On Richard Graber's dinner menu these days: beer and knedlíky.

On his work agenda: serving as U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic.

Graber, 50, is a Republican from Wisconsin with a lot on his plate these days as he settles into his new job. But not so much that he hasn't had time to sample the best of what the country has to offer, he told The Prague Post in an interview recently.

In addition to reading up on history, studying Czech and taking some time to travel, he's also been enjoying traditional food and drink.

"I haven't had a bad beer yet," he said with a smile.

Graber presented his diplomatic letter of credence to President Václav Klaus in a formal ceremony at Prague Castle Oct. 12, an act that officially marks the beginning of his term.

Before leaving the United States, Graber was sworn in Sept. 14 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington, D.C. He arrived in Prague Sept. 23 with wife Alex and son Erik, 16. A second son, Scott, remains at college in the States.

During the Oct. 12 ceremony, Graber, with a pin of linked American and Czech flags fastened to his lapel, also presented the official letter of recall for his predecessor, William Cabaniss, who served a two-and-a-half-year term in Prague before returning to the United States in September.

The proceedings in Prague Castle's sunny Trůnní sál, or Throne Hall, also saw new ambassadors from Albania, Canada, Estonia and Sweden present their credentials to Klaus.

Although his official duties have just begun, Graber's been working on getting settled for weeks. There is still much to learn, he says.

"I haven't looked at it as huge challenges, but rather opportunities to make a difference."

A 'consensus builder'

Diplomats start their days early. Graber is up at 6 each morning for a stint on the treadmill, then at the office by 8. Often, he's there until 8 or even 10 at night, he says.

He's well-accustomed to this grueling pace. In Milwaukee, Graber served as CEO for Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, one of the state's largest law firms. He was also chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, a position he'd held for seven years.

Graber's ability to juggle tasks rests upon his well-honed leadership and communication skills, said Rick Wiley, executive director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin and a former colleague.

"Strong leaders surround themselves with strong people," said Wiley. "Graber is a person who puts a lot of trust in those around him."

"He's a master delegator," said Jerome Janzer, Graber's successor at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren.

His professional background is as relevant to his new job as his political one, said Joe Wineke, chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and formerly Graber's direct opponent.

"He was a lawyer by trade, and he certainly acted like it: careful, cautious. He was the consummate lawyer," said Wineke. "We often disagreed, but I always respected him. He's got integrity."

Politics and diplomacy

As Republican chairman in Wisconsin, Graber presided over one of the most politically divided states in the country. In the 2004 presidential elections, the Democrats won Wisconsin by a razor-thin majority.

Even in this heated political climate, Graber remained measured and cool-headed, said Craig Gilbert, a Washington, D.C.–based political writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"Part of his job was to give the Democrats a hard time. He did his job as a partisan soldier, but I think he was seen as a pretty low-key guy," he said. "I don't think he's perceived as ... a pit-bull figure. He's not polarizing."

The role of ambassador comes with its own political heat. While relations between the countries remain stable, the issue of visa requirements for Czechs visiting the United States remains unresolved, and was one of the primary issues Graber's predecessor grappled with.

But Graber's political background will not just aid in his new job — it likely helped him become ambassador in the first place, Gilbert said.

"Wisconsin is a fierce political battleground, which sort of explains how [U.S. President George W.] Bush came to know who Rick Graber was," he said.

According to www.opensecrets.org, Graber has given about $30,000 to the GOP in recent years, but he denies his financial links to the Republican Party played a part in his appointment.

"I didn't seek this position. I didn't campaign for it. I think it was my hard work and effort," he said.

Wineke agrees that hard work is likely what sent Graber to Prague.