Marc Lacey has worked for the New York Times since 1999, as a reporter in Washington, as bureau chief in Nairobi, and as the first bureau chief in Phoenix. He will be deputy foreign editor of the New York Times starting in 2012. Before moderating a panel on whether Arizona is on the front line of American politics, Lacey took questions in the green room.

Q. You covered Kenya. So: Kikuyu or Luo?

A. One does not take sides in tribal matters in Kenya. A Kenyan can tell the difference. I never could after five years there.

Q. Which is scarier: Nairobi or Phoenix?

A. In Nairobi, we had a guard at our house 24 hours a day. We had barbed wire on our fence. We had bars on all the windows. We had what was called a rape gate upstairs. But we slept very well. In many ways, Phoenix might be more dangerous, because of the extreme heat, which I’m not used to.

Q. What’s the best bar or restaurant in Ithaca, New York?

A. There’s a place called the Chanticleer. You will not find a single Cornell student.

Q. Have you ever been beaten up?

A. I have been in many places that have been very dangerous. But nobody has ever beaten me up.

Q. What’s your favorite dessert?

A. I love tiramisu.

Q. Sub-equatorial or above?

A. I can’t say I prefer one over the other.

Q. Who is the GOP nominee going to be?

A. Those who believe they know this far out who the nominee is going to be are not very wise individuals.

Q. Are you superstitious?

A. When I see black cats, it doesn’t make my day.

Q. Ever vacationed in a place you covered as a reporter?

A. Yes. I’ve been back to Mexico. I’ve been back to Los Angeles. I used to cover the Caribbean, so I’ve been to a lot of the islands.

Q. What is the best Caribbean bank in which to park your money offshore?

A. All my money is on shore. And it’s not really all that much. The offshore bankers would be very disappointed.

*Photo by Felipe Ruiz Acosta.