William Weld's campaign to become the next U.S. ambassador to Mexico is set to enter a new phase. Sources told the Boston Herald last week that the former governor plans to scrap his "quiet diplomacy" and start "making noise again."
Those sources sound an awful lot like the governor himself: Only someone with Weld's trademark sense of humor could describe his efforts to date as " quiet diplomacy." Weld, of course, was the one who in mid-July broke with diplomatic protocol and staged a press conference where he blasted Jesse Helms, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accusing him of playing politics with the nomination and charging him with "ideological extortion."
And it's doubtful more noise will help him now. Paul Coverdell, chairman of the Foreign Relations subcommittee with oversight of Mexico, came out against the nomination last week, citing the political nature of the appointment and Weld's inexperience in diplomatic matters. Other Senate Republicans are expected to follow Coverdell, and neither Helms nor Trent Lott, the Senate GOP leader, has given any indication of wavering. Nor has there been any signal from Senate Democrats that they want to wage war over Weld.
Weld's desperation is such that he's floated the idea of a "recess" appointment, which would allow him to serve as ambassador without being confirmed, though his tenure would expire at the end of 1998. Only one problem with that idea: The White House has already promised Lott not to pursue this option. Having just completed two weeks of intensive Spanish lessons, Weld can probably grasp what all of this adds up to: Hasta la vista, baby.