Meet the inventor of the made-for-TV war: the Pentagon's Torie Clarke

WORLD Magazine ^ | April 5, 2003 EDITION | Joel C. Rosenberg

[Remedy]

Fox News Channel's Ollie North reports from the front lines with fellow Marines. CNN's Walter Rodgers tells The Washington Post via satellite phone from inside Iraq, "I don't believe I've ever had such access over 36 years of reporting." ABC's Sam Donaldson calls the whole idea "a stroke of genius."

Who's behind the strategy of "embedding" reporters inside coalition combat units? Bush administration insiders say it's the brainchild of Victoria "Torie" Clarke, the Pentagon's assistant secretary for public affairs. She developed the idea last fall in an effort to win the spin war. By early winter, she persuaded her boss, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who then made the case to the National Security Council in a 10-page memo drafted by Ms. Clarke and obtained by WORLD.

"We need to tell the factual story—good and bad—before others seed the media with disinformation and distortions, as they most certainly will continue to do," Mr. Rumsfeld wrote. "Our people in the field need to tell our story. Only commanders can ensure the media get to the story alongside the troops. We must organize for and facilitate access of national and international media to our forces, including those forces engaged in ground operations.... To accomplish this, we will embed media with our units. These embedded media will live, work, and travel as part of the units ... to facilitate maximum, in-depth coverage."

Mr. Rumsfeld's memo made clear this would be no day at Disney World. All media organizations must sign an agreement not to sue the U.S. government for injury or death, and that media "embedded with U.S. forces are not permitted to carry personal firearms." All media must pay for their own anthrax and smallpox vaccines. Also interesting, in light of treatment of U.S. POWs: "No photographs or other visual media showing an enemy prisoner of war or detainee's recognizable face, nametag, or other identifying feature or item may be taken."

News organizations first began receiving assignments on Feb. 12. Each organization received a set number of "slots," but was able to trade, subject to Ms. Clarke's approval. More than 500 reporters, producers, and cameramen would eventually be "embedded." Twenty percent are foreign journalists, mostly British. The rest are American. "The concept was developed to dominate the information market and counter the historical lies and disinformation of the Iraqi regime," a top Pentagon official tells WORLD.

Mary Matalin, a former Bush administration communications strategist who has worked with Ms. Clarke for 15 years, says, "Torie has always been a force for clarity and truth. There is no more difficult terrain to keep true to her approach than a battlefield."

Some say it's a mistake for reporters to let themselves become tools of American propaganda. But the real mistake may be trying to cover this war without military cooperation. Several reporters tried to go it alone and were killed.

[Remedy]

The GOP should make a documentary of Rumsfeld handling the media and require the Republican reps to view & do likewise.

[gcruse]

The embedding idea was so brilliant I thought it must have come from Rove or Rummy. I'm glad we have other geniuses on the payroll, too.

[jporcus]

I like Torie Clark. Very sharp.

[Cicero]

Now I'm curious. Does anyone have a picture?

[Illbay]

She's smart and lovely too.

[Cicero]

Here we go:

[wideawake]

The embedding idea was a great idea.

Too bad so much of the hard news they provided is being spun into nothingness by the jagoff talking heads back in the States.

[Remedy]

[Remedy]

Victoria Clarke was nominated by President George W. Bush to be the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs on April 5, 2001. She was confirmed by the Senate on May 17, 2001, and sworn in at a ceremony in the Pentagon on May 22, 2001.

In this position, she is responsible for all matters relating to Department of Defense public information, internal information, community relations, information training, and audiovisual matters.

Ms. Clarke comes to her position with extensive public policy experience in both government and the private sector.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Clarke was the general manager of the Washington, D.C. office of Hill and Knowlton, a global public relations and marketing firm. Previously, she was President of Bozell Eskew Advertising, a leading issue advocacy and corporate communications company. From 1993 to 1998, Clarke was Vice President for Public Affairs and Strategic Counsel for the National Cable Television Association.

In 1992, Clarke served as Press Secretary for the re-election campaign of President George Bush. From 1989 to 1992, she was Assistant U.S. Trade Representative under Ambassador Carla Hills for Public Affairs and Private Sector Liaison. Previously, she served as press secretary to Congressman and then Senator John McCain. In 1982, Ms. Clarke was a press assistant to then Vice President George Bush. From 1979 to 1982, Ms. Clarke worked as an editorial assistant, photographer, and graphics editor for the Washington Star daily newspaper.

Ms. Clarke holds a B.A. degree from George Washington University where she graduated in 1982.

[FreeTheHostages]

great post

conservative women ROCK!

[catpuppy]

If and when Arie leaves, I would love to see Torie Clarke take over. She is an amazing lady.

[Stultis]

Attagirl, Torie!

[FreedomPoster]

>>The GOP should make a documentary of Rumsfeld handling the media

I love watching Rumsfeld handle the media.

Here, he handles an unruly reporter at a Pentagon press conference:

[annyokie]

[HarryCaul]

Two interesting previous jobs-

Ms. Clarke was the general manager of the Washington, D.C. office of Hill and Knowlton, a global public relations and marketing firm.

In 1992, Clarke served as Press Secretary for the re-election campaign of President George Bush.

In other words, she knows political campaigns. The right woman in the right job.

[NonValueAdded]

Torrie! Torrie! Torrie!

[FreeTheHostages]

:) THANKS!! LOL, great gif. Mind if I post it in another thread?

[ThinkDifferent]

"I find your lack of faith disturbing".

[annyokie]

Sure! Just right click!

[Quix]

HE'S A MASTER AT IT.

Better than Dillbo.

Thankfully.