U2's Bono Should Head World Bank, Paper Urges
By Kevin Krolicki
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Could the only person ever nominated for an Oscar, a Grammy, a Golden Globe and the Nobel Peace Prize now take over at the World Bank (news - web sites)?
On Friday, the Los Angeles Times devoted its lead editorial to the proposition that Bono, the Irish frontman of rock band U2, "should be named the next president of the World Bank."
Outgoing World Bank president James Wolfensohn's term ends in May and the United States, which has traditionally reserved the post for an American with experience on Wall Street or in government has said it wants to see a successor named before then.
"Don't be fooled by the wraparound sunglasses and the excess hipness," the Los Angeles Times said. "Bono is deeply versed in the issues afflicting the least-developed nations of the world."
A spokeswoman for Bono in Los Angeles and his manager in New York could not be immediately reached for comment.
Bono, 44, who appeared at the Grammy awards this month wearing a "Make Poverty History" armband, has been a passionate advocate for Third World debt relief in recent years.
He has also toured Africa with former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and enlisted allies including Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates (news - web sites) to support development efforts on the continent.
Los Angeles Times Editorial Page Editor Andres Martinez said the suggestion of Bono to head the World Bank was entirely serious, although he said the newspaper was also making an effort to "take chances" and be "less predictable" on its opinion page in recent months.
Bono, the rock star and celebrity, Martinez said, might be able to shame the rich nations into meeting their development aid goals, he told Reuters.
Wolfensohn, 71, has lead the World Bank for a decade. He is a naturalized American who worked as a Wall Street banker.
Others mentioned as candidates that would break the tradition of naming an American to head the World Bank include Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown and former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo.
By Kevin Krolicki
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Could the only person ever nominated for an Oscar, a Grammy, a Golden Globe and the Nobel Peace Prize now take over at the World Bank (news - web sites)?
On Friday, the Los Angeles Times devoted its lead editorial to the proposition that Bono, the Irish frontman of rock band U2, "should be named the next president of the World Bank."
Outgoing World Bank president James Wolfensohn's term ends in May and the United States, which has traditionally reserved the post for an American with experience on Wall Street or in government has said it wants to see a successor named before then.
"Don't be fooled by the wraparound sunglasses and the excess hipness," the Los Angeles Times said. "Bono is deeply versed in the issues afflicting the least-developed nations of the world."
A spokeswoman for Bono in Los Angeles and his manager in New York could not be immediately reached for comment.
Bono, 44, who appeared at the Grammy awards this month wearing a "Make Poverty History" armband, has been a passionate advocate for Third World debt relief in recent years.
He has also toured Africa with former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and enlisted allies including Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates (news - web sites) to support development efforts on the continent.
Los Angeles Times Editorial Page Editor Andres Martinez said the suggestion of Bono to head the World Bank was entirely serious, although he said the newspaper was also making an effort to "take chances" and be "less predictable" on its opinion page in recent months.
Bono, the rock star and celebrity, Martinez said, might be able to shame the rich nations into meeting their development aid goals, he told Reuters.
Wolfensohn, 71, has lead the World Bank for a decade. He is a naturalized American who worked as a Wall Street banker.
Others mentioned as candidates that would break the tradition of naming an American to head the World Bank include Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown and former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo.
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