Richard Stengel
The Diplomat
People, composure and the difficult conversation held well.
Richard Stengel is a seasoned diplomat and communicator who has navigated complex global issues, particularly in public diplomacy. This interview highlights his ability to mediate and build coalitions, as he reflects on his experiences and the challenges of modern information warfare.
“Well, it's funny. I actually went to see Henry Kissinger before I interviewed Putin because he spent so much time with him. And Kissinger said to me, you'll be surprised at what little effort he makes to charm you. And even though I had that prepared, I mean, and I don't know if you've met him, but he emanates a kind of chill air.”
“They're not easy questions, and I'm sure David, you saw it in government. Government helped change it for me. I'm all for the promotion of democracy, but if countries don't have the civic institution, they don't have the history of it, they don't have an understanding of it, we can push them too fast and too far to embrace a kind of Jeffe…”
“Before you write that helped me with the speech, I'll take you back to Crystal City, Missouri, where I grew up. And we went back there for like a weekend. He showed me around. He showed me the house he grew up in. It really was an incredibly special thing because that was also a different kind of upbringing.”
“And they were getting it for free, which again in the early days, I used to joke. I said the line was information wants to be free. And I would say, well, no, people want free information. And we gave it to them. And that did undermine the economic basis of journalism.”
The Axe Files with David Axelrod — Ep. 360 – Richard Stengel
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