Foreign Affairs (Part 2)
Anyone who believes that the confirmation process for a US ambassador is easy would be sorely mistaken. That is how Bert Walker felt after submitting reams of completed forms, mountains of historical information, multiple interviews and then waiting month after month for a verdict. Finally, in the Fall of 2003, the Senate confirmed his nomination and invitations went out inviting Walker family and friends to the State Department for the swearing in ceremony.
The beauty and charm of Washington D.C. derive in part from the building height restrictions imposed by Congress in 1899. The 130 feet building height limitation allows for wonderful views across the entire City which is the panorama one sees from the 8th and top floor of the majestic State Department. The White House, the Capitol and the Washington Monument seem just a short grasp away.
The Benjamin Franklin State Dining Room represents an elegant venue for the conduct of American foreign policy ceremonies. The space is monumental in size and is decorated with extraordinary art work from Revolutionary times as well as early American furniture. A portion of the Franklin Room was cordoned off with arranged seating and a podium for the ceremony.
As guests were escorted to their seats, a growing sense of anticipation filled the air as everyone tried to guess who would administer the oath. Traditionally, American Secretaries of State disdained attendance at the ceremonies installing Ambassadors. Might this one be different? Even veteran Washingtonians started to become very curious as the speculation mounted.
Suddenly, and without being announced, Secretary of State Colin Powell emerged from a side door smiling broadly and strode swiftly to the podium. As a modern American military hero and 4-star general, Secretary Powell proceeded to review some of the highlights of US/Hungarian relations since WWII with particular emphasis on the period from 1989 to the present. He emphasized that Hungary was an important NATO ally and a key member of the EU, all of which makes the Ambassadorship very important.
At the conclusion of his remarks, Secretary Powell administered the oath to Bert and then mingled with the guests for awhile. I knew that General Powell was a very good friend of Bert’s, which explained some of the day’s events, and also remembered that Bert and others had come close to convincing Powell to run for President in 1996 and even 2000. Mrs. Powell nixed the idea out of fear for General Powell’s safety. Nonetheless, seeing him that day at the State Department made me wistful pondering what might have been.
Bert served ably as US Ambassador to Hungary. He focused his energy on creating new and exciting business relations between the 2 countries and delighted in seeing the Hungarian economy grow. April Foley succeeded Bert in 2006. She was a classmate of W’s at Harvard.