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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/wp/2014/12/01/two-obama-bundlers-are-cleared-for-ambassadorships/

Two Obama bundlers are cleared for ambassadorships


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol June 17, 2014. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Senate Monday night paved the way for confirmation Tuesday of two of President Obama’s more controversial bundler nominees as the clock ticked down to the end of Democratic control of the Senate — and the likely end of some Obama contributors getting ambassadorships.

The Senate voted to end debate Monday on Hollywood TV soap opera producer (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) Colleen Bell, who raised over $2 million for Obama in 2011-12, to be ambassador to Budapest. Bell badly bungled when Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) asked her what America’s strategic interests were in Hungary, which has been a difficult posting in recent years given the ascendancy of some xenophobic types.

And the Senate also cleared a vote for Los Angeles consulting company head Noah Mamet, who raised nearly $1.4 million and was duly nominated to ambassador to Argentina. Mamet acknowledged that he’d never been to Argentina — not really in itself a disqualifying factor — and that he spoke only a little Spanish. He called Argentina a U.S. ally, leading Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to conclude that Mamet was clueless about the country.

Well, it looks like he’ll be getting lots of clues soon.

Their confirmations will leave only seven non-career (political) country ambassador nominees on the Senate floor — though their futures may be uncertain.


Eric D. Schwerin
eschwerin@rosemontseneca.com

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