Obama favoring political ambassadors so far

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 — which include Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. as ambassador to China — are drawn heavily from political and fundraising circles, raising concerns about inexperience and patronage.

His selections include a retired general, 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.

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

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

"There have been some very distinguished non-career appointees, but the problem is you also have some very undistinguished non-career appointees," said Ronald Neumann, the president of the American Academy of Diplomacy. "Ambassadorships are not there as political favors."

The American Foreign Service Association, the union that represents U.S. diplomats, has argued similar points.