Cabinets and Presidents
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker talks about the role of cabinet officers and White House staffers in presidential administrations. Secretary Baker explains that cabinet meetings are often more for show than anything else, adding that presid...
Campaign Finance (Part Two)
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker talks about the role money plays in campaigns. He says there's nothing wrong with candidates having to go out and raise money, arguing that if a candidate is unable to do so, he or she is not really a viable ...
Case For A Missile Defense System, The
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker makes the case for implementing a missile defense system. Secretary Baker explains that, in addition to solving the various technological challenges that would present themselves, the U.S. would also need to ...
Diplomacy (Part Two)
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker talks about the delicate negotiations he conducted with Eduard Schevardnadze, foreign minister of the Soviet Union, following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. The issue at hand was an Iraqi ship steaming out o...
Diplomacy (Part One)
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker explains that private diplomacy is sometimes the most effective diplomacy. Secretary Baker adds that, "...the one thing that you don't want to do when you're trying to conduct diplomacy with somebody is to pu...
Washington Monument Syndrome, The
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker talks about what he calls "The Washington Monument Syndrome." Secretary Baker explains that career people in the various federal government departments and agencies, along with the Congress and the press, ".....
Ballot Changes
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker talks about how the voting process could be improved at polling places. "We should get rid of punch card ballots. Go optical scan ballots or even manually marked ballots, which are more accurate," Secretary B...
Campaign Finance (Part One)
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker talks about campaign finance reform. Secretary Baker advocates raising the amount one can contribute to a federal race, because doing so would lessen the influence of "soft money" on political campaigns. He a...
Campaign Primaries
Talking about the arduous road to the White House, former Secretary of State James A. Baker suggests a system of regional primaries, "...so that the states don't keep jockeying to be the first...extending the process, making it ever and ever longer."
Gerald Ford: The Underrated President
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker talks about former President Gerald R. Ford, whom he describes as being tremendously underrated. Secretary Baker explains that President Ford believed in doing what he thought was right, even if the political...