February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The incoming European Commission president, former Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Barroso, has offered his support for the appointment. Bruton, who was taoiseach during the Irish presidency of the European Union in 1996, already has the support of current EC president, Romano Prodi, as well as British commissioners Chris Patten and Neil Kinnock.
EU officials have consistently said they aim to improve ties with Washington. Selecting the former head of government of an EU state reflects efforts to raise the EU’s diplomatic profile in Washington. The current ambassador, Gunter Burghardt, is a career EU official who spent 30 years working for the European Commission in Brussels before his appointment in January 2000.
The move might also be seen as a recognition of the strong ties between the U.S. and Ireland.
The EU has been grappling with the insularity of the Bush administration over the war in Iraq. In May 2003, Bruton was invited to help draft a paper on repairing the EU/U.S. relationship at the foreign minister level. He was president of the European Council from June through December 1996, and he most recently helped draft a new constitution for the EU.
Independent Senator Mary Henry, in a radio interview, said of Bruton’s likely appointment: “I think he would find it very hard to refrain from saying when he thought things are wrong. He’s quite outspoken at times. This was put as criticism of him sometimes, that he spoke very rapidly about what he thought was wrong or right about a case. He certainly won’t shy away from saying things if he thinks [something], let’s say, regarding the treatment of prisoners and so forth.”
A spokeswoman for his D