Bill Clinton: Next U.N. chief?
Has former President Bill Clinton hit the campaign trail again? That’s the word according to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review columnist who reports a “major international move” is afoot to help install the ex-CEO of the most powerful nation as the CEO of the most powerful world body ““ the United Nations.
Sunday’s “Dateline D.C.” column, which the paper says is written by a Washington-based British journalist and political observer, named no names but cited reports that Clinton had already lined up support for his candidacy for the secretary-general position from Germany, France, England, Ireland, New Zealand, a handful of African states, Morocco and Egypt. The Tribune-Review also reports Russia has made it known it would not object and added that China is also a big fan of the former president.
However, according to UN rules:
Under the Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council…
Read: Nominated by his own country. While most Americans would like an American running it, the right will be foaming at the mouth at the thought of their arch-enemy, 4th member of the Axis of Evil, Bill Clinton at its head. However, would politicians see it the same way? Better one of your own than a foreigner, even if he’s a Democrat. It’ll take quite a bit of work on Clinton’s part. Regardless of what one thinks of Clinton’s policies, he’s a wily devil and a perfect diplomat. The rest of the world loves him and if Bush can get Clinton to throw enough support our way, it would revitalize the UN by making a better tool of US foreign policy, the role in which it’s most effective.
Well he is chummy with Bush I, generally more supportive of Bush II than the rest of the Democrats, and it would probably mean Hillary can’t seriously run in ’08 for POTUS. He isn’t my first choice (Havel, and a long list of others would be better), but I could see it not being so terrible… maybe.
I actually would applaud it. Perfect job for him.
He was in Romania last week, promoting his autobiography. He signed a lot of autographs and people seemed to react positively.
Maybe Romanians secretly envy the guy who gets oral sex at work, even though they would never admit it (most of them). A century ago, Bucharest was known as the “Little Paris”, certainly for more than 1 reason :-)
A North American has also never been UN Sec. General thus adding a degree of probability to his candidacy.
But if it is Bill, what happens when the Sec Gen and the POTUS disagree? Assuming they aren’t married…
Also, will he keep his office in Harlem? Would be a pain on the traffic.
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I may be wrong but I believe that the permanent members of the UNSC are not eligible under the UN charter to have one of their citizens become the Secretary-General.
I will have to check.
Ditto to Nathan. Yes, it would make a Hillary presidency unthinkable, as it’s already unthinkable… why not?
Mark, I don’t think that’s correct. “From Wikipedia:”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_Secretary-General
Rumours have recently surfaced that former U.S. President Bill Clinton and current Chilean President Ricardo Lagos have set their sights on becoming Secretary-General. However, it is generally considered to be Asia’s turn to fill the post and Clinton has denied such claims. No announcement has been made, but behind the scenes China is already pushing the candidacy of Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who also seems to have U.S. support.