Personal relationship between Bush and McCallum questioned
{{date|March 19, 2006}}

Australia's major newspapers are highlighting the personal relationship between the U.S.  President [[George W. Bush|George Bush]] and his newly nominated Australian ambassador, [[w:Robert McCallum, Jr.|Robert McCallum]]. Australian reporters Phillip Hudson of ''The Age'', and Mark Coultan of the ''Sydney Morning Herald'', have written stories examining the Bush/McCallum friendship which allegedly dates back to 39 years ago when they were inducted into the [[w:Skull and Bones|Skull and Bones]] society.

The Australian ambassadorship post had been vacant for 13 months, which former deputy prime minister [[w:Tim Fischer|Tim Fischer]] said was an "unforgivable" delay. The McCallum nomination on March 11 would replace the former ambassador [[w:Tom Schieffer|Tom Schieffer]] who left the post in February 2005. United States [[w:George W. Bush|President George W. Bush]] nominated McCallum on March 11th.,2006

McCallum is an associate attorney-general for the [[w:United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] and previously represented [[w:Big Tobacco|big tobacco]] companies at an [[w:Atlanta|Atlanta]] law firm. He also has a master's degree from [[w:University of Oxford|Oxford University]] and is a [[w:Rhodes Scholarship|Rhodes Scholar]] as well as having a bachelor's degree from [[w:Yale University|Yale]].

The two Australian papers report on activities of Bush and McCallum in their younger years, and the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' alleges that personal connections were instrumental in the career advancements of both men. 

McCallum also made news last year when he overrode U.S. Justice Department lawyers who had been handling the government's tobacco racketeering trial for the past 5 years. McCallum ordered the lawyers to reduce the penalties sought at the close of the nine-month trial from $130 billion to $10 billion, angering some of the trial lawyers to the point where it is reported they threatened to quit their jobs. McCallum said the reduction was necessary as a matter of law.

== Related news ==
*{{wikinews|title=Bush nominates a new ambassador to Australia|date=March 12, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Bush administration drastically cuts penalties sought for in tobacco trial from $130 billion to $10 billion|date=June 17, 2005}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/digging-up-the-skull-and-bones-connection/2006/03/17/1142582525429.html
|title=Digging up the Skull and Bones connection
|author=Mark Coulton
|pub=The Age
|date=March 18, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/bush-sends-us-secret-uni-mate/2006/03/11/1141701735269.html
|title=Bush sends us 'secret' uni mate
|author=Phillip Hudson
|pub=The Age
|date=March 12, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/no-bones-about-it-bush-favours-a-very-secret-society/2006/03/17/1142582522189.html
|title=No bones about it: Bush favours a very secret society
|author=M. Couton
|pub=Sydney Morning Herald
|date=March 18, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/16/politics/16tobacco.html?ex=1276574400&en=b9f82a10faf275b5&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
|title=Lawyers Fought U.S. Move to Curb Tobacco Penalty
|author=Eric Lichtblau
|pub=New York Times
|date=June 16, 2000}}

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[[Category:Australia]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:George W. Bush]]
[[Category:Yale University]]
Australia's major newspapers are highlighting the personal relationship between the U.S.  President George Bush and his newly nominated Australian ambassador, Robert McCallum. Australian reporters Phillip Hudson of The Age, and Mark Coultan of the Sydney Morning Herald, have written stories examining the Bush/McCallum friendship which allegedly dates back to 39 years ago when they were inducted into the Skull and Bones society.

The Australian ambassadorship post had been vacant for 13 months, which former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer said was an "unforgivable" delay. The McCallum nomination on March 11 would replace the former ambassador Tom Schieffer who left the post in February 2005. United States President George W. Bush nominated McCallum on March 11th.,2006

McCallum is an associate attorney-general for the Department of Justice and previously represented big tobacco companies at an Atlanta law firm. He also has a master's degree from Oxford University and is a Rhodes Scholar as well as having a bachelor's degree from Yale.

The two Australian papers report on activities of Bush and McCallum in their younger years, and the Sydney Morning Herald alleges that personal connections were instrumental in the career advancements of both men. 

McCallum also made news last year when he overrode U.S. Justice Department lawyers who had been handling the government's tobacco racketeering trial for the past 5 years. McCallum ordered the lawyers to reduce the penalties sought at the close of the nine-month trial from $130 billion to $10 billion, angering some of the trial lawyers to the point where it is reported they threatened to quit their jobs. McCallum said the reduction was necessary as a matter of law.
Australia Politics and conflicts United States North America George W. Bush Yale University