All Eyes on James Baker's Iraq Panel

Nov. 29, 2006 — -- Former Secretary of State James Baker has had success as a lawyer, diplomat and political operator. He has had to employ all those skills as he maneuvers the Iraq Study Group toward its recommendations for dealing with the bloody conflict.

The U.S. Institute for Peace, which is providing assistance to the panel, says the report will be made public on Dec. 6.

Although Democrat Lee Hamilton, a highly regarded former congressman, is co-chairman, news accounts often refer to Baker as the leader. Partly, that is recognition of Baker's closeness to the Commander in Chief, George Bush, who would have to decide whether to accept the panel's advice. But it is also testament to Baker's record.

The group is bipartisan, made up of five Republicans and an equal number of Democrats. Getting such a group to agree on anything is a challenge. But Ken Duberstein, a former White House chief of staff, and not a member of the Iraq panel, says, "I think Jim Baker is a master, not only as a negotiator, but as a consensus builder."

A moderately conservative Republican, Baker is not an ideologue. That makes compromise easier for him.

Duberstein, who worked at the Reagan White House with him, told ABC News' "Nightline," "Jim Baker believes in consultation. He believes in the art of the possible. This is very steeply uphill, but for Jim Baker, a group like this will put something on the table that is doable."

Baker's political skills were first evident when he took over President Gerald Ford's fight to gain the GOP nomination in 1976. Ronald Reagan mounted a strong challenge, but Baker proved adept at winning delegates.

Baker also gained credibility among the always skeptical Washington press corps when he provided an honest count of delegates, instead of exaggerating his candidate's strength as Reagan's aides did. Although Ford lost the general election to Jimmy Carter, it was a much closer fight than anticipated, and Baker emerged with a burnished reputation as a political strategist and tactician.