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"See those sardine cans?" says Baker suddenly. "The illegals have been by. They come through here and at other spots on their way in. If we don't get a handle on Third World debt, we'll be overrun by Mexicans coming here to work. It's got to be one of our main priorities . . . Bill Bradley and I disagree about how to deal with the debt problem. He wants to force the banks to restructure debt. I say that's probably unconstitutional, and even if it isn't, the only way we can do things like that is through voluntary negotiation. But Bradley and I are both convinced the way out involves growth. Nicky ((Brady, the Treasury Secretary)) will get a handle on it."
It goes on like this for two days -- informed, stream-of-consciousness musings on world affairs and turkey behavior. This is Baker's second hunting tour of the week. The first was in the company of his "pal," George Bush. "We only got 17 quail," says Baker. "Mostly on account of the dry weather. The quail haven't been reproducing in their normal numbers. And of course you have to factor in that the President-elect is, how shall I put it, an erratic shot." "It was good for them to do so poorly," says Baker's wife Susan later. "They're on top of the world now. It was good for their humility."
At one of the turkey blinds he has fashioned of logs and brush, Baker settles in to wait. He leans against a persimmon tree, and with as little motion as possible he reads and turns the pages of a State Department briefing . book stamped SECRET. Methodically, Baker underlines almost every sentence. "It's how I learn," he explains. "That and taking almost verbatim notes when someone is briefing me. 'Proper preparation prevents poor performance': one of my father's maxims. That's how you gain control. I'm on Africa now," he says. "We'll pick up and move when I get to the Near East."
At dinner that evening, at a ranch nearby, Baker faces a snap quiz. "What's the capital of Tanzania, Dad?" says one of his stepsons.
"Too easy," says Baker.
"Name the members of the European Community."
He ticks them off on his fingers.
"What's our position on European integration in '92?"
Baker hesitates. It is well known that the U.S. is not exactly thrilled by the prospect of "E.C. '92," but a guest is present. Slowly, with his official voice in gear, the Secretary-designate rehearses the lines he will shortly repeat to the Senate during his confirmation hearings. "We've got to make sure Europe is open to all," he says. "If that means aggressively enforcing our own trade laws, so be it. I hope it doesn't come to that. It's going to take some skilled diplomacy to get the edge on that one. Tell you the truth, I can't wait to get my hands on this stuff."
But not ahead of schedule. Despite a net worth estimated at $4 million, Baker is notoriously frugal. When he went to Washington to become Ronald Reagan's chief of staff, Baker and his wife lived briefly in two rooms without a phone at a Christian Fellowship house. His Foxhall Road residence wasn't ready, and the Bakers wanted to save "about $7,000 in hotel bills." Now, at the ranch, Baker says he is thinking of heading back to Washington a few hours early. "O.K.," says Susan, "but remember we got those supersaver fares, Jimmy. It'll cost extra." "Oh, right," says Baker. "Forget it. I'll go back as planned."