James Baker
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- Also, see Jim Baker.
Early life and career
Born in Houston, Texas to James Addison Baker and Ethel Bonner Means, Baker was educated at The Hill School and Princeton University, where he was elected to receive membership of The Ivy Club, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1952. He then served in the United States Marine Corps for two years as a lieutenant, after which he attended The University of Texas School of Law, where he received his J.D. in 1957. Baker took a job with the law firm Andrews & Kurth, L.L.P., where he remained until 1975.Early political career
Originally a Democrat, Baker switched to the Republican party and managed George H. W. Bush's unsuccessful Senate campaign in 1970.He served as Undersecretary of Commerce under President Gerald Ford in 1975 and ran Ford's unsuccessful election campaign in 1976. Baker ran an unsuccessful race in 1978 to become State Attorney General of Texas.
Reagan administration
After serving as George H.W. Bush's campaign manager in the 1980 Republican primaries, Baker was named White House Chief of Staff by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. He served in that capacity until 1985. Due to Reagan's passive management style, Baker is seen as wielding a high degree of influence over the successes and failures of the first Reagan administration, particularly in domestic policy.After managing Reagan's wildly successful reelection campaign in 1984, Baker was appointed Secretary of the Treasury in January of 1985 — he "switched roles" with the former Secretary of the Treasury, Donald Regan, who replaced Baker as Chief of Staff. While serving as Treasury Secretary, he organized the Plaza Accord of September 1985.
During the Reagan administration Baker also served on the Economic Policy Council, where he was instrumental in achieving the passage of the administration's tax and budget reform legislation package in 1981.
Baker served on Reagan's National Security Council, and remained Treasury Secretary through 1988, during which year he also served as campaign chairman for Bush's successful presidential bid.
Bush administration
George H.W. Bush appointed Baker Secretary of State in 1989, in which position he continued to serve through 1992, being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991. From 1992 to 1993, he served as Bush's White House Chief of Staff (the same position that he had held during the first Reagan administration). He is credited as a leading architect of the peaceful transition from communism to democracy in Europe beginning in 1989. Together with President Bush, Chancellor Helmut Kohl and German Foreign Minister Genscher he is one of the inspirators of German reunification.Post-cabinet career
In 1993, Baker became the founding chair of the James A. Baker III Institute of Public Policy at Rice University in Houston, Texas.He helped to construct the 34-nation alliance that fought alongside the United States in the Gulf War.
In 1995, Baker published his memoirs of service as Secretary of State in a book entitled The Politics of Diplomacy: Revolution, War and Peace, 1989-1992 (ISBN 0399140875).
In March 1997 Baker became the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara [link]. In June 2004 he resigned from this position, frustrated over the lack of progress in reaching a complete settlement acceptable to both the government of Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front. He left behind the Baker II plan, accepted as a suitable basis of negotiations by the Polisario and unanimously endorsed by the Security Council, but rejected by Morocco.
Baker served as chief legal advisor for George W. Bush during the 2000 election campaign and oversaw the Florida recount. He is currently (as of 2004) a senior partner at the law firm of Baker Botts and senior counsel to the Carlyle Group.
In late 2003 he was drafted by the President to assist in the operations of the US-led occupation of Iraq. He is also a special envoy to the president to persuade other countries to relieve Iraqi debts.
On January 5 2006, he participated in a meeting at the White House of former Secretaries of Defense and State to discuss United States foreign policy with Bush administration officials.
On March 15 2006, Congress announced the formation of the Iraq Study Group, of which he is the Republican co-chair along with Lee Hamilton.
He and his wife, the former Susan Garrett, have eight children.
Azerbaijan has formal involvement with James Baker as he serves on the [Honorary Council of Advisors] for the [U.S. Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce].
External links
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