A Lesson for Obama From a Former Greek Prime Minister Most of the following will be familiar to those who have read Why I believe Mulroney Is Not A Crook. Insincere maybe, but not a crook. Canadian Ambassador to Washington, Michael Wilson, has acknowledged that he leaked confidential information from Mr. Obama's campaign that the Senator did not really want to change NAFTA after campaigning that he would do just that if elected President. When Greek Prime Minister Papandreou needed to send a similar highly confidential message to President Regan, that he would not follow through on his election campaign promises, he chose a more secure, more direct if unconventional method than diplomatic channels. He chose as his messenger a beautiful Greek-Canadian woman who just happened to be a childhood friend of the Canadian Prime Minister's wife. I met the quite stunning and absolutely delightful Mary Francis at the then somewhat exclusive Ottawa Lawn and Tennis Club. Mary Francis was the social secretary to the Greek Ambassador to Canada. She not only planned but hosted official functions for and with the ambassador. Mary was also a childhood friend of Mila Mulroney. She was with Mila at the exclusive Mont Royal Tennis Club when the future Prime Minister and the future Ms. Mulroney first laid eyes on each other. When her ambassador returned to Greece, she did the same. I had not seen her for a number of years when she rang my doorbell. One reason for her visit to Canada was to deliver a confidential message from the Greek Prime Minister, who was in the middle of an election campaign, to Prime Minister Mulroney who would convey it to President Regan. The next day, I drove her to see the Prime Minister and it was on the way to his office on Parliament Hill that she volunteered the following information: The Greek Prime Minister was in the middle of an election campaign and was making noises about closing the American bases in Greece. He wanted her to meet with Prime Minister Mulroney so he could tell the President in private—you may remember that Brian Mulroney had established a strong personal relationship with Ronald Reagan—that what he was saying during the election campaign was for local consumption only, he had no intention of making good on any of his threats to close the American bases. This information was so sensitive that he did not want to send it via official channels. I kept that secret for twenty years. Mary Francis, wherever you are, I hope you don't mind. Bernard Payeur March 7, 2008
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