Foreign minister Ban Ki-Moon, of course.? And what does that have to do with a Rice presidential campaign?? UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is ending his second term at the end of this December, and the popular Ban is almost assured the post in January of 2007.? Lucky for Condi, Ban happens to be one of her closest allies and personal friends in the realm of diplomacy, and the prospect of having a President in 2009 who will have long-established levels of trust, respect, and access with the Head of the UN may prove to be a tough incentive for foreign policy-focused Republican voters to let pass by in ‘08.

Here’s what the Associated Press had to say about Ban:

South Korea’s foreign minister kept his spot as the clear favorite in the race to succeed U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan in an informal poll Thursday, the only one among the seven candidates to get the needed majority of votes.

Ban Ki-Moon received 13 votes in favor, one against and one of no opinion, China’s U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya said. He slipped slightly from the previous poll, held Sept. 14, when he received 14 votes in favor and one against.

Despite that dominating lead, the secrecy of the ballot meant it was not known whether he got the necessary approval of all five veto- wielding members of the council, and the ballot is difficult to interpret. The results could either give Ban the momentum he needs to win or clear the field for more people to enter the race.

The 15 council nations checked one of three boxes for each candidate: “Encourage,” “discourage,” and “no opinion.” Secretary-General Kofi Annan steps down on Dec. 31, when his second five-year term expires.

Bangladesh’s U.N. Ambassador Iftekhar Chowdhury said he attended a speech Ban gave on Wednesday and approved.

“He came out quite good _ mature, balanced, and with the right amount of experience, gravitas, the qualities that you seek in a secretary- general,” Chowdhury said. “We think he’ll make an excellent secretary- general, of course.”

Ban Ki-Moon may just prove to be an invaluable asset to Sec. Rice’s ‘08 prospects.? First of all, she would be virtually guaranteed his endorsement if asked for it, and second of all, a President Rice working with a Secretary General Ban has the potential to accomplish so much.? It will be interesting to see how?Sec. of State?Rice and Sec. Gen. Ban work together in the year and a half before Election Day.