego.
August 5th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I don’t see this as a male ego thing at all. If I may inject a bit of my sense of the Asian approach to crisis management, this was no more than a bit of theater. Political theater for Pyongyang. Bill was the perfect actor for this, with not just good reputation abroad but the bridge between Current TV and the State Dept. Even the photos from the event looks silly. For President Kim, it was a photo op –the lavish carpet and the backdrop is no accident.
August 5th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Interesting that only my male readers have commented so far – where are the women?
I agree that there have been strong, powerful women leaders, but their ego truly seems to take a different shape from the men’s. Good thesis for a history Ph.D candidate – a pyschological profile of power and gender.
August 6th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
It’s not a male-female issue. It’s a diplomatic issue requiring someone with adequate stature that’s not in the Obama administration, and Bill Clinton filled the…um…bill.