(outgoing IA Rep) Leach would serve well as U.N. ambassador

[leQ]

After losing his bid for re-election to the U.S. House, Leach is packing up his Washington office, but he is too valuable to retire from public service.

Leach is thoughtful and has the demeanor of a diplomat. He has been known as the "conscience of Congress," having high personal standards and never having accepted PAC money. Anyone who has spent time with him knows Leach spends much time contemplating happenings around the world.

He also has considerable experience in foreign relations. In Congress, Leach has been the senior Republican member of the Committee on International Relations. He is outgoing chair of the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He's a former foreign-service officer. Prior to being elected to Congress, he served in the U.S. delegation to the United Nations.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061205/OPINION03/612050361/1035/OPINION

good thing? or bad thing?

[Cocoa]

1. an interesting story about Leach

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061101/NEWS09/611010349/1001/NEWS

<snip>

There is also a strong if quiet undercurrent of tension between Leach and Loebsack, sparked in particular when mailings from the state Republican Party distributed without Leach's consent arrived in mailboxes across the district.

<snip>

He asked the state GOP to halt the mailings. "These things from the state party were beyond belief," he said.

Leach added that he went all the way to Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Committee, to complain about the ads, which he said he believes are developed by national Republicans for use by state parties.

Leach said he informed Mehlman he would no longer caucus with the Republican Party in the House if the ads continued, effectively threatening to leave the GOP without what could be a crucial vote for control if the split in the House is close after the election.

more...

[Botany]

2. Very good thing ...

.... Leach refused to run negative ads about his opponent.

He is too good for bush to take.

[Hoosier Dem]

3. Leach was like Chafee...

basically decent men caught in the wrong party. They tried to be voices of moderation and got sucked out with the blue tide.

He's too decent to be appointed to anything by BushCo.