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The audience -- 500 women covered in black at a Saudi university -- seemed an ideal place for Karen Hughes, a senior Bush administration official charged with spreading the American message in the Muslim world, to make her pitch. But the response on Tuesday was not what she and her aides expected. When Hughes expressed the hope that Saudi women would be able to drive and "fully participate in society" much as they do in her country, many challenged her. "The general image of the Arab woman is that she isn't happy," one audience member said. "Well, we're all pretty happy." The roomful of students, faculty members and some professionals resounded with applause. The administration's efforts to publicize U.S. ideals in the Muslim world have often run into such resistance. For that reason, Hughes, who is considered one of the administration's most scripted and careful members, was hired specifically for the task. Many in this region say they resent the U.S. assumption that, given the chance, everyone would live like Americans... The group of women on Tuesday, picked by the university, represented the privileged elite of this Red Sea coastal city, known as one of the more liberal areas in the country. And while they were certainly friendly toward Hughes, half a dozen who spoke up took issue with what she said. Hughes, the undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, is on her first trip to the Middle East. She seemed clearly taken aback as the women told her that just because they were not allowed to vote or drive, that did not mean they were treated unfairly or imprisoned in their own homes... Hughes found herself on the defensive simply by saying that she hoped women would be able to vote in future elections. Hughes also spoke personally, saying that driving a car was "an important part of my freedom."... Several women said later that Americans fail to understand that their traditional society is embraced by men and women alike. "There is more male chauvinism in my profession in Europe and America than in my country," said Dr. Siddiqa Kamal, an obstetrician and gynecologist who runs her own hospital. "I don't want to drive a car. I worked hard for my medical degree. Why do I need a driver's license?"