Cain Prepares for New Role

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

(08/09/05 -- RALEIGH) -- A well-known Raleigh attorney will become ambassador to Denmark on Wednesday.

Jim Cain will be sworn in at the State Capitol. President Bush visited Raleigh in February and asked Cain to serve as U.S. ambassador to the European nation. He sat down with Eyewitness News anchor Steve Daniels for a one-on-one interview.

Jim and Helen Cain are packing up their Raleigh home for a move into his new house -- the U.S. ambassador's residence in Copenhagen.

"It is going to be a great adventure. I am excited about that for the family, for the kids," Cain said. "The ability to serve my country in that meaningful role is what excites me."

His job will be to steer European companies toward the Tar Heel state.

"Part of my job will be to recruit those companies to America and specifically North Carolina," Cain said. "We have some very key industries in North Carolina that already do some business in the Scandinavian part of Europe, but can do more."

Many know Cain from his role as former president of the Carolina Hurricanes. He's among a new group of American diplomats, selected because of their success in business.

"They are men and women who have excelled in the private sector in some world of sales," Cain said. "That's really what I did for the Hurricanes. I was a salesman for the franchise, and I look forward to being a salesman, not for America's president, but for America's values."

The Cain family has a personal relationship with President Bush and helped raise nearly $3 million for his reelection.

"I don't think the president asked me to serve as an ambassador because I raised money," Cain said. "I'd like to think he asked me to serve because he thought I could do a good job for him and for the country."

Cain may not be gone for long. Many state Republican leaders want him to run for governor in 2008.

"It's flattering when people put you on a short list of potential candidates," Cain said. "I'm not ruling out in the future some political candidacy. That is not at all on my radar screen right now."

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