FDR Had his "Rudy Giuliani"

According to the Washington Post, William B. Taylor, Jr. "America's top diplomat to the

Ukraine," has testified President Trump's “ push to make President Zelensky publicly 

commit to investigations of Burisma and its alleged interference in the 2016 election 

showed how the official foreign policy of the United States was undercut by the 

irregular efforts led by Mr. Giuliani.”

The virulently anti-Trump Washington Post describes Taylor's claim as a "forceful 

blow;" something that would justify  Rep. Schiff's antics in the House intended to 

culminate in the impeachment of the President. 

The essence of Taylor's charge is that the President's appointment of Mr. Giuliani as his

"personal representative" to the Ukraine to investigate the Biden affair, "undercut" the

official foreign policy of the U.S. in Ukraine. Schiff claims that that is an abuse of power 

so egregious, that it would justify impeachment. 

It has apparently never occurred to Ambassador Taylor or Rep. Schiff that, under the 

Constitution, the President alone sets the "foreign policy" of the United States. Taylor, 

all ambassadors and other State Department employees are there to execute the 

President's foreign policy, and not their own or the State Department's. Bottom line:  if 

the "regular" foreign policy of the U.S. is "purple" on Monday, the President can 

change it to "green" on Tuesday - with or without the advise or consent of any 

ambassador or the State Department. And because the President alone is in charge of 

our "foreign policy," he can choose as his "agent" any private citizen to serve as his 

"personal envoy" without the approval of Congress. 

Presidents have appointed men they could trust as their diplomatic "personal 

representatives" since the days of George Washington.  Have you ever heard of

Harry Hopkins? "Colonel" House?

President Trump in using Rudy Giuliani is doing precisely what FDR did during the 

months before Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941).

President Roosevelt had made the unhappy choice of appointing Joseph Kennedy Sr.

as his Ambassador to England. Kennedy served from March 3, 1938 to October 22, 

1940. During Kennedy's time as ambassador, Germany forcibly annexed Austria 

(March 1938). Hitler invaded Poland (September 1, 1938). Hitler invaded Norway and 

Denmark (April 1940). Hitler began the "blitzkrieg" of the Netherlands, Belgium and 

France (May 10, 1940. 

Kennedy had supported Chamberlain's policy of "appeasement," and scorned 

Churchill's belief that Hitler couldn't be trusted to abide by his agreements. Kennedy 

strongly opposed providing military aid to England, remarking,  "Democracy is finished 

in England. It may be here." He wanted to "bring about a better understanding 

between the United States and Germany."

Kennedy's ideas were totally out of sync with FDR's. Kennedy "resigned" on Oct. 22, 

1940. Thereafter, FDR's main representative to England was not any ambassador

or other State Department functionary. FDR used a man as his "personal 

representative" who he was certain would faithfully implement his foreign policy. That 

was Harry Hopkins. 

Here is what Winston Churchill wrote of Hopkins:

"On January 10 (1941), a gentleman arrived to see me at Downing Street

with the highest credentials. Telegrams had been received from Washington

that he was the closest confidant and personal agent of the President....

Churchill relates that their first meeting came during the height of the German "blitz" 

bombing of England. He further describes Hopkins as

" ... an envoy from the President of supreme importance to our 

(national) life. ... He was the most faithful and perfect channel of 

communications between the President and me. But far more than

that, he was for several years the main prop and animator of

Roosevelt himself. Together, these two men, one subordinate 

without public office, and one commanding the mighty Republic,

were capable of taking decisions of the highest consequence 

over the whole area of the English-speaking world."

FDR knew that his "foreign policy" flew in the face of the legally expressed will of 

Congress as stated in Congress's Neutrality Acts. After Hitler's March 1939 

invasion of Czechoslovakia, FDR had asked Congress to renew and expand cash-and-

carry sales of arms. Congress refused. In November 1939, Congress passed its final 

Neutrality Act. This Act lifted the arms embargo and put all trade with belligerent 

nations under the terms of “cash-and-carry.” But the ban on "loans" remained in effect, 

and American ships were barred from transporting goods to belligerent ports.

In October 1941, FDR unveiled his Lend-Lease Program, in the face of law that banned 

loans to belligerents.  

FDR had had enough of Kennedy. He didn't fully trust the State Department to execute 

his foreign policy. So FDR sent his friend and confidant Hopkins to execute his foreign 

policy. Nobody argued that in using "irregular" channels that FDR had committed an 

"impeachable offense."

Oh, and have you ever heard of "Colonel" House? He was President Wilson's personal 

"rep." 

Published in the Moline Dispatch and Rock Island Argus on December 6, 2019

Copyright 2019, John Donald O'Shea