Around 50 of the 191 ambassadors I visited reported that no US Permanent Representative had set foot in their mission before. Many treated “America’s visit” as a very special occasion, dressing up more formally than usual, bringing national delicacies from home to offer me, and having a camera at the ready to record the moment for posterity. Developing these relationships obviously did not mean smooth sailing for me or for US objectives at the UN. But just as President Obama’s personal popularity was a major asset in getting other countries to share information with the United States or to
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