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Iraq

The White House's Unconventional Diplomacy: CNN's Live Town Hall Meeting

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the crisis in Iraq escalated, the White House sought a new diplomatic channel: CNN. In a rare partnership, the Clinton administration and the global news service collaborated on a 90-minute live television program, dubbed the International Town Hall Meeting. The event, moderated by CNN anchors Bernard Shaw and Judy Woodruff, aimed to sell the legitimacy of the pending U.S. threat to bomb Iraq.

However, the program quickly turned into a contentious affair. Protesters, both in the audience and outside, chanted anti-war slogans, creating a palpable air of tension. Despite the chaos, the event remained a unique and fascinating use of live television to take issues directly to the people. Whether the program succeeded in conveying unity and resolve is unclear, as Albright and company delivered little new information.

Key Takeaways:

  • The White House and CNN collaborated on a 90-minute live television program, the International Town Hall Meeting, to discuss the Iraq crisis.
  • The event was a contentious affair, with protesters chanted anti-war slogans and heckling officials, creating a palpable air of tension.
  • The program was designed to convey unity and resolve, but it ultimately reinforced the international power of CNN and its ability to reach a global audience simultaneously.
  • CNN's Washington Bureau chief, Frank Sesno, stated that the network agreed to cover the event exclusively in exchange for editorial control.
  • Competitors felt that the deal was unfair and that CNN became unethically cozy with the White House in setting up the event.
  • Sesno denied any ethical lines were crossed, stating that the program was a public service.

Statistics:

  • The program was a 90-minute live television event.
  • Approximately two dozen protesters heckled officials during the event.
  • CNN had exclusive broadcast rights to the appearance by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Defense Secretary William Cohen, and Sandy Berger, the White House national security adviser.

Sources:

  • "The White House turned to a new diplomatic channel Wednesday in the Iraq crisis: CNN. What it got for its effort was a static-filled broadcast..." (c) 1998, The Miami Herald. Visit The Miami Herald Web edition on the World Wide Web at http://www.herald.com/
  • Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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