Obama Gives Bush's Political Ambassadors Their Pink Slips

[FrenchieCat]

The incoming Obama administration has notified all politically-appointed ambassadors that they must vacate their posts as of Jan. 20, the day President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office, a State Department official said.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/03/obama_gives_political_ambassad.html

[firedupdem]

1. See Ya!!! n/t

[FrenchieCat]

2. Bu-bye....said he!

:thumbsup:

[ddeclue]

3. not surprising these are all political spoils posts..

that go to campaign contributors, friends, etc.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Well, I'm not so sure.....

Knowing Obama, it's gonna go to the best person fit for the job.
I don't think Political payback will be the overarching theme on this.

[liberalmuse]

4. From what I've read...

it is a given that all ambassadors are automatically let go with every new Presidential successor.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Do you have a link on that. I'm just curious.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Here is a link that implies something different..

Political ambassadors sometimes are permitted to stay on briefly during a new administration, but the sweeping nature of the directive suggests that Obama has little interest in retaining any of Bush's ambassadorial appointees.

Most ambassadors, of course, are foreign service officers, but often the posts involving the most important bilateral relations (such as with Great Britain, Japan and India) or desirable locales (such as the Bahamas) are given to close friends and well-heeled contributors of the president.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/03/obama_gives_political_ambassad.html

[Cobalt-60]

9. I wouldn't want a Bushnik representing me

These corporate criminals cant be cleared fast enough from the embassies.

[davidpdx]

8. I figured this was going to happen

I was talking to my wife the other day telling her that the new ambassador to Korea isn't going to have a very long stay here. She asked why and I explained with the incoming administration, they would likely clean house and appoint new ambassadors.

It will be interesting to see who we get as an ambassador to Korea.

[SoCalDem]

10. Now.. PLEASE tell me that a prerequisite for getting an ambassadorship will be

KNOWING THE F'ING LANGUAGE WHERE YOU ARE GOING..

There are mnay more important things to know, but it all starts there:)

[woolldog]

11. I thought these people were all civil service?