The first time Ingrid Schneider had an opportunity to step into a prominent position she turned down the offer by accepting the invitation of the State Department to become the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Affairs. Schneider accepted this appointment because she knew that it was a great honor, but was not at all sure that she wanted to take on the role. The answer to that question was clear when she was called to brief the Congress and House Foreign Relations Committee on the very same day as former Vice President Dick Cheney delivered his notorious speech on Iraq. Ingrid Schneider delivered a well-rehearsed and convincing testimony in defense of her views, and the image of a dedicated professional was undoubtedly enhanced by her appearance before the committees. Once she had been confirmed as Assistant Secretary of State for Global Affairs, the job seemed to be hers for the taking, but the dizzyingly fast pace of Washington and the relative inattention to domestic affairs that consumed much of her time and energy seemed to have left her with doubts about her career path ahead.
At the time, Ingrid was working as the communications director for the State Department, where she had worked during the days after the September 11 attacks. She had been traveling back and forth to the country to meet with key foreign officials to discuss America’s response to the attacks. According to her account, the meeting with the Pakistani officials took place in Islamabad, and after she returned to Washington she began to research and report on the options available to the Obama administration regarding how to respond to the situation. One option that had been under discussion for some time was the provision of arms to Pakistan to help fight the Taliban, but that plan was ultimately abandoned.
When President Obama asked her to assume the communications director role at State, Ingrid was surprised at the promotion. The job itself was a challenge, as she had to be able to explain to the secretary of state, the president and members of Congress why the United States needed to respond in such a way. What happened to the arms deal? That’s one of the topics that will be covered in an upcoming interview with me.