Howard Baker: The Right Man at the Right Time

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Reagan and Baker are not ideological twins. Indeed, Baker is a political moderate who is likely to come under attack from conservative hard-liners, particularly for his call for a solid arms-control agreement with the Soviets. In fact, Baker was Nixon's personal favorite among Republican contenders for the '88 race; the former President felt Baker would restore "hardheaded detente" to U.S.-Soviet relations. As Senate minority leader in 1978, Baker earned the enmity of the right, including Ronald Reagan, for supporting the treaties ceding U.S. control over the Panama Canal. As majority leader during Reagan's first term, Baker labeled the President's supply-side economic proposals "a riverboat gamble" and was lukewarm toward proposals to ban abortion and require prayer in schools. Nevertheless, he loyally proclaimed himself the President's "spear carrier" in the Senate and helped push through his sweeping tax cuts. "My approach with the President is very straightforward and direct," he said. "We communicate easily."

As fate would have it, Baker, 61, agreed to go to the White House just as he was preparing to announce his candidacy for next year's presidential race. Baker, who launched a halfhearted presidential campaign in 1980, did not seek re-election to the Senate in 1984 so he could mount a more serious run for the presidency. Before he received the phone call from Reagan, Baker said, "I had pretty much made up my mind to run."

Why did he take the job? For Baker it was a call to duty. The President had offered him "the most sensitive position in his personal entourage." Given the chance to help put Reagan's troubled affairs in order, Baker said, "I didn't see how I could turn that down." Although accepting the appointment means he must give up the race for President, it puts Howard Baker in the White Houseafter all.