It was once my unforgettable pleasure to have dinner with the then American ambassador to Hungary, a diplomat and businessman called Donald Blinken, a George HW Bush appointee. The postprandial entertainment included a performance by a troupe of folk dancers in traditional garb. “Yeah, that’s the Hungarian Macarena,” he said, setting the table on a roar. He was more witty, charming and insightful than one had any right to expect from somebody at his level. He was also a wildly engaging conversationalist, one whom you regretted seeing the back of when the evening came to an end. His son, Antony, the current US Secretary of State, shares those traits. Secretary Blinkin recently did a turn on the NPR Saturday comedy show, Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me! and brought the house down - rapier like wit runs in the family. In my experience, this is not always the case with Foreign Service Officers. Here’s what I mean.
© 2024 John Oliver
Substack is the home for great culture