Stefanik brings North Country foreign policy experience to U.N.

Chapman Museum showing off new holiday look this season

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The email was from a journalist at one of the oldest and most influential French-language newspapers in Canada. He wanted information on one of Donald Trump's first cabinet picks, Elise Stefanik.

Where do I start, I wondered.

He wanted to know if I could explain her ideological switch from moderate to MAGA and if it had anything to do with her constituents.

He also wanted to know what kind of diplomacy she brings to the United Nations.

It was a reminder that Elise Stefanik is still somewhat unknown in international circles.

I directed the reporter, Fabian Deglise, to The Last American Newspaper and the chapter, "We've got one coming for you Post-Star," for a recap of Stefanik, the early years, before also giving him the short answer.

"Her switch was totally self-interest," I wrote. "She was ambitious."

I pointed out that Stefanik's campaign had registered domain names like "stefanikforpresident.com" with a nod to the future.

Being ambassador to the United Nations is one of those coveted stepping-stone political jobs in Washington.

George H.W. Bush was appointed U.N. ambassador by President Richard Nixon in 1971. Seventeen years later Bush was elected president.

So I'm thinking Elise is eyeing 2040 for her own presidential run.

I also told Deglise that despite numerous editorial board meetings with her, I never discovered her motivation for public office.

Why was she doing this?

What was she hoping to accomplish?

Ten years later, the answer comes into sharper focus - unadulterated power.

I told Deglise I had no insights into her foreign policy philosophy because the most important foreign policy in the North Country was the wait at the Champlain checkpoint.

Stefanik, of course, immediately accepted the offer from Trump to hobnob in Manhattan with the French ambassador rather than in Chazy with the town supervisor.

Voters should not be offended by her early departure. The reality is that Stefanik left the district years ago, so tired of the long drives and small towns that she did not even bother to campaign this past election.

Apparently, actually seeing the candidate is no longer important for North Country voters.

Stefanik said on social media she was ready to pursue “peace through strength leadership on the world stage.”

That sounded like she might commute to the U.N. in an Abrams tank.

Politico pointed out that Stefanik has previously voiced support for cutting U.N. funding.

Paula Collins, her Democratic opponent in the last election, predicted she would "recommend to Congress that the U.S. should de-fund the UN, pull back on U.S. participation on any international matter that does not align with Putin’s interests, and stand as an obstacle to any progress by the UN in terms of climate change, women’s equality, or the safety of LGBT people throughout the world.  Don’t write her off. Stefanik’s most damaging work may lie ahead."

  And to think we knew her when she was just the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.

MSNBC opinion writer Hayes Brown pointed out that the U.N.'s work goes beyond its struggles to secure "peace and security."

"The humanitarian works the broader U.N. system carries out are vital to millions of people globally," Brown reminded us. "Stefanik’s appointment suggests a lack of willingness to support those missions, especially considering her desire to defund the U.N/s relief works in Gaza and the West Bank. Stefanik as U.N. ambassador would signal a further retreat from a position of authority and leadership as she carries out her boss’ wishes to put America First."

And there is climate change.

In an odd coincidence, the U.N. conference on climate change was playing out Tuesday in Azerbaijan. If you wondered where Stefanik stands on climate change, so did I since there is no mention of it on her Congressional energy and environment page. But her boss believes climate change is just malarkey.

Yet, here we are in the middle of November with fires and smoke blanketing parts of New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. Considering the outcry over wearing surgical masks by many Republicans during Covid, I can't imagine the outcry to wearing gas masks as the fires escalate across our nation in future years.

Brown went on to wonder if Stefanik has the experience for the U.N.

"Stefanik has spent the last several years operating with little more than Trump’s approval in mind," Brown wrote. "That skill set was built for the halls (and the greenrooms) of the Capitol, not U.N. headquarters. She’d be at the forefront of some of the most complex challenges that the international community faces, from the war in Ukraine to halting climate change to determining global rules for artificial intelligence."

There is a little bit more to the job than just supporting Israel.

When I checked Le Devoir Tuesday evening, Deglise's story had the headline "First signs of extremism in second term for Donald Trump."

That sounded about right.

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Pay attention

There are a billion little things happening in Washington these days that will have direct ramification on our democracy.

The Presidential Transition Act sets ethics requirements and forces the incoming administration to disclose background data before its people are allowed to receive briefings, security clearances and funding for the transition.

That had to be done by Oct. 1.

So far Trump has refused to sign the ethics pledge. It reminds me of Elise Stefanik refusing "not to lie" during her 2018 campaign.

That means Trump and his staff are locked out of meetings and briefings with the current administration and the heads of government agencies.

And like his first term, Trump has not divested himself of his business interests.

During his first term, that led to over 3,000 possible conflicts of interests and investigations into whether he was in violation of the emoluments clause in the Constitution. So far nothing has changed with Trump 2.0.

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Unbeaten again

Glens Falls is returning to the Section II championship football game Saturday in a rematch of the game it lost to Ravena last year.

The Black Bears are unbeaten with an 11-0 record and have hardly been tested during the regular season. It lost to Ravena in the title game a year ago on a windy day in Albany.

The core players are some of the same who won a state basketball title last spring.

The game is scheduled for Shenendehowa at 1 p.m. Saturday.

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Check out the Chapman Museum’s Christmas nutcracker display.

Happy holidays

Our decorating committee at the Chapman Museum has been working toward this day for some 11 months.

We decorated the outside of the museum last week - some new colorful lighting as well -  and were busy doing the front rooms of the DeLong House with two nine-foot Christmas trees courtesy of St. Andrews Ace Hardware.

There is so much more to come.

We have an Adirondack Penguin exhibit, a Steinbach Christmas nutcracker display and a White House Christmas tree with presidential Christmas ornaments to come.

We should have it all done by Thanksgiving so we urge you to come check out as a must-see stop during the holidays.

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Nap time

At age 67, I don't make it through many days without a nap - and I'm retired.

Considering we will soon have a 78-year-old president who has a 67-year-old chief of staff, I couldn't help but wonder if the White House will be blocking out times in the afternoon for naps.

It might be a good idea.

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Jimmy V. observations

Jimmy Vielkind, who covered state government in Albany for Politico for years before going on to the Wall Street Journal, had a couple of observations about the election after traveling all around the country and talking to voters.

Here is what he observed:

- "A large number of people had lost faith in the government as a force to solve what they perceive as the biggest problems confronting the nation and their own lives. Gallup polling recently found just 22 percent of Americans are satisfied with the country's direction. That number hasn’t been above 50 percent in two decades.

- "My biggest takeaway is that Republicans and Democrats are more reasonable than they make each other out to be. It is easy to follow the lead of candidates or party figures into thinking that members of the other team believe and embody all the worst stuff in the attack ads."

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Ken Tingley spent more than four decades working in small community newspapers in upstate New York. Since retirement in 2020 he has written three books and is currently adapting his second book "The Last American Newspaper" into a play. He currently lives in Queensbury, N.Y.