The Propaganda Chronicles: North Korea Edges Out US

When it comes to Kim Jong-Il, nobody, not even political spin machinist Bill Clinton, can fully compete with the mass manipulation pageantry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Evan Ramstad of the Wall Street Journal referred to the Clinton trip as a "boon" for KJ:

Mr. Kim scored two propaganda victories -- a chance to show North Koreans that he cuts a big figure by dining and getting his picture taken with Mr. Clinton, and a chance to show the world that he's not such a bad guy by freeing two reporters who didn't deserve their sentence of 12 years of hard labor.

The North Korean state-run press played up the meeting of the "Dear Leader" and former U.S. head of state as a joint meeting of issues of common concern to the U.S. and North Korea, not a major public relations coup for Clinton in securing the release of U.S. journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling.

But on the American side of the Pacific, it was "Showbiz Tonight" meets "High School Reunion."

CNN's John Roberts gushed about Clinton's "star power diplomacy" and referred to the Burbank fly-in as the sun rose above the mountains as a Hollywood production. In short order the more powerful A-list politicos eclipsed the story line of Lee and Ling's homecoming.

The Release became The Embrace.

The New York Times headlined, "Clinton-Gore, Together Again." Adam Nagourney wrote about two would-be characters in a romance novel: "They shook hands first, and than hugged for a full five seconds, with Mr. Clinton patting his hand along Mr. Gore's back and lingering before moving on to greet the waiting family members...."

It was thrilling déjà vu for the liberal-leaning major media to report on a Clinton-Gore reunion special. Ever since VP Gore kept the Big Dog in the doghouse in 2000 and declared, "I am my own man," these two have not appeared closer than this over the last 9 years.

The Bob Hope Airport was an appropriate reentry point for Lee, Ling, and Clinton as the Southern California airport to the rich and famous. And richness and fame these two former imprisoned journalists from Al Gore's Current TV will gain from the book, speaking tour, and movie deal to follow. The poor and obscure don't get a private whisk away from Pyongyang on a jet owned by serial impregnator and Democratic Party uber-investor Stephen Bing.

The Big Dog is certainly having his Dog Day, but Kim Jong-Il is having his too, obviously satisfied with the face-saving he scored with the Democratic Party elder statesman. We'll worry about those pesky NK nukes that can reach Burbank another day.

Though reported like a Jesse Jackson swoop-in diplomatic mission, Clinton's surprise humanitarian mission was at least a month in the making. KJ, in a classic F.O.B. move, invited President Clinton, and only President Clinton, to appear before the Grateful Undead on the world stage and in the people's hearts and minds. Mr. Kim had to prove to his people in classic authoritarian management style that reports of his poor health or demise are greatly exaggerated. What better way than to release a slew of photos of Clinton and Kim seated stiffly with frozen expressions like Madame Tussaud figures from the Cold War. If anyone smiled, it was Kim Jong Il, while President Clinton made sure to conceal any glad-handedness.

Poor Hillary had second billing to husband Bill, reduced to a few sound bites after arriving in Nairobi, Kenya for an African tour of seven nations. Remember Africa? She acknowledged speaking to her husband aboard the Bingcraft. She didn't think the journalists' release would dramatically change the future of U.S.-North Korean relations. It's "up to them," she told a group of accompanying reporters, not the gasping paparazzi in the Burbank hangar. She went on:

They have a choice if they continue to follow the path that is filled with provocative action, which further isolates them from the international community ... or they can decide to renew their discussions with the partners in the six-party talks.

Blah, blah.

Such sleep-inducing diplospeak does not make for the most exciting of global photo ops. In the spirit of the recent Suds Summit at the White House, Secretary Clinton may want to start referring to the Six-Party Talks as the Six-Pack Chat. And invite Bill to help pour it on.

Follow Nancy Snow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/drpersuasion

Comments

[gelfling545]

You seem to disapprove of everyone involved, mainly based on the fact that they did or didn't get publicity (apparently Sec. Clinton is bad for not getting photo ops & the rest are bad for getting them.) Just what would you suggest should have been done? I, personally, do not care one whit about the dictator of NK's publicity and am glad these women have been returned home.

[Pippen]

Not exactly sure if your denoucing the tactical use of President Bill Clinton or that hollywood paid for some of this effort and Vice President Al Gore was involved or that Kim Jong IL got some good propaganda props for his influence within his government.

Quite frankly nobody cares if NK government and military like or dislike Kim Jong IL. His populariaty status chart doesnt get any press in the world except at home. If that goofy incompetent ass gets a shiney new start next to his name at pre-school and that keeps the freaks from shooting off Nuclear weapons then lets pump him fulll of Brittainy Spears, Terrell Owens and Cold Play. Probably get more intel conducted that way anyway.

If we deprived Kim Jong from getting his propaganda orgasm what would be the downside ?......... two well known and loved journalists would die in the gulag. Not acceptable.

[hrholmes]

This is now the propaganda site for the 'yay usa' and not one question as to who sent these two women on a fools mission to one of the most dangerous countries in the world. What story was there at the border that they thought they would get from some local peasants in their huts that has not been covered a million times in the last 60 years?

[Json]

Being a journalist is a "fools mission" in your mind? Just because you don't care about what is going on in china or NK, doesn't mean it isn't worth covering. It's not even 100% clear that they were in NK territory when they were taken. At the time NK said they wandered across the border and accused them of espionage.

Do you have some personal grudge against these women?

[hrholmes]

No grudge at all. Who sent them and why and what did they think they were going to find out everyone doesn't already know? Is their next assignment going to be a hike into Iran, the other axis of evil? It would be much easier and less expensive if they tried to penetrate the security of say Area 51. lol

[hrholmes]

This story had a really moronic beginning though don't you think? Let's see here, two women go to a communist country like China which guns down it's own citizens in the street, is the largest dictatorship in the world, and then try to sneak into another communist dictators country who just happens to be a diminutive nut-bag with the worlds 4th largest standing army and a handful of nukes for what ‘story’?. Who thought this one up?

[Bonobo]

They almost certainly weren't in North Korea. The State department just didn't make a big fuss because pretty much everybody in the diplomatic world understands this. Most likely this was a deliberate decision to make the snatch, too. North Korean diplomatic logic, which isn't entirely crazy, if somewhat hamhanded, is to start negotiations from a position of strength. Usually a missile launch, but hostages are good, too. The fact that they were sentenced to only 12 years was a pretty good indication that the North Koreans never intended to actually keep them. They don't want anybody who sees those "hard labor" camps ever getting out to talk about them.

[ReMarker]

Relax Nancy, the N. Korea v America story is still being written. My money is on America, after all we have world class pros. playing our (America's) cards atm, unlike the "I was selected by God" crowd of the previous administration.

[Json]

"I'm sorry, families of Laura and Euna...we could get your daughters out of North Korea, but we would have to let Kim Jong take a few pictures with Bill Clinton, so obviously it's just not worth it. Good luck with that 12 years of hard labor."

[Json]

Every time I see an article about how this is good PR for NK or how this gives him "legitimacy", I have to wonder to who??
How many people in the world don't see this for exactly what it is?
How many were on the fence about Kim Jong, not sure if he is a good guy or a bad guy, then see him with Clinton and think that he is now a good guy?

[jeg]

Careful, you're applying reason and logic to this situation, and obviously, this is an area where hardline lack of diplomacy and ideological fortitude are required.

Bill Clinton was the perfect person for this job, and the question still needs to be answered... why were these two journalists arrested and sentenced to 12 years hard labor in the first place?

[hrholmes]

Back up a step or two if you want logic. Who sent them there and for what reason did they accept what is more than arguably a suicide mission? It is simply amazing to me that either Euna or Laura is bright enough to make it across a street without getting hit by a bus after this stunt. I'm glad they got away with it by eventually getting released at an even bigger expense but the winners are Al Gore their employer and Clinton who is always in search of a camera. Both men I supported over the years but somehow the whole mess seems a horribly fabricated plan with very very predictable results of these two being arrested. If only there were any actual investigative journalists in the media but we all know that won't happen.

[gorideabike]

"mass manipulation pageantry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."
KJ must be some kind of Republican.

[MajorKong]

"We'll worry about those pesky NK nukes that can reach Burbank another day."

North Korea has a missile that, with four days of highly visible preparations, might just be able to deliver a much smaller payload than their primitive nuclear warhead as far as Alaska. With very questionable chance of success.

You probably don't need to start digging that backyard bomb shelter just yet.

[gorideabike]

MajorKong, good points. Your comments are always appreciated.
The NK's can't even nuke themselves at this point. But they are a caution to be sure. Their conventional military could cause a lot of trouble in a short engagement. I doubt they have the abilty to sustain a conflict without outside help.
We produce so much food that we are able to convert megatons of corn into ethanol and burn it in internal combustion engines at an efficiency of one percent.
People in North Korea are significantly shorter and lighter than their South Korean kin because they are starving.
We have something they need. They have missles for propaganda and artillery capable of reaching Seoul, the capitol of South Korea. And these people are almost as irresponsibly insane as OReily. We don't have to like what NK stands for. We need to keep them talking.

[MajorKong]

Very true.

The Pentagon estimates 50,000 US casualties in a Korean conflict. 15,000 in the first 90 days.
South Korean civilian casualties in the millions. Seoul pretty much destroyed in the first hours.

We really really don't want to go there.

[darker]

A dictator's "propaganda showcase " in N. Korea is IRRELEVANT to the
rest of the world. That dictator is a PATHETIC figure.

[ObamacratInCA]

I'll leave it to you and John Bolton to worry about the irreparable damage we've done to the American empire.

Here's what I saw: I saw Euna Lee's 4 year old daughter cling to a mother for dear life who had been gone for 4 months.

I saw Laura Ling's mother rub her daughter's arm non-stop as if to confirm she was really there. I saw her father cry, even though he had been silent and reserved during interviews where Lisa Ling spoke for the family.

In the broad scheme of things that seems to matters more to me than Kim Jong Il getting a photo op with an unsmiling Bill Clinton.

[Flying Dutchman]

Hear, hear!

[duvster]

why is this about clinton,or winning pr points? it's about 2 women who will now be able to see their
children grow up and be resume their lives uninterrupted by a miserable psychotic dictator.

[mediamarv]

Interesting that you call her Dr but she doesn't list that herself.

Maybe it's not important.

[Sal Richford]

Let me just stress the following, important when analyzing any north korean 'situation': http://northkorea.eatspoop.com/

That is the only representation appropriate for how far out of line they are in their policy.

[Nancy Snow - Huffpost Blogger]

I am a Dr. Snow, though I do not play one on TV. I can only theorize and cannot make incisions.

[reasonshouldrule]

This article doesn't relate to the Koreas that I know well. First of all, NK and Kim Jong-il have so little respect in the world that almost nothing they can do would rise to the level of propaganda. Even China looks at them with a jaded eye. Second, the only real audience for the "Dear Leader's" show are the North Koreans themselves. And although they are demoralized from living in spartan conditions for over 50 years, they are also intelligent and are most assuredly not taken in by "pageantry" or propaganda. Some do believe in the DPRK principles, but many do not and regularly try to escape. The only "face" Kim saved here was in his own mind.

[Bonobo]

Not entirely true. Some North Koreans live pretty well, and their opinion counts. There are factions and power bases within the North Korean leadership syndicate. The days in which it was a one-man personality cult are long gone, and what this likely did was buy points for the successful succession of Kim Jong Un. It's almost impossible to guess whether that's good in the long run, but it's a pretty good bet that a widespread factional fight in North Korean ends up with Seoul a smoking pile of rubble.

[Json]

"buy points for the successful succession of Kim Jong Un"?

So what do think was going to happen? A revolution in NK? The people would rise up and demand change, but now that KJI had a phtoto-op with Clinton, they will remain a dictatorship??

This was pretty meaningless except in the mind of Kim Jong and John Bolton. Everyone else understands exactly what happened and are just happy to have the 2 women home.

[reasonshouldrule]

Yes, factions exist in the NK leadership. Nevertheless, it doesn't really matter because the world doesn't have much respect for anyone in the leadership. There are actually some good people in the middle echelons of the dictatorship, but the outcome is the same. I don't follow your conclusion that an infight in NK results in nuking Seoul. That doesn't follow from anything you've said--or from any known facts about the situation.

[sassafra]

what alternate reality news feed have you been reading? it matters little what propaganda kim spins from the resolution of this crisis as it's main consumers are either the DPRK itself, which is already so awash with kim's newsspeak one more drop will hardly make a difference, and the neocons/wi­ngnuts/rig­ht wing lap dogs who have already nearly ruined the republic with their never ending self righteous paranoia.
as to the "pesky NK nukes", they weren't even really a problem back in clinton's administration were they? you've oh so conveniently forgotten that the nuke problem didn't rear it's ugly head until the bush administration scrapped the clinton policies in favor of the neocon "axis of evil" screed. how well that worked out for you. now the gop and it's ever shrinking peanut gallery can jeer the obama administration as it continues the long hard slog of cleaning up the last administration's mess.