Election 2000: Franchise Player

Yes, he's back! Tough and crafty as ever, he keeps the Bush team focused

As working holidays go, Thanksgiving 2000 was not the worst that James Baker has spent on assignment for someone named Bush. That distinction belongs to Thanksgiving 1990, when George W.'s father dispatched his Secretary of State to Sanaa, the charmless capital city of Yemen, to ensure Yemeni acquiescence in the military action being planned against Iraq. For hours, Baker had to sit across from President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was then despised by most of America's Middle East allies, watch him eat a messy local delicacy with his hands, and try to keep his own meal down while the sheik repeatedly...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!