Maybe he's seen some photographs?
Colleen Bell, the nominee for ambassador to Hungary and a producer of "The Bold and the Beautiful" soap opera, raised or contributed about $800,000 to Obama in the last election. She stammered her way through testimony about U.S. strategic interests in the country, which is the focus of growing international alarm over far-right lawmakers' attitude toward Jews and other minorities. "I have no more questions for this incredibly highly qualified group of nominees," McCain said sarcastically during the hearing for several of the nominees.
The stumbles have highlighted the perils of rewarding well-heeled donors and well-connected politicos with plum overseas assignments and have provided political fodder for Republicans eager to attack the White House. The cases also underscore how a president who For several decades, presidents have generally followed a "70-30" rule when it comes to such appointments, nominating career foreign service officers for roughly 70 percent of U.S. missions abroad and reserving the rest for political allies.
But the 30% aren't supposed to be stoopid. See Norway, above.
Political appointees account for 37 percent of the ambassadorships filled so far during Obama's tenure, according to the American Foreign Service Association.
Well, that's not so bad.
The rate for his second term so far stands at 53 percent, the group said.
OK, so that's pretty bad. We need a 'Lame Duck' foto.
Obama administration officials say the number has been inflated by a surge of second-term openings in posts typically given to non-diplomats. The rate is sure to fall in coming months, they said.
Shirley, it'll be quite low once all the posts are filled.
Ya s'pose they reminded Champ about The Chicago Way, and promised to hold off their 'pay' until they got to 'play'?
