Yesterday, whilst pondering “the entitlement to rule” attitude of those in power, I was reminded of a personal experience just about 13 years ago. For 20 minutes or more I sat next to James A Baker III on a bus. That’s right, on an ordinary bus. (Before 9/11: not a security man/spook in sight.)

You remember Baker. Chief of Staff to Ronald Reagan and George Bush Snr. One time Secretary of Treasury, and Secretary of State under Bush Snr. Lawyer. Primo Washington insider. Leader in the Texan and Republican elites.

I was an invitee at a weekend venture capital conference for the Carlyle Group in the Napa Valley, California. Baker was keynote speaker after the inevitable big splash dinner in an amazing underground cellar at one of the leading wineries several miles from the conference hotel. Buses ferried everyone to and fro.

Carlyle is huge. Very Washington connected. Baker and others are “patrons”. It is emblematic of everything about Washington; power; political connections; American capitalism.

The dinner was forgettable. Baker’s delivery was not.

Baker was fresh from his close participation in the “victory” in the US Supreme Court in Bush v Gore, that greatest of sliding door moments, delivering George W Bush to the presidency. In front of an audience heavily sympathetic to Bush, Republicans, power, capital, and American exceptionalism, Baker felt free to let go. In an underground echo chamber he boomed from the pulpit.

First, a lengthy justification of the “correctness” of the election result. On his take, America had just been rescued (by one man as it happens – Justice Anthony Kennedy) from the jaws of a fate worse than anything the audience could imagine. We should be celebrating because America was now back in the safe hands of those who knew how to govern.

Predictable? US politics? Of course, he would say that, wouldn’t he … but then …

… Baker proceeded to boom out his outline (with ex Secretary of State hat on) of what the foreign policy imperatives were for the new Bush Administration. China and Europe got a mention (Australia didn’t), but the dominant focus was Iraq, the Middle East and energy security. Not only were the new Republicans in charge in the US, the rest of the world was about to be told what to do, all under the guise of “protecting the security of America”. The arrogance of power was breathtaking.

So now back to the bus …

After the event, everyone straggled on. As I walked down the aisle, all seats were full, except one half way back … next to Baker. Had everyone else had avoided him?

“Hi, mind if I sit here?” … “Go ahead”

“I’m Geoff” … and some other pleasantries …

“Are you from England?” … “No, Australia” … “Oh, great country. I’ve been there.” … and more pleasantries.

We then discussed his comments on the recent election, and somehow we got to an exchange that went something like this …

“You have compulsory voting don’t you?” … “Yes we do”

“Doesn’t that mean you end up with more left wing Government?” … “I don’t know. Not right now it doesn’t. Current Prime Minister Howard is quite conservative, right wing.”

“But it does mean you have a lot more uneducated and working class people voting, doesn’t it?” … “That’s possible, but often they are nervous of change, conservative. Paul Keating reckoned that “conservative” vote won him the 1993 election.”

“I never met Keating. Was he left wing?” … “He succeeded Bob Hawke as Labor prime Minister” … “Ohh, Hawke. I knew him. He was a good guy.” (I’m sure Bob would be pleased to know Baker remembered him … sort of.)

… and then this …

“Well in the US that ignorant class wouldn’t vote for us. We can’t afford to let them have a vote.”

I was dumbfounded. I sat looking straight ahead wondering what to think, what to say.

Sensing my reaction, Baker then said … “that sounded pretty arrogant, I guess’ …

“Yeah”

Mercifully soon we arrived back at the conference hotel and got off the bus.

So there you have it … modern “democratic” politics in one word …

Power.

Whatever it takes … to grab it, and then hang on.