"Swift-Boated by bin Laden" … Communications at the White House

The New York Times’ Thomas Friedman doesn’t write too much about communications.

Yet a recent column caught my eye.

It was entitled "Swift-Boated by bin Laden". In it, Friedman asks:  "How could an administration that was so good at Swift-boating its
political opponents at home (I’ve called them "elites" in this blog before) be so inept at Swift-boating its
geopolitical opponents abroad?"   

Friedman’s column is for paying TimesSelect customers .. though it’s all over the web for free.  Here’s one place. It’s worth a read. Friedman, in part, faults the Bush admin simply for lack of trying. I see this lack of trying with corporate communicators as well. It’s seldom a good idea.