INSIDE WASHINGTON: Political ambassadors persist

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama pledged to bring change to Washington, but he is continuing one of the capital's most entrenched traditions: rewarding political supporters with ambassadorships.

After suggesting he would try to reduce the number of political appointees and boost the number of career diplomats serving as American envoys abroad, his early record is already mixed. Obama's first picks are drawn heavily from political and fundraising circles, raising concerns about inexperience and patronage.

His selections include a retired general, a Republican governor, campaign advisers, lawyers and several generous donors to the 2008 campaigns of Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton — among them two wealthy investment bankers and a California entertainment executive who together are responsible for more than a million dollars in campaign contributions.

Although experts stress it is too soon to judge the administration's ambassadorial appointments — there are currently 173 ambassador-level positions in the State Department — so far only five of Obama's 18 nominated or confirmed envoys are career diplomats.

The move has generated angst among some foreign service veterans who worry about career prospects and anxiety in some foreign capitals where the selection of a political appointee is seen as a barometer of how seriously the United States takes its bilateral relations.

In some capitals, being assigned a U.S. envoy who is less than qualified could be taken as an insult. Career diplomats say the minimum requirements for an ambassador are speaking the language of the country, knowledge of that nation and its neighbors and at least some foreign policy experience. Without such qualifications, U.S. policy and influence can suffer.

On Wednesday, Obama nominated 12 ambassadors, only four of whom are career diplomats. The career diplomats were nominated for posts in Brazil, Iceland, Kosovo and Sri Lanka. If confirmed, the eight political appointees will serve in Argentina, Britain, Denmark, France, Japan, India, the Vatican and the African Union.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs defended Obama's ambassadorial choices Thursday, describing them as "a group of committed individuals and proven professionals."

Gibbs acknowledged that Obama "was asked in the transition and said there will be some — let me quote him — political appointees serving abroad."

But some diplomatic experts worry that if the pattern of politically driven selections continue, they could prove disheartening.