Free agent
The ornate Treaty Room at the State Department had an unorthodox visitor Tuesday, as Secretary Condoleezza Rice named baseball slugger Ken Griffey, Jr. an American public diplomacy envoy.
Like Cal Ripken and Michelle Kwan before him, Rice explained that Griffey’s mission will be to “go out on behalf of the values of the United States, not the government of the United States.”
Explaining that his first trip abroad in his new capacity will be to Panama in January, Rice said, “I’m going to Panama in two weeks and I look forward to telling them that Ken Griffey, Jr. isn’t far behind.”
Taking the microphone, the owner of 611 career home runs said he’s eager to promote “our pastime, which is baseball, not those other sports like football.” And with that, he cast a kidding glance toward Rice, a huge football fan.
(Photo: Carrie Devorah)
