Bill Clinton Named Tsumani Tsar

Being a former American president is a tough role to undertake. After having been the most powerful man in the world, there aren’t many jobs that measure up. Mr. Nixon wasn’t wanted around after August 9, 1974 (if he were wanted before that). Mr. Ford was out at 64 and took up golf, and at 91 is still alive – proving that he wasn’t so foolish after all. Mr. Reagan was old enough, and sick enough, not to have to consider what to do. Mr. Bush the Elder got into the “grandkid” business. James Earl Carter became a national treasure with his charitable acts, a better ex-president than president. And now, Bill Clinton has found a job – the UN has appointed him Special Envoy for Tsunami relief.

Less than two months ago, Tsunami Tsar would have been a really great name for a neo-punk band. Now, it may be the only way to keep the spotlight on the rebuilding efforts that follow Mother Nature’s attack on south Asia the day after Christmas. The job description is ideal for Mr. Clinton, and one hopes that he will use it as a springboard into a new and better career than electoral politics.

First, the ideal candidate has to have a bigger profile than Bob Geldof and Bono. Second, he has to be an American – otherwise the parochial US media will dub the whole thing another effort by foreigners to hijack US policy efforts. Third, the candidate must have an acceptable reputation among the foreigners he is going to spend so much time helping. And finally, he’s got to be young enough to stick to it for years.

Mr. Clinton is the second best fund-raiser in American political history – the current president is even better. He also has an ambition that took him from Little Rock, to Oxford to Washington. And he knows that his legacy as president carries with it the asterisk of being the second US president to be impeached by the House of Representatives. His ego will be well served in the job.

The question is whether the people of the region will be well served. The jury is still out on that and will be for some time. Mr. Clinton’s first duty is going to be creating an apparatus, either an informal network of willing officials or a real international rebuilding body, to coordinate everything. Until that is done, the job can’t even begin. All the same, it’s a good choice for all concerned.



© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.

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