European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 21, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes columns William Safire Baker needs firm hand of Bush in foreign policy a  of  i  Washington  equivocation its and circumlocution Aries were filled with a warm if am bivalent glow this week As a world class double talker nominated for Secretary of state made monkeys out of the members of the Senate foreign relations commit tee. James Baker whose chess player s castling Man Euver in the second term of the last administration left a Rook protected but a King exposed checked his questioners by using language pregnant with hidden meaning. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum wanted to know if Baker had been involved in the Reagan administration decision to go along with the soviet desire for a human rights Confer ence in Moscow in 1991. Answer contrary to published press reports i was not involved in the  translation Safire called my approval of the Shultz Concession Baker s first Blunder but i was too smart to leave any tracks. Nobody will Ever know How i passed the word to state of my Lack of objection to the accommodation. Second part of the answer i be had some reservations in watching the Issue develop even during the Campaign about the Wisdom of holding a human right conference in  translation i told Shultz when i was running the Bush Campaign that i did not want any hard line heat on this and to put it off until after the election. Third part it s a solemn obligation of the United states but we re going to keep it provided that the conditions that have been Laid Down Are  Walter Mears translation Campaign s Over time to move to the Middle. If the russians refuse to tear Down the Berlin Wall and our allies insist we go to Moscow for the big show anyway i can always blame Reagan and Shultz forgetting us into this. Even As the old Smoothie of foggy Bottom As Baker is already becoming known is sending these a commode zionist signals other High level Bush administration aides Are saying privately what was the need for this Rush of agreements in the final week was it so important for the Shultz historical record to show these Coonskin on the Wall at the Cost of removing leverage from the hands of the men taking Over who will be stuck with the consequences Here is what troubles hard liners fairly close to the next president on several key issues the . Has been drawn into a Long Range negotiating framework that benefits the soviets and leaves us at a disadvantage. Our diplomacy is suddenly hip deep in the molasses of multilateralism. To get us there the Kremlin leaders put it plainly unless we granted our human rights Seal of approval implicit in a Moscow Date they would permit no begin Ning of conventional arms reduction talks. With Reagan occupied with farewells Shultz trumped a bit asked for some Fig leaves in the form of refuseniks freed an caved. What made this Victory so important to Gorbachev on three fronts human rights economic Aid and conventional arms he now has the . Locked into "c.s.c.e.," the Helsinki  this increasingly entangling pact not Only legitimizes the soviet world War ii territorial conquests of the Baltic states and Poland it creates a . Without a . Veto. Thanks to last week s three deals in All but Strate Gic negotiations we Are now playing on the Field of soviet choosing. In this 35-nation forum the nato nations Are largely offset by the Warsaw pact nations with the bal Ance held by neutrals. The trend within the 35 is now running toward irritation with the . By its under Bur denied allies and embrace of the soviet Union by the Neutra lists and those who want to sell High technology. The pressure of consensus will be on the . To accede to soviet demands. Most americans Are unaware of the sea change in the ground rules Senate foreign relations has t the foggiest notion that the . Economic conference we just agreed to with its inexorable follow on will informally begin to dismantle technology Export controls. Our next Secretary of state forewarned during the Campaign blundered in failing to Stop this laying of negotiating track toward the new multilateralism. This last minute legacy augurs Dukakis diplomacy in the age of Bush. Internal disagreement exists and will grow. Viewing the disparate elements supporting his re publican opposition Franklin Roosevelt said in 1940 we All know the Story of the unfortunate Chameleon which turned Brown when placed on a Brown Rug and turned red when placed on a red Rug but who died a tragic death when they put him on a scotch  James Baker is a practice Chameleon. For his Sake and ours we await the Clear color of president Bush foreign policy. C new York times a Low profile for the vice president s . I few w we. T sirm. % t � Washington imitation May be the sincerest form of vice presidency and Dan Quayle is modelling his performance on the Way George Bush handled Ejob. That bodes Well for his Job appraisals by the Boss. I he knows what it lakes to be an of i festive vice president the incoming no. I 2 Man said of Bush. He was  the new vice president said much of f his work will be Low visibility one on i one advice and assistance to the presi Dent. Quayle said he won t be speaking i up in forums like Cabinet meetings but rather will offer his ideas in More Pri vate settings. He is to meet daily with the president during the new administration. There Are to be private luncheons each thursday like those Reagan held with Bush. Bush said he will treat Quayle As he was treated during eight years As vice president. His vice presidency will be like mine Bush said. Quayle said in an interview with the associated press that Bush already has consulted with him on Cabinet appoint ments and has sought his advice on a variety of issues. He won t describe the subjects let alone the advice. That s one of the reasons i la be an effective vice president he said. I m just not going to take these things pub  Bush stuck with that Rule even when mocked for it during the Campaign. Vice presidents do not get starring roles. They Are understudied. That assignment poses a special problem for Quayle. After a Campaign of controversy and sometimes ridicule he has an image to repair. He s said he intends to make life More difficult for the late night Tele vision comics who have been thriving on Quayle jokes. The vice presidency itself often has been a joking matter. In the musical comedy of thee i sing Alex Ander throttle Bottom got the Job by los ing a drawing. He had to join a tour group to get into the White House. Vice president Alben Barkley told of Wright two boys who vanished one went to sea and the other became vice president. Barkley was vice president from 1948 to 1952 under Truman. So Quayle has a tall order to fill. A second term Indiana senator who vaulted to the Republican ticket at age 41, with no National credentials he has to demonstrate his ability and his leadership qualifications All in a supporting role with a relatively Low profile. The High visibility the High profile is by the president not the vice president Quayle said. But the american people will judge me on How i  he said there will be Public assignments tasks that will put his abilities out front so that the people can determine what kind of Job he s doing. The most telling judgment will come from one Man the 41st president of the United states. I will be a Broad ranging adviser to the president Quayle said working on the Model that was established by George  he said much of what Bush did for Reagan was known Only to them. He said he intends to work the same Way and to judge his performance by its usefulness to the president. If he continues to have Confidence in you to rely on you for things of importance then you Are an effective vice president Quayle said. He said his specific assignments will evolve As events dictate and will include foreign and Domestic travel political missions work with Congress and More. Bush said in an earlier a interview that a Lack of specific and immediate vice presidential assignments won t be a problem. Ronald Reagan did t give me anything to do he said. It  Bush said the same pattern will apply in his relationship with his own vice president. And then i la say to him some Day Dan i be got a real problem Here and i want you to handle it. And you re the Guy to do it because you be got a standing beyond any of these Cabine members " Bush said he reminded Quayle a while Back that he d had his own image problems not Long before. I said Dan take an Eraser and erase Quayle from these stories take an Eraser to the Date and set the Date Back a year and then where you re taken out Quayle put in Bush and you la be pretty close. So things turn  Walter r. Mears has reported on Washington and a Nonal politics for More than 25 years. He is a vice presi Dent of the associated press