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  Msg # 280 of 620 on ZZUK4446, Thursday 10-29-25, 2:26  
  From: NY.TRANSFER_NEWS@BLYTHE.O  
  To: ALL  
  Subj: The Blairs: Tony & Cherie's American Dre  
 [continued from previous message] 
  
 This year's camp began last weekend, and while Downing Street denies that Mr 
 Blair will attend, just being in town at the same time as "the Grove" 
 ensures that Mr Blair has timed his visit to perfection. Many of the guests 
 at Mr Shultz's party last night will either be members or have attended as 
 guests. Perhaps someone will give Mr Blair an invitation to a future camp 
 when he has more time for such events. 
  
 For now Mr Blair remains a leader trying to promote national interests. Few 
 would deny the sincerity of his interest in subjects such as gene research 
 or computing advances. But as the PM nears the exit it becomes harder to 
 counter suspicions that personal calculation is playing a part. 
  
 Take, for example, Mr Blair's host. Mr Shultz, in addition to being Ronald 
 Reagan's secretary of state, is now a member of the board of Bechtel, the 
 giant US engineering firm. The company is bidding for lucrative contracts to 
 build facilities for the 2012 Olympics in London and is expected to be a key 
 player in the nuclear decommissioning programme that will cost British 
 tax-payers billions. 
  
 Mr Blair will also meet John Chambers, the chief executive of Cisco Systems, 
 a company that stands to make a fortune from his ID card scheme, and Mervyn 
 Jacobsen, the founder of an Australian biotechnology company that wants to 
 expand into Europe. 
  
 No one is suggesting there is anything improper in these meetings: only that 
 they may prove useful contacts for Mr Blair. 
  
 John Major reportedly told friends when he left politics in 2001 that he 
 intended to keep his head down, work hard for five years and then retire. 
 With a clutch of lucrative directorships and a few well-chosen lecture 
 tours, he is estimated to have boosted his earnings to around #1m a year. 
 That figure seems likely to be dwarfed by Mr Blair. As the response to his 
 forthcoming address to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council makes clear, 
 the signs could hardly be more encouraging. A spokesman simply said: "It was 
 an immediate sell-out." 
  
 [Additional reporting by Adeline Tan and Kitty Donaldson] 
  
  
 Situations vacant: Dream jobs for him 
  
 Blair Foundation 
  
 A base for a globe-trotting role as world statesman, semi-official mediator 
 (a sort of right-wing Jimmy Carter) and high-value lecturer. A foundation 
 could attract a lot of US money for Blair's priorities: promoting democracy; 
 slowing climate change; developing Africa. 
  
 UN Viceroy 
  
 In Palestine, Darfur or a humanitarian disaster yet to occur, he could be a 
 UN viceroy, emulating Paddy Ashdown's role in Bosnia, and drawing on the 
 negotiating skills that produced the Good Friday Agreement and that kept 
 Nato together over Kosovo. 
  
 Best-Selling Author 
  
 A fluid stylist and persuasive writer, his memoirs would be a publisher's 
 top trophy, but he may pull his punches on his rows with Gordon Brown, who 
 might be prime minister by then. 
  
 Vicar 
  
 Or he could take to preaching in a more spiritual fashion, developing his 
 interest in theology and inter-faith dialogue. Would give him more time at 
 home with his six-year-old son. The only question is, which church would 
 have him? 
  
 Dream jobs for her 
  
 European Court Judge 
  
 "I would love to be a judge," she once said, and she's on the first rung, as 
 a Recorder. Her husband's job is assumed to have held her back; it might 
 still be a problem after he steps down. Her expertise in human rights law 
 makes her a natural for the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. 
  
 Unesco Ambassador 
  
 Her work for children's charities and promotion of women's rights around the 
 world make for a strong CV for a job near the top of the global quangocracy, 
 at the UN's educational, scientific and cultural body. 
  
 After-Dinner Speaker 
  
 Already commands controversially large sums of money for little in the way 
 of revelations about life at No 10. Could develop this sideline - and even 
 really spill the beans once she moves out. 
  
 Chat Show Host 
  
 Or she could change places on the daytime TV sofas, where she gave a 
 skilfully bland performance on Richard and Judy, and turn gamekeeper for the 
 media she hates. 
  
 Golden Handshakes 
  
 Yo, I'm Tony. And what can you do for me? Power players the PM will meet 
 could help to smooth life after Downing St 
  
 THE POWERFUL ONES 
  
 Rupert Murdoch 75 
  
 Australian-born US citizen and the world's most powerful media mogul, 
 Murdoch admired Blair's support for Bush over the Iraq war, which was backed 
 by his titles worldwide. He may publish Blair's memoirs, and offer a seat on 
 his board. 
  
 Arnold Schwarzenegger 49 
  
 The former actor and bodybuilder is Governor of California. The "Governator" 
 shares Blair's concern about global warming, and through him America's 
 richest state could lead the way. 
  
 George P Shultz 86 
  
 The economics expert was Ronald Reagan's Secretary of State. He once said: 
 "Oh, you know. I am Secretary of State. My trips aren't successful. I just 
 talk to people." Just talking to people is Blair's thing, and Shultz can get 
 him in to see almost anyone. 
  
 John McCain 69 
  
 Senator for Arizona and favourite to be Republican presidential candidate in 
 2008. Supported Blair's pressure on Clinton to threaten military force in 
 Kosovo. If he or Hillary Clinton gets to the White House, Blair will have 
 unprecedented access to the next president. 
  
 THE INFLUENTIAL ONES 
  
 Henry Kissinger 83 
  
 German-born former US secretary of state, a prolific author and one of the 
 biggest draws on the lecture circuit, who could pave the way for Blair, not 
 least by opening up an address book to die for. 
  
 Mervyn Jacobson 64 
  
 The Australian founder and CEO of Genetic Technologies Ltd. Biotechnology is 
 a complex subject in which Blair has long taken an interest, often with 
 negative political consequences, as over GM food, but to which he may want 
 to return. 
  
 Philip Bronstein 51 
  
 Media magnate and editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, California's 
 largest daily newspaper. Former Pulitzer Prize finalist and former husband 
 of Sharon Stone. Movers and shakers listen to him. 
  
 Lawrence Summers 51 
  
 The free-market economist recently resigned as president of Harvard 
 University after his remarks about women's abilities. Friend of Gordon Brown 
 and former World Bank chief economist, an obvious adviser on global poverty 
 to the Blair Foundation. 
  
 THE RICH ONES 
  
 Bill Gates 50 
  
 Former chairman and co-founder of Microsoft Corporation and pioneer in 
 global philanthropy, Gates, personally worth #27bn, now dedicates much of 
 his time to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation set up to alleviate 
 poverty and ignorance in the US and globally. 
  
 Charles "Chuck" Schwab 70 
  
 Founder of Charles Schwab and Co, a stockbroking and financial services firm 
 that has now recovered from the bursting of the dotcom bubble six years ago. 
 He has an estimated personal wealth of #1.7bn. 
  
 John T Chambers 57 
  
 The CEO of Cisco Systems is politically savvy and has donated to both 
 Republicans and Democrats. Has a salary of #1m plus #100m in share options. 
 Repeatedly voted most influential US CEO, he can make introductions in any 
 US boardroom. 
  
 Bono 46 
  
 Irish frontman of rock-group U2 and campaigner for the cancellation of 
 African debt. Personally worth more than #164m, he is a friend of the Labour 
 Party. He has both musical and political credibility on an international 
 stage. 
  
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