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| Bono's next No 1 may be at World Bank |
| 2005-03-07 |
| He is world famous, and there is no doubt he cares passionately about development. Bono, the Irish rock singer, has many qualifications to be the next president of the World Bank -overseeing global development efforts, a job that becomes vacant in June when James Wolfensohn resigns. The Bush administration is not ruling Bono out. In fact, the US treasury secretary, John Snow, went out of his way to say nice things about him in a discussion about the forthcoming vacancy yesterday. "He's somebody I admire. He does a lot of good in this world of economic development," Associated Press quoted him saying. Asked about the shortlist for the post, he replied: "I am not going to review here all the candidates that are on the list." It sounded like a maybe, at least. By tradition, it is up to the US to appoint the World Bank president. Other names mentioned include Carly Fiorina, a businesswoman |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #19 I'm with Gromky. Run the sucker up onto the rocks. |
| Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2005-03-08 12:00:24 AM |
| #18 I vote for Carly Fiorina. She destroyed HP, she can destroy the World Bank next. |
| Posted by: gromky 2005-03-07 2:25:18 PM |
| #17 Kalle.. I don't support the World Bank... Ragnar Danneskjold isn't available for the job, but I'm thinking maybe Bono will end up channeling him. |
| Posted by: Dishman 2005-03-07 1:31:05 PM |
| #16 I'm available for the position, unless Russel Crowe returns my phone call, of course. |
| Posted by: Kevin Costner 2005-03-07 1:26:56 PM |
| #15 .com... my usual answer to that question is "Railroad Crossing". My ex no longer finds it quite so humorous, now that she understands. |
| Posted by: Dishman 2005-03-07 1:12:49 PM |
| #14 Why would anyone support the "World Bank"? seems like a very bad institution if one values free markets and economic development. |
| Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever) 2005-03-07 10:41:20 AM |
| #13 Speaking of Sunny, remember the joke that came after Sunny ran into the tree while skiing: Tree: Respect the environment and the forest or we will take out one Hollywood star a week. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-03-07 10:31:19 AM |
| #12 This is a good thing. Can you imagine Alan Greenspan launching into "Vertigo" at a congressional hearing? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-03-07 10:19:39 AM |
| #11 BH - right. In the words of his good friend Sunny, best to start on the bunny slopes. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-03-07 10:17:06 AM |
| #10 Tell you what: let Bono start with a smaller project like, say, getting his fellow Irishmen to stop killing each other. If he does a good job on that, then maybe we'll hear what he has to say about global issues. |
| Posted by: BH 2005-03-07 10:10:57 AM |
| #9 ...As much as I hate to say this, Bono's interest in global aid matters has gotten him a real-world education far better than anything he would have gotten in 4 years at any college followed by several years at some NGO. On top of that, he does seem to have a grasp of the obvious far exceeding most politicians. I say give him a shot at it. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2005-03-07 7:25:30 AM |
| #8 What about the Wolfowitz idea? He'd be great for the job, though IMO the job's too small for him. |
| Posted by: someone 2005-03-07 5:15:53 AM |
| #7 Oh, like wow, I like get it now. Brilliant (UK definition). |
| Posted by: .com 2005-03-07 3:20:26 AM |
| #6 I'm with phil, or maybe more so. I think what phil has left out is "The Education of Bono". Based on what I know of Bono and WB activities, I can see him banging heads with Oxfam and other NGOs. Bono's background might make him uniquely qualified to win that one - by putting more on the table than they care to wager. |
| Posted by: Dishman 2005-03-07 2:03:51 AM |
| #5 Sure, okay. *snicker* Y'know, the Prez of TWB doesn't have to be a total wanker jackoff twitter. It could be someone who actually knows something. I don't give two shits about impressing anyone or any gestures to the Moonbats. phil, I guess I'm just in No Wankers mode, lol! Phug'em. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-03-07 1:53:23 AM |
| #4 As I recall The head of the World Bank is a political position and qualifications for it are mostly political with a knowledge of development aid, which is what the WB exists for. As a political choice Bono is really not that bad. He seems familiar with real problems and prepared to push for real solutions. The Left will see him as one of their own but he appears free of (some/most) of the Loony Left Claptrap. The Bush administartion can appear even handed at minimal cost. And Bono does have a track record as a persuader, an important qualification. My reaction was similar to yours when I first heard about this, but on reflection it could be an astute political move. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-03-07 1:30:50 AM |
| #3 Lol! Sheesh - I know you're wankin' us. Nothing else explains it, lol! Even as the Einstein of Rock Stars, the friggin' Bertrand Russell of the entertainment world, the Bucky Fuller of the diversion arts -- that makes him about half as qualified as your average bank teller... and wildly inferior to a run of the mill loan officer. Carly was a corporate PC / social experiment - there was almost nothing to suggest she was going to be a success beforehand - and she did not fail to disappoint. The Board of Directors should have followed her out the door, the twits. Regards, Bono, out of 6+ Billion people on the planet, at least 1+ Billion must be a better choice. I'd take Jack Welch, for instance, in a heartbeat. A no-shit non-idiotarian who has the big picture and knows how to run a global enterprise. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-03-07 1:05:29 AM |
| #2 Amoungst entertainers Bono does stand out as someone who seems to grasp how the world really works as opposed to the fictional version most other entertainers confuse with reality. Please not Carly Fiorina she was a disaster at HP. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-03-07 12:44:22 AM |
| #1 Amazing. Sting's most memorable musical line, to me, was about politicians, "They all look like game-show hosts to me." My reaction is always, and you don't, Gordon? Asshat. Talk about idiotic. The closest Bono should get regards being at the top of the World Bank is to jump off of it, IMHO. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-03-07 12:43:58 AM |