Republican Right takes fright at prospect of Secretary-General Clinton

[emad]

Telegraph
By Philip Sherwell in Washington
(Filed: 06/02/2005)

More than four years after he left the White House, speculation that Bill Clinton harbours ambitions for a return to high office is raising the blood pressure of his long-standing foes on the Republican Right.

His appointment last week as the United Nations special envoy for tsunami relief and reconstruction in Asia, coupled with praise from the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan for his "energy, dynamism and force", has triggered alarm among his political enemies that he has an even grander goal in sight: taking over from Mr Annan as the head of the world body.

Rumours that Mr Clinton has expressed interest in succeeding Mr Annan when his term ends in December next year ¨C or earlier, if the oil-for-food scandal forces him from office ¨C have been circulating in the American media for months, and the former Democrat president has done little to end the conjecture by instructing his office not to comment on the reports. Last week, the former senator Jesse Helms invoked the spectre of the former Democrat president heading the UN as he solicited financial support for his new library in North Carolina. Mr Helms, the outspoken 83-year-old Republican who left office in 2003, clearly takes the prospect seriously.

In his letter seeking contributions to expand the Jesse Helms Centre, he wrote: "I'm sure you might agree that putting a Left-wing, undisciplined and ethically challenged former president of the United States into a position of such power would be a tragic mistake." He also urged President George W Bush to "rebuke all efforts" to have Mr Clinton installed in the role.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/06/wclin06.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/02/06/ixworld.html

ALWAYS thought he wanted Kofi's job at the UN.....

[LoZoccolo]

1. Clinton - President of the World!

:bounce: :toast: :thumbsup: :party: :bounce: :toast: :thumbsup: :party: :bounce: :toast: :thumbsup: :party: :bounce: :toast: :thumbsup: :party:

[Career Prole]

2. ...He also urged President George W Bush to "rebuke all efforts"...

Isn't that behavior called obstructionist when we do it? The man is eminently qualified for the assignment, and all Helms can think about is ol' Clenis.

He paints Clinton as a "left-wing, undisciplined and ethically challenged former president of the United States". The only charge there that could stick is "ethically challenged" and when it comes to that, who isn't?

[gizmo1979]

3. Hail Caesar!!!!

Clinton for King of the world!!:headbang:

[ticapnews]

4. It isn't likely...

It isn't a written rule, but it has always been understood that the Secretary-General cannot hail from one of the five nations who are permanent members of the Security Council (England, France, China, Russia and the U.S.) It's highly unlikely they'll break precedent.

However, if permanent membership of the Security Council expands, that tradition might be ended. It would be nice to see Clinton at the helm. It might give him a chance to head off Bush's attempt to become a modern-day Charlemagne.

[leesa]

5. I don't want an American in that job. I don't trust them. They are slaves

to corporatists...and Bill is one of them.

[quaoar]

6. I love Bill Clinton

I long for the days of the Clinton Administration. And I think he'd be a fabulous secretary-general.

But I also wonder whether Clinton getting all chummy with Bush is to keep Bush from blocking Clinton's selection as secretary-general.