Sorry About That 'Political Dilettante' Part, Mr. Prime Minister

By Al Kamen
Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Six months to go and the wheels seem to be seriously wobbling on the Bush administration. First, the White House had to apologize to South Korea for announcing prematurely that President Bush would be visiting that country in conjunction with his trip to the Olympics in Beijing.

Then at the G-8 summit in Japan yesterday, the administration apologized to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for handing out a bio of him to reporters that said he is "a political dilettante who gained high office only through use of his considerable influence on the national media." This was a major political gaffe, defined by columnist Michael Kinsley as when a politician -- or, in this case, the White House -- tells the truth.

Even worse, White House spokesman Tony Fratto, in a letter, had to apologize to all of Italy for the bio's reference to Berlusconi as "one of the most controversial leaders in the history of a country known for governmental corruption and vice." Dio Mio!

"This very unfortunate mistake," Fratto said, occurred when Berlusconi's profile was copied from a Web site called Encyclopedia of World Biography.

Berlusconi says the frequent accusations of corruption have cost him hundreds of millions in legal fees. In fact, he's on trial now for allegedly bribing a British lawyer to lie in one case, Bloomberg News reported, and there's another proceeding on a tax-fraud rap.

Let Them Eat Kelp-Flavoured Beef

Speaking of the G-8 summit, much concern has been expressed over there over worldwide food shortages and the fear of starvation among the poor in many parts of the globe.

But according to the London Daily Mail, the "Working Lunch" menu at the summit included: "White asparagus and truffle soup; Chaud-froid of Kegani crab; Almond oil foam and tapenade; Peach compote, ice cream and raspberry coulis." Your wine selection includes a Chateau Grillet 2005, a lovely vintage at $125 a bottle, according to wine-searcher.com. (Apparently it helps get the work done.)

The non-working dinner menu included: "Corn and caviar; Smoked salmon and sea urchin; Winter lily bulb and summer savoury; Kelp-flavoured beef and asparagus; Boiled prawn with tosazu vinegar jelly; Fried goby fish with soy sauce and sugar, Hairy crab bisque soup; Grilled bighand thornyhead fish with pepper sauce; Milk-fed lamb flavoured with herbs and mustard and roast lamb with cepes and black truffle" and something called a "G8 'Fantasy' dessert." (Sorry, no Loop contest to guess what that is.)

Wines included a Ridge California Monte Bello 1997, which ranges from around $125 to $180, and of course, Tokaji Esszencia 1999, a Hungarian dessert wine that averages about $500 per half-liter.

Departing Shot

Even death could not deter Jesse Helms, the late Republican senator from North Carolina, from giving one last slap -- or perhaps it was self-inflicted? -- to his liberal media nemeses, in this case, the New York Times. The Gray Lady's Sunday correction box included this:

An article today in Sunday Business about missed opportunities to reduce America's dependence on imported oil refers to a 1990 effort by Senator Jesse Helms, Republican of North Carolina, to block higher mileage requirements for vehicles and notes that Mr. Helms did not return calls seeking comment. The section went to press on Thursday, before Mr. Helms's death Friday morning.

Well, the Times was at least gracious in admitting error. Not like Helms was going to sue or anything.

Buy an Ambassadorship? Heavens!

The American Academy of Diplomacy has written Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama, urging them to pledge to sharply reduce the number of political (i.e. non-career) ambassadors if either becomes president.

No problem. Who needs multimillions of bucks from wealthy contributors?

Just as crippling, the academy wants the candidates to "commit to appointing only the most qualified ambassadors" to these jobs. So no more fat cats buying ambassadorships? This is a death blow to America's commitment to free trade in ambassadorships. The candidates will surely dismiss this misguided proposal. (Neither has responded to the academy.)

The letter, from Thomas Pic kering, academy chairman and former ambassador to the United Nations, and Ronald E. Neumann, the academy's president and a former ambassador to Kabul, says that, since the Kennedy administration, about a third of the nation's 190 or so ambassadors have been political appointees -- with most going to European posts. Some have actually been pretty good diplomats. Most have had a wonderful time in Rome, Paris, London, Madrid and the like.

The academy proposes dropping that percentage to maybe 10 percent. Then it lists eight "essential" criteria to be met by nominees, including "demonstrated interest and experience in foreign affairs . . . personal knowledge of the country involved, its region, people and language." This would replace the current threshold of simply having heard of the place.

Some advocates of the proposal venture that with the fundraising bonanza made possible by the Internet, there's no need to sell ambassadorships. Perhaps, but the problem, to paraphrase the adage, is you can never raise enough political money. Never.

Out One House, In Another

Speaking of ambassadors -- and this one even meets the Academy's criteria -- let's give a big welcome back home from Brussels to former White House counsel C. Boyden Gray. Gray, whose confirmation as ambassador to the European Union was blocked by Senate Democrats, got a recess appointment from President Bush for 2006 and 2007. When that expired, in a nifty sleight of hand that angered the Dems even more, he was given the title of "special envoy" in January and was allowed to continue to live in the fine ambassador's residence.

But Senate confirmation last week of Kristen Silverberg, assistant secretary of state for international organizations, to the E.U. ambassadorship -- which some Dems say was done specifically to force Gray out -- meant the special envoy wouldn't be able to live in the special house any more. Gray retains his jobs as "special envoy for Eurasian Energy" and various other tasks. (But there's no house.)

We figured Gray was coming back as soon as we saw that the painters were finishing up work on his beautiful Georgetown home. The company's sign is still out front, but the exterior work looks wrapped up. Silverberg's expected in Brussels next week, and Gray's expected to leave the week after.

Familiar Territory

Calendar note: U.N. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, formerly based in Baghdad and Kabul, will be speaking at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on Thursday. His topic? Afghanistan.

Research editor Alice Crites contributed to this column.

From Novice To First Fist-Bumper

Despite the limited time remaining, President Bush continues to work hard to learn new things. On July 1, he practiced a fist-bump with a young fellow at Adams Field in Little Rock. (Note the intense concentration and furrowed brow.)

By July 3, at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, he confidently had it down, not even looking as he fist-bumped Marine Capt. Ray Baronie, an injured Iraq war vet.