Writing Assignment #3-Honors
Shaping Public Opinion
Due: Wednesday, April 13

Preamble: .
You are the Foreign Secretary to Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Great Britain. Your government, under Blair, chose to ally with the United States in the invasion and occupation of Iraq two years ago. Today, Blair faces elections in a few weeks. Between now and then, and partly to bolster his prospects at home, Blair plans to do some globetrotting. In the Middle East and in Europe, Blair hopes photo opportunities with world leaders will help assure his re-election at home. His trip includes several stops in the Middle East, including Doha, where his staff has scheduled an interview in the studios of al-Jazeera. He will also stop in Paris and Berlin.

You get an urgent call from Number 10. The Prime Minister woke up suddenly realizing some of those meetings abroad could prove less than supportive of his image. As Foreign Secretary, you’re the expert on public opinion in other parts of the world. The Prime Minister wants a briefing memo from you outlining public opinion on the stops of his tour, with recommendations for how the U.K. should shape its public message in appearances abroad, so as to assure the most favorable coverage possible under the circumstances.

Research: You undertake a search of media coverage in the places where Blair will travel. You consider news coverage in those regions during the time period roughly November 2004 - April 2005. You include aspects of coverage such as headlines, photos, and choice of words.
(You may use international news web sites at the bottom of this page, the sites linked on the Readings page of our course web site, as well as Lexis-Nexis and other news sources, to read the views of journalists and news consumers in other countries. You may, of course, also use print publications available in the library or online.)

Write:
Memo to the Prime Minister, assessing public opinion and recommending "talking points" the Prime Minister might use in his public appearances on the trip.
About 6 pages.

Submission of this assignment:
Submission of this assignment as an email attachment is preferred. Cite some examples of coverage you observed.
Include a Bibliography page listing the sources you consulted.