Jeffrey can write the substance today. I’ve been busy.
I just noticed this exchange between the SecState and Kerry during Rice’s 18 January confirmation hearing:
Context: Rice and Kerry were discussing the role of “interfaith efforts” in U.S. public diplomacy. Rice expressed doubts about the need for a government role. The rest speaks for itself. I don’t know if Rice was being deliberately obtuse, or just missed the joke entirely.
RICE: … a lot of it is going on in the private sector and I actually am not sure that this is something the U.S. government would do better than letting the private sector…
KERRY: Well, isn’t it really a part of public diplomacy and there’s no way to…[ellipses in original]
RICE: It is certainly part of public diplomacy, Senator, but I often think that we are too narrow in our definition of public diplomacy if we only think it is something the U.S. government is going to do.
*KERRY: Well, this will be the first time this administration left a faith-based analysis lying by the wayside.*
RICE: Well, the faith-based analysis here I would agree with but I think the need for interfaith dialogue is important….