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The 2013 Madeleine Award: Abbott's 'oops moment' and more
Posted By Graeme Dobell on January 20, 2014 @ 06:00
On the sidelines of the recent Democratic National Convention that nominated Barack Obama to seek a second term, one symposium saw a clutch of American grandees take questions from invited foreign politicians. A man from Bahrain asked about the Arab spring. A woman from the Afghan parliament voiced fears about democracy in her homeland. Then came a more querulous intervention. A Belgian member of the European Parliament demanded to know why the European Union had not yet been mentioned. From the stage, Madeleine Albright, a former secretary of state, suggested that the world was waiting for Europe to pull its weight. The room erupted in scornful applause, delighted by the put-down.
Gone are the days when representatives of transnational clubs such as the EU enjoyed special regard in foreign-policy circles, simply by embodying a form of governance that rose above the selfishness of the nation state.
No one, no matter how smart, no matter how well educated, no matter however experienced, is the suppository of all wisdom.
I had a conversation with her once about the utility and force of photographs and how they could be best used, which showed a mind that was not only intuitive but also had a really good process of reasoning. She had the thing totally worked out. Occasionally she would phone and say such-and-such a picture was rubbish or what could be done better, and though not, as I say, at all party political, she had a complete sense of what we were trying to achieve and why. I always used to say to Alastair [Blair’s PR supremo]: if she were ever in politics, even Clinton would have to watch out.
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[1] Image: http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Picture-40.png
[2] Madeleine Award: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2009/12/21/The-Madeleine-Award-goes-to.aspx
[3] monkey brooch: http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/07/24/madeleine-albright-my-favorite-mistake.html
[4] island nation: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2010/01/13/The-first-Madeleine-award-goes-to.aspx
[5] brilliant bluff: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2011/01/27/Drumroll-please-The-Madeleine-Award-goes-to-a-magnificent-bluff!.aspx
[6] double act: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2012/01/31/The-2011-Madeleine-Award-winner.aspx
[7] small bears: http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-2012-madeleine-award-to-strut-signal-and-stumble/
[8] a piece: http://www.economist.com/node/21563273
[9] translating: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2012/01/17/Banana-skin-time-The-2012-OOPS!-Award.aspx
[10] code name: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2011/01/25/The-OOPS!-Award-for-diplomatic-blunders.aspx
[11] ABC’s Insiders: http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2013/s3902567.htm
[12] via Tony Blair: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2012/01/30/The-Madeleine-the-Diana-Directive-on-the-Utility-and-Force-of-Photographs.aspx
[13] Bill Gates’ handshake technique: http://www.thewire.com/global/2013/04/bill-gates-handshake/64477/
[14] ‘selfie’: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2524039/Cameron-pleads-Danish-prime-minister-delete-Mandela-memorial-selfie-auction-charity.html
[15] @TonyAbbottMHR: https://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR/status/422645077559635968