Wyoming's Mike Sullivan: U.s. Ambassador to Ireland, 1998-2001

• Publication year: 2024
• Citation: Vol. 47 No. 4

Wyoming's Mike Sullivan: U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, 1998-2001Vol. 47 No. 4 Pg. 33Wyoming Bar JournalAugust 2024

"I had told (President) Bill Clinton one time that if he had an ambassadorship open, I might be interested in that," Sullivan told the Wyoming Lawyer. He'd also mentioned, in the same conversation with Clinton, that he'd go for a position in either the Vatican or Ireland.

"I didn't apply for (the ambassadorship)," said Sullivan. "I figured there were people from Boston, New York, San Francisco, who would form a fairly long line. One day I got a call from a lady who said, 'You're on the list for the ambassadorship to Ireland. We keep going through and going through it, and you don't seem to fall off that list. We decided we'd better call you first and find out if you're interested.'"

He told the woman that before he could answer, he'd have to talk to his wife.

Jane Sullivan was on board, and Mike was appointed the United States ambassador to Ireland, a position he held from 1998 to 2001.

But getting to Ireland wasn't easy.

"When I was appointed, I had to have a physical," Sullivan said. "As I was concluding the physical, the doctor said, 'You look pretty good.' I said I had discomfort in my chest when I drank dark coffee, so the doctor ordered a stress test."

a real heart for the job

Casper attorney Mike Sullivan served two terms as governor of Wyoming (1987 to 1995), then aspired to continue his political career in the U.S. Senate. But fate had other plans for him. After his unsuccessful bid for the Senate, Sullivan found himself not in Washington, D.C., but on the Emerald Isle.

The result was a quadruple bypass just two months before the Sullivans were due to leave the states.

"I thought between the heart condition and (Clinton's impeachment proceedings), I may not even get there!" Sullivan said.

He credits his "Wyoming connections" for smoothing the rocky road to Dublin.

"There were no Democrats in Washington from Wyoming, but fortunately, I was able to take advantage of (U.S. Rep.) Craig Thomas, (U.S. Sen.) Al Simpson and others to get a good hearing with the state department," he said. "Thomas and (his chief of staff) Liz Brimmer were instrumental."

"Ireland was wonderful," said Sullivan, "and the job was interesting."

"It was a bit like the governorship," he said. "You never knew what was coming from day to day."

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