A message to the High Priestess of Propaganda:

Dear Ms. Hughes,

Spin will not make a dent in the US image around the world. The impact upon peoples' lives due to US policies does not change and suddenly get better, because you put some Madison Avenue slick advertising techniques to work in the international media.

The governments in Afghanistan and Iraq will not suddenly become functional across their countries, and their infrastructures will not miraculously be repaired, and the security of the citizens to walk across the street without fear of crossfire will not suddenly materialize - because you put out some positive spin.

Good luck on your "listening tour" - and I hope that you do more than keep track of who says unflattering things about your boss in order to try to blackball them in someway. But if you want any real success in your job - your work is in DC - in the WH addressing the minds of those creating the policies whose implementation has drug down our image so greatly that polls show that the US is now considered more of a international threat than terrorism.

It will be harder to spin how great our system is, and how magnanimous and peace loving we are - in the wake of images of how our most vulnerable citizens are treated in a major disaster. So until you once again have to "resign to spend quality time with your family", good luck - but I really do suspect you need more than whitewash and propaganda to succeed, and I fear that in your years in the national limelight you have never demonstrated any skills beyond your adeptness at whitewash and propaganda.