In his official announcement of the nomination just now George Bush set out various reasons for his choice of World Bank president. They include that Robert Zoellick is:
“a committed internationalist.”
“He has earned the trust and support of leaders from every region of the world”.
That’s what Goldman Sachs is known for, according to the New York Times. The following alumni are part of the “coterie” of the Bush administration:
Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson
Joshua B. Bolten, the White House chief of staff
Stephen Friedman, President Bush’s ex-director of the National Economic Council.
I guess Bob does owe a lot to ‘Hank’ who keeps hiring him wherever he goes (or when he has a say or the ear of GWB) – Wall Street and now the WB .
Talking Points Memo has excerpts from The Nelson Report, a daily update for subscribers who want to know what’s going on in Washington. It warns “certain personality traits will carry over, and create problems with his Bank colleagues different than the Wolfowitz debacle, but no less damaging, should they occur”. These traits already led to Zoellick being ousted as president of another institution: the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Meanwhile Steve Clemons supports Zoellick and gives him advice. Continue reading
Title of an article written by Kenneth Rogoff on the nomination of Zoellick at the helm of the World Bank. In the section of ” Comments is free” published by the Guardian, Rogoff spelled out the strengths of the “good Bob” from the weaknesses of “maybe Bob”. Continue reading
Canadian finance minister Jim Flaherty told reporters in Ottawa today that he was consulted this week on the World Bank president nominee by U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson. While he would not confirm the name we all know, Flaherty said the nominee “will be good for Canada.” Continue reading