With a presidential visit comes months of preparation and stress. While big embassies with hundreds of staff members are often…
Diplomatic View of Vice President Joe Biden on Kosovo and Israel
When Vice President Biden sat next to then Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping at a dinner in 2012, Xi asked…
Making Lasting Impressions: Biden Vice Presidential Visits to Iraq and Mongolia
A vice presidential visit is a major diplomatic event. These visits can either be part of a crisis management strategy,…
Did President Clinton Try to Renounce his U.S. Citizenship?—Investigating the Presidential Scandal
The Vietnam War was one of the most contentious political issues in the United States during the 1960s and early…
Chad’s Presidential Elections in 2016—“My Husband has Disappeared”
During the 2016 presidential elections in Chad, a number of Chadian military personnel went missing. Chad’s current president, Idriss Déby,…
George W. Bush and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
Forty million total cases. Three million deaths. One year. This was not the casualty of a bloody global conflict, but…
Presidents, Russians, and Diplomatic Wives: Anecdotes from a Voice of America Newsman
Journalist Euguene F. Karst knew the importance of words. He personally witnessed how communication could highlight the opinions of little…
Saving Political Prisoners in the Aftermath of the 1985 Presidential Election in Liberia
On November 12, 1985, exiled General Thomas Quiwonkpa invaded Liberia through Sierra Leone to launch a coup against President Doe.…
Fundraising for Presidential Campaigns — and Serving as U.S. Ambassador to Spain
Approximately a third of U.S. ambassadors have been politically appointees over the last 50 years, including some of our very…
Building a Personal Relationship: The U.S. Ambassador and President of Senegal
It was nearing 11 o’clock at night when the phone rang. “How was the speech?” Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas was surprised…