JIM BAKER TO IRAQ?
Kevin Drum reports that the Administration is trying to coax the former Treasury and State Secretary to oversee the economic reconstruction of Iraq, leaving Paul Bremer to handle the political rebuilding. Sounds good to me. Anytime we can get someone with that much talent and experience on board, I consider it a plus.
Here’s the short bio from Political Graveyard:
Baker, James Addison III (b. 1930) — also known as James A. Baker III — Born in Houston, Harris County, Tex., April 28, 1930. Republican. Candidate for Texas state attorney general, 1978; U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, 1985-88; delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 1988; U.S. Secretary of State, 1989-92. Member, Council on Foreign Relations. Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991. Still living as of 2003.
I’m sure he’s most proud of that last one.
Update (2011): Kevin nicely e-mailed me to let me know WaPo had pulled a switcheroo, which led him to add this update to his site:
In the ten minutes it took me to write this, the Washington Post replaced this story with a completely different version that (a) doesn’t include my excerpt above, (b) plays down the whole Baker angle, and (c) suggests that Baker’s role would be focused only on restructuring Iraq’s debt.
Very odd.
As an aside, I’ve had that happen to me before, too. I wish onlines newspapers would follow the blogging convention of adding an update line!
Well, it looks like Baker didn’t end up taking over in Iraq after all, except for helping with loans. Maybe he just wouldn’t put up with the Paul Bremer makeover required: I have a picture of the courtly and impeccaby dressed Baker, barefoot in his $3,000 pinstriped suit, silk tie and starched shirt, trying with all his might to fight off Paul Bremer, who is forcing those goofy combat boots on him.
Meanwhile, a grinning Karl Rove is walking off triumphantly, holding Baker’s $500 Brooks Brothers tasseled loafers and silk socks.
Well, it looks like Baker didn’t end up taking over in Iraq after all, except for helping with loans. Maybe he just wouldn’t put up with the Paul Bremer makeover required: I have a picture of the courtly and impeccaby dressed Baker, barefoot in his $3,000 pinstriped suit, silk tie and starched shirt, trying with all his might to fight off Paul Bremer, who is forcing those goofy combat boots on him.
Meanwhile, a grinning Karl Rove, Mater of Image Making, is walking off triumphantly, holding Baker’s $500 Brooks Brothers polished tasseled loafers and silk socks.
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