speeches
At His President's Service. Interview with Ambassador Timken by the Tagesspiegel
December 21, 2005
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| Ambassador Timken and Mrs. Timken in their residence. Photo: Mike Wolf |
William R. Timken, Jr.’s Tough Job as U.S. Ambassador.
A visit with a man who has already achieved everything in life.
By Elisabeth Binder
The Ambassador awaits his pre-Christmas visitors with an inviting smile at the front door. Just as the American flag decorates the homes of many Americans, especially in rural America, the flag hangs in the entrance hall of his residence.
An Ambassador’s job in times of globalization and the war on terror is not an easy one. When U.S. President George W. Bush sent William Robert Timken, Jr., to Germany in August, there was hardly a newspaper article that failed to point out that the successful entrepreneur had donated several hundred thousand dollars to the president's election campaign. There was open speculation that the Ambassadorial post was a reward for the "super ranger" - the term used to describe political supporters who donated more than 200,000 dollars to the Republican campaign.
More on that topic later, but as Ambassador Timken leads us through the decorated reception rooms of the residence, we notice the childlike pleasure that even a very rich man can feel at Christmas. A winter landscape made of gingerbread houses with chocolate roofs, snowy hills made from icing, popcorn trees and small marzipan figures decorates the dining room. Timken explains that his daughter Frances, who is an interior designer, designed the Christmas village as a virtual model and then built it together with his wife Sue and their cooks. Timken is also proud of the three Christmas trees in the residence. A round arch, which his daughter adorned with spruce and ornaments, frames the tallest tree, which he decorated himself in brilliant colors.
In the library, he casually points to a picture, "That is my grandson Brandon." The photograph shows a 12-year-old boy shaking hands with George W. Bush. Another picture shows the President eating lobster with Mrs. Timken. The president is in many pictures on the library shelves. The President’s smile is relaxed and his face is lit up. He looks much friendlier than in his official portraits. No wonder - the Timkens are good friends of the Bush family. The successful businessman has supported the Republican Party for 40 years. He raised money for President Bush’s father before Bush Senior passed his political legacy, so to speak, on to his son.
Is a demanding full-time job as a diplomat really a reward for someone for whom earning money is not the least bit necessary? It is obvious that Timken finds this new challenge much more satisfying than holiday trips. Since his arrival in mid-August he has been very active -- giving speeches, visiting schools, and attending receptions. On Thanksgiving, the Timkens even served a turkey dinner to the homeless at a soup kitchen. "That was Sue's idea," he says, pointing to his wife – and it was obviously a good idea. Both spoke warmly about the experience, recalling both the "flawless manners" of the people at the center and the "perfect English" of many of them.
"We love people," they both repeatedly state. This is a second marriage for both the Ambassador and his wife. During our interview, they sit close to each other on the couch in front of a crackling fire and hold hands during most of the conversation. "We are real partners. We do almost everything together," the Ambassador says. They want to get to know as many people as possible -- "from all walks of life" -- during their time in Berlin. Surprisingly, Ambassador Timken makes a more sociable impression than some of his predecessors. Both the Ambassador and his wife want to transplant some Timken Company traditions from Canton, Ohio to Berlin. The Timken Company has its headquarters in Canton but it is a global business with sales totaling 4.5 billion dollars alone last year and 26,000 employees located in 27 countries. All Timken Company employees are, however, members of the same team. The Ambassador explains that there is one unshakeable basic principle at the Timken Company: "All people are equal. In the company, I am not more important than a machine operator or a woman from the public relations department," says Timken. These are the ideals of the conservative heartland of the United States. The Timken Company, founded 106 years ago, initially specialized in ball bearings. Timken expanded the family business and prepared it for globalization.
The sudden switch in jobs -- from businessman to Ambassador at the age of 66 -- is not a problem for Timken. "Over the years I did not have enough opportunities to truly serve my country," he explains. "We want to give something back for the wonderful life that we were able to live in America." He is grateful for being given the chance to do so. His explanation sounds genuine, even if slightly strange for European ears. Obviously, Timken does not need to worry about his next job; and he thinks this is a great advantage. "I have more freedom," he explains. Career diplomats can face different challenges. "Perhaps they are sometimes too careful," he observes. He wants to represent what he thinks is the true America; and he plans to stick to his habit of expressing himself clearly and bluntly. "Diplomacy is after all mostly about communication." This is something that is not new for him. Running a global company has, after all, also a lot to with diplomacy. "I have probably visited more mayors, presidents and kings than most career diplomats," he estimates. Timken’s goal is clear -- he wants to serve his president well.
And as he points out himself, the fact that many Europeans are critical of the United States means that communicating with people is even more important. For Timken, George W. Bush is an honest, open and friendly person who respects people. In Timken’s words - "a fine man."
It is Timken's firm belief that a good government is the basis for successful democracy. Citizens have a responsibility to support the candidates they think are capable. "Politics are much too important to leave them to politicians alone,” he says.
He wants to make a difference by getting Germany and the United States to work more closely together -- not only to solve today's problems, but to address problems that may emerge ten years from now, so that our grandchildren can benefit. In 1838, his great-grandfather left Bremerhaven for the New World.
Timken's positive view of things seems unshakeable. As a businessman, he is convinced that "Germany is in far better shape than the Germans themselves admit." He says the country has initiated the required changes, and is certain that, "In ten years, Germany will be stronger and better." These changes may require sacrifice, but are necessary to ensure the best possible future. As he says, "I am an optimist."
At Christmas, the Timkens plan to visit their six children and seven grandchildren in the United States. There will be turkey with cranberry sauce for Christmas dinner - and peas, one of the Ambassador’s favorite foods.
Is it true that he helps his wife
when she buys clothes? "He chooses 99 percent of my things," Sue Timken
says smiling. The Ambassador shrugs and adds, "It is fun to dress a
beautiful woman," and shrugs. In Germany, it is complicated to go into
boutiques with security staff, so for the time being they prefer to go
shopping on stopovers in New York.
The event that has impressed Ambassador Timken most since arriving in Germany was the consecration of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. He visited Dresden in 1965 on a business trip and remembers how desperate everything looked then. The festivities in November literally sent shivers down his spine. "Something like that makes me believe that people can overcome terrible things and are capable of great achievements."
Timken turns 67 today, but openness and curiosity are still, in his estimation, the most desirable virtues. What does he wish for? “To learn as much as possible" during his time as Ambassador.
The interview was published in German in the Tagesspiegel on December 21, 2005.
