A taste of Washington was brought to the Aldwych this afternoon, when Tom Ridge swept into town. A leisurely stroll along the back of the Royal Courts of Justice nearly accounted for your correspondent, as the US secretary of the department for homeland security sped round the corner in one of three people carriers, packed with secret service agents, necessitating some nifty footwork to get out of the way in time.
Mr Ridge was on his way to the London School of Economics to deliver a speech entitled Secure borders, open doors: international co-operation in the 21st century.
Once through the LSE's open doors, and into its lecture theatre (with half of those secret service agents now peering out from behind a curtain on the stage), Mr Ridge painted a harmonious picture of relations between the US and the rest of the world: "Back in November of 2002, we began our first formal outreach to the European community during a trip to Brussels and London," he said, before lapsing into a curious mix of tenses:
"At the time, what began as fruitful bilateral and multilateral discussions have now resulted in
hard outcomes and tremendous security advances. And over the past two years, a remarkable
record of accomplishment has been achieved."
Quoting Churchill, Mr Ridge explained what it was that bound the US and UK so closely together.
"Common conceptions of what is right and decent, a marked regard for fair play, especially to the
weak and poor, a stern sentiment of impartial justice, and above all, the love of personal freedom" -
are no doubt sentiments the British prisoners at Guantanamo Bay will whole-heartedly endorse upon their return to this country.
What appeared to be a mainly American audience lapped up the closing Bushisms of Mr Ridge's speech:
"Freedom is a conquering ideal. It is the idea that shapes our history, the cause that strengthens our resolve, the place from where we start. So as we press onward, our course stretches out ever clear before us, our touch point ever fixed towards the hope of a future of prosperity, security and peace that is closer than we think. Until that day dawns, we will not rest, we will not waiver, we will not relent in the fight against international terrorism, and by working together across all nations that share a love for
liberty … we will triumph."
Liberty need not be compromised in ensuring security was Mr Ridge's message and his audience let him get away with it, on the day his boss was criticised by the New York based Human Rights Watch over his civil liberties record.
A question as to whether he thought the boss had made any mistakes in his first term produced the anodyne response that he and Mr Bush had been friends for 20 years. And with that he was off, back into the people carrier, before heading back home to do his last job for his mate before stepping down on February 1. Mr Ridge is the man charged with making sure no harm comes to the president during his inauguration next Thursday.
And who knows? Come January 2009, it could be Mr Ridge's inauguration. One LSE student, from Midland, Texas (who gave the secretary a one-man standing ovation before he'd even said a word), implored his idol to stand in 2008. The 59-year old didn't rule it out. And he's never lost an election in his political life.
Adam Jay
