June 14, 2006
The only thing that Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and the president of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga have in common is that they both are being mentioned for higher-level jobs than they now hold.
The reason I mention them in the same article is that I interviewed the President of Latvia when she was in Washington, D.C. last week addressing Congress, and Governor Vilsack was our guest speaker at our Financial Times/TransAtlantic magazine breakfast yesterday at Johns Hopkins University/SAIS.
Both of these talented individuals are considered to be longshots for the positions they are being mentioned but they both possess the abilities and resources to be successful and effective if they ever attain these lofty jobs in the near future.
Saying that the Democrats need a “genuine and authentic candidate” to win the White House in 2008 the Iowa governor comes off exhibiting both of those qualities. Vilsack, in one of his first foreign policy speeches, impressed the crowd of U.S. and international reporters and members of the diplomatic community with his knowledge of foreign affairs.
As the two-term governor of Iowa stated, “governors have a lot to do with foreign policy these day” and he went on to give convincing examples from homeland security/terrorism issues to having Iowa National Guard troops stationed in Iraq. He also discussed foreign investment in his state and his travels overseas looking for new investment in the Hawkeye state.
Saying that “governors deal with foreign policy almost on a daily basis,” the former mayor of Mount Pleasant, Iowa pointed out the twin challenges facing America today. Vilsack stated, “We need to keep our citizens safe and secure” and we need to face up to our global “economic competitive challenge” very aggressively with better schools and research.
On education, the governor said, “America does not need to be a nation of standardized test takers.” He called for “an education revolution” and explained to the crowd how “you can teach creativity” to students.
Vilsack, a jogger, says America needs to be competitive and creative - two words he used quite often in his speech - outlining his plans for the United States calling for a “community value system” and the “power of hope.”
The governor criticized the president on his Iraq policy but said “it would be dangerous to set a date to leave Iraq” saying “No deadline to leave Iraq should be set.”
Vilsack tells good stories about people he meets on his travels and has a good presence about him when he is speaking. He says what is “missing in America today is that we need a call to greatness like during the space program under John F. Kennedy.”
If you want to know anything about corn or ethanol Governor Vilsack is the person to see. He seems to know everything there is to know about these topics - and he is very exuberant when he discusses the many uses of corn not only for food but for energy.
If the Democrats are looking for a solid, middle of the road knowledgeable candidate from the heartland who seems to be genuine and authentic and favors creativity and competition and seems to be more from the Truman, Kennedy wing of the party on foreign policy then they should give Tom Vilsack a second look.
He has a tough road to the White House with much better known national candidates in front of him but it seems as if he is prepared to take the journey for the next several years and his state does have the first caucus in the country in 2008.
Vilsack - a darkhorse who might outrun some better known candidates.
The president of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga is a charming, determined and tough politician who would be a good choice to succeed Kofi Annan as Secretary-General of the United Nations. Annan’s term ends this December 31st.
While most speculation centers on a new UN Secretary-General from an Asian nation, the president of Latvia would give a unique perspective to the world body as a person representing a nation that has moved successfully to democracy and a growing market economy after many years as part of the former Soviet Union.
When I asked her about speculation that she was being considered for the UN position she stated that the job would be a “fantastic challenge” and “if it were offered she would not refuse” although she isn’t focused on the UN job and seemed to feel it might not be realistic that she would be offered the post.
The president of Latvia explained how hard the UN Secretary-General works and says jokingly that Secretary-General could stand for “scapegoat” as the UN is often blamed for so many problems in the world.
The former clinical psychologist who spent much of her adult live in Canada says that “Iran is a test case for a common solution. We flunked it on Iraq with no UN Security Council Agreement so Iran gives us a second chance on how to do it.”
Vike-Freiberga, whose country will host the NATO Summit in November, is an enthusiastic backer of NATO and the European Union. She is a strong critic of the current government in Russia and worries about the Russian people’s commitment to democracy and a market economy and a free press.
She is much more optimistic about the transatlantic relationship under the second Bush Administration. She feels the “rifts have been healed” between the U.S. and the EU and that the “EU is trying to smooth over disagreements” with the United States.
The president of Latvia would be a good choice to succeed Kofi Annan as head of the United Nations but the odds of choosing a European this time around are probably pretty slim.
She too is a darkhorse who will have to outrun other leading candidates for the top position of the UN. | 
