who will be next World Bank President What will they do
 
 

     
 

Benn: It Simply Can't Continue. (Update 1). Hilary Benn, UK International Development Secretary, raised the pressure on Paul Wolfowitz on Saturday when he said 'the whole business... should not have happened.'

This morning in New York, responding to questions from a group of Perm Reps to the UN, he went a little further.

Benn repeated his call for the Board to be allowed time to work out what to do, but then came close to demanding a resignation.

"Let's be blunt," he said, "what's happened has been enormously damaging for the Bank, an institution that many people care about. It simply can't continue."

In fact it seems that Benn is even worried that his personal reputation might suffer if he's even pictured sitting next to Wolfowitz (see update below).

UPDATED 16 April 2007. 11.43 EST.
Now we've been told that a funny game of musical chairs took place on Saturday when Benn refused to be photographed alongside Wolfowitz. From a commentator in Washington who wants to remain anonymous:

"As a follow-up to your note about Hilary Benn, apparently at an event on water on Saturday, Benn refused to sit beside Wolfowitz, and the organizers tell me that they had to regroup the chairs so that there was absolutely no chance of their being photographed together.

But betting here is that PW will dig in and the Board does not have the balls to remove him. We'll see if that's true tomorrow, when Attorney General Gonzales faces the music on the Hill. The parallels between Wolfowitz and Gonzales are just too easy to not connect the dots: interference in HR matters, not being candid and truthful, documents come out, oops. Lotta 'splanin' to do..."

David Steven ~ April 16, 2007


 
 
Presidents 1946 - Present Day
 
spacer    

"Keep track of the rumored candidates, power plays and buzz."
The Washington Post

Next & Previous

« Can Wolfowitz win the peace? | HOME | Media verdict clear: but what will the court say? »

Categories

Bolton

Chirac

Comment

Frist

Malloch Brown

Mr W's cronies

Mr W's past

Mr W's pledges

Rumsfeld

Santorum

Setrakian

The Process

Tony Blair

World Bank president

"Offering the rumors and gossip usually reserved for Washington's bars and back rooms."
Reuters

WBpresident.org in the news

Wolfowitz-Riza-Cleveland: New Evil-doing?
Wolfowitz's right hand man jumps ship.
Caught in the World Bank storm.
We're in the papers! worldbankpresident.org media mentions.
Hot blogging on the World Bank president.
Media contacts.
Card wants Snow.
New candidate, French views.
An £8200 job ad.
Bank chief's parting shots.

"Accomplished and intelligent… sifts through the speculation and brings you the latest news."
The Guardian

Recent Rumours

Zoellick bearhug photo.
Like old times: Zoellick and Lamy
Another middle aged white American for the World Bank !
Globe and Mail: Euros Already Agreed not to Raise Questions
Official: Zoellick according to AP.
It's (un)Official: Zoellick
Zoellick will get the nod from Germany.
An opportunity at the World Bank
UPI: Wolfowitz Replacement This Week
UK involvement in the Foundation for the Future.

Links

The World Bank
Bretton Woods Project
Eurodad
IFIwatchnet

Search this site


Archive

May 2007
April 2007
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005



ifiwatchnet     riverpath
 
spacer