President Barack Obama, Like his Predecessors, Appoints Fundraisers and Friends as Ambassadors

Don't get me wrong, I like President Barack Obama, but it seems like he's following the time-honored tradition of handing out plum ambassadorships to friends and big-money party donors, even though he promised change on all fronts. Thus far, some of the president's contributors and friends have been awarded with plum posts in Canada, France, England, Japan, South Africa, Ireland, the Bahamas, Denmark, Argentina and the Vatican. The administration has said that all of its appointees are qualified, but I beg to differ. Shouldn't these jobs go to career diplomats, who know what they are doing, instead of to party loyalists? According to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics, the president has rewarded some of his largest fundraisers and donors with posts abroad.

Here's are some examples:

• His ambassador to Britain, Louis Susman, is a lawyer and investment banker who bundled at least $100,000 for Obama’s presidential campaign and at least $300,000 for his inauguration.

• His ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rooney, is chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team and, with his wife, has contributed at least $152,400 to federal candidates, committees and parties since the 1990 election cycle.

• Charles Rivkin, nominated to be the ambassador to France, is the head of an entertainment company who bundled at least a half-million dollars for Obama’s campaign and another $300,000 toward his inaugural committee.

• John Roos, nominated to be the ambassador to Japan, is a lawyer who bundled at least $500,000 to Obama’s presidential campaign and, with his wife, has contributed at least $77,500 to Democrats since the 1992 election cycle, including $6,900 to Obama. Source: Detroit Free Press

President Obama's appointments, on the face, seem to contradict statements he made on the presidential campaign trail promising the most sweeping ethics changes in history. He said that he would “litmus test” in his administration, where employees are hired based on their qualifications and experience, not on their party or ideology. So, Bam, what's up with these appointments? He also went on to call President George W. Bush's White House “the most politicized” in history, and decried the appointment of Bush’s friend Michael Brown to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Of course we know “Brownie” had no clue what FEMA was, much less to run such an organization. He had been a commissioner with the International Arabian Horse Association. He initially led the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina, which is still a blight on America's history. President Obama said then that “the days of Michael Brown, Arabian horse judge, are over,” Obama said in a speech two years ago. I have to ask, are they really over? I don't think so. We need to have competent managers and representatives of the United States in such positions. It is nonsensical to dispatch a diplomat who has no clue what their job entails and how to make decisions effectively. President Obama, this isn't change we can believe in!

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