Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Rome is either burning, or there's just a fine fiddler

No further comment necessary, other than this interview is so weirdly worded that the subject is either oblivious or it's a plant. It's the NYT, so Jayson Blair jokes notwithstanding, I'm assuming that it's legit. But it reads like above-average 'Doonesbury'.

Favorite parts-

A 'little' international consulting firm
Hunter Hunt?
I'm not sure that they do benefit from them. Honouring service is what our theme is about.

For fans of 'keeping on message', enjoy.

It's the President's Party
Interview by DEBORAH SOLOMON (New York Times)
Published: January 2, 2005

As the chairwoman of the 55th Presidential Inaugural Committee, have you worked closely with President Bush in planning the nine official balls and other festivities surrounding his inauguration on Jan. 20?
I almost always work with the first lady. The meetings are usually in her office, or on the telephone. I just had a meeting with her this morning on the details.

Your friendship with the Bushes goes way back. You initially worked for the senior George Bush as a fund-raiser in Dallas.
I met him when I walked in off the street in 1979 and volunteered to help on his campaign against President Reagan. I think President 41 is the world's nicest man.

Is it true you canceled your wedding to plan a fund-raiser for him?
When I was getting married, in 1990, my friend Fred Meyer, who was then the chairman of the Texas Republican Party, called up and said: ''J.J., I have great news! President Bush himself is coming to Dallas on May 18.'' And I said: ''No, he can't! That's my wedding.'' I talked to my fiance, David, who is now my wonderful husband, and he said, ''Oh, sure, we can move the wedding for a week.'' It was a small wedding.

Your husband sounds flexible. Perhaps that's because he's a psychotherapist.
He is, and he also has a little international consulting firm.

Is everyone in Texas a consultant? You recently became a consultant to Hunt Oil.
I don't do lobbying. I work with Hunt Oil on some of their overseas projects, and I also help them with their charitable and political contribution planning.

Did Ray Hunt personally offer you the job?
Yes, he did, and his son Hunter.

I imagine such contacts prove useful when you are raising money for the inauguration. You are asking underwriters for $250,000 a pop.
We are raising the funds so that parade tickets stay at a price that anyone can afford. We need underwriters to help us.



How do any of them benefit from the inaugural balls?
I'm not sure that they do benefit from them.

Then how, exactly, are you honoring them?
Honoring service is what our theme is about.

Do you think President Bush and the first lady like to dance?
I think that probably he enjoys a baseball game maybe a little bit more than dancing.

Does he have any favorite dishes?
The only thing I know he likes is peanut butter and jelly, and barbecue.

After the last inauguration, President Bush offered you a job as ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in Paris. What will you do after this inauguration?
The president has all of my phone numbers, so if he ever needs me to do something, he knows that the likely answer is yes.


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