“George is terribly disappointed, as had both parties followed the Mitchell Plan in spirit and in fact, there could have been a resolution,” Rudman says. “Unfortunately the hatred was just too great to allow for serious compromise.”

But Rudman says that Mitchell’s skills as a diplomat are as keen as ever.

“He has extraordinary skills in both fact finding and negotiating and unparalelled level of patience in resolving problems,” Rudman says.

And KSG Dean Joseph S. Nye commended Mitchell’s long and varied career in the public sector as a worthy example for graduating students to emulate.

“His service at the state and federal level, and in both the legislative and executive branches, represents the distinguished public service that we hope our graduates will aspire to achieve,” Nye says.

—Staff writer Anthony S.A. Freinberg can be reached at freinber@fas.harvard.edu.