The usually reliable Cindy Adams in the New York Post on Sunday last suggested that one of Ireland’s greatest friends, former US president Bill Clinton is rumoured to be lined up as the replacement for the current US ambassador to Ireland, the 80-year old Dan Rooney who retires in 2013.
President Clinton has spent time in and around Ireland in the past year, being guest of honour at the Global Irish Forum in October 2011, and subsequently guiding An Taoiseach around US investors in February 2012 when President Clinton told anyone who’d listen that they’d be nuts not to invest in Ireland. And last week, the president was in Limerick – pictured here -to present bursaries to third level students, courtesy of JP McManus’s philanthropy. Of course the greatest debt of gratitude due from this country might be in respect of the president’s great efforts to bring peace, and then cement peace, in Northern Ireland.
The 66-year old president might miss the lucrative rewards he enjoys today – last week’s few hours in Limerick is said to have cost JP over €200,000 – but he would certainly be a popular choice with the natives. Except perhaps for An Taoiseach Enda Kenny who has still done sweet-fanny-adams to deal with the mortgage crisis despite his promises in front of President Clinton in October 2011 (pictured above).
A twofer would be awesome…
“Hillary Clinton
Clinton has openly and unambiguously pledged to step down from her post in a second Obama term, though she told State Department employees in January that she “will certainly stay on until the president nominates someone and that transition can occur.”
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/obama-cabinet-outlook-hillary-clilnton-geithner/story?id=17654718
denis o brien will be pleased
The current Ambassador has not overly endeared himself to the x pat community,unlikely this would happen if the Clinton’s are in.
“Coogan had been denied a visa twice by the United States Embassy in Dublin, with no explanation. Yesterday Schumer weighed in, sending a letter to the State Department, urging them to quickly reconsider their decision.”
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/US-visa-ban-on-Tim-Pat-Coogan-removed-after-Senator-Schumer-steps-in-181160101.html?page=2