Sentence:  The solid, reliable Monsieur Pompidou was there, as <WSD>safe</WSD> a <WSD>pair of hands</WSD> as the most timorous bourgeois could wish for 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  an experienced person (especially a leader) who can be trusted to do a decent job and not to make serious mistakes; often in relation to a task which is difficult and important; often suggesting blandness or a contrast to someone brilliant but erratic