Michelle Kwan is nominated as ambassador to Belize

This is the way it used to be and I assume still is:

US Ambssadorships in big-name countries (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, etc.) virtually always go to very wealthy folks with political connections. There's a logical reason for that: The representation allowance (for entertaining) is grossly inadequate, so ambassadors are more or less required to dip into their own pockets. Those posts are prestigious, so I suspect folks interested in that sort of public service are willing to make sizable, on-going political contributions to get themselves on a list for consideration.

Edited to add: It would be nice if articles in the media covered Michelle's educational background, which includes an M.A. in diplomacy from Tufts. I assume that information was in the White House announcement but just isn't being included in the CNN article published online.
 
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Not a winter sports country which I would have predicted but her statement talks about migration, economics, and the pandemic.

I’ve been to Belize - lovely place with some cool Mayan ruins, rainforests, beaches, and one of the top places for snorkeling/scuba. English is the language.

Hopefully if her nomination goes through she can add environmental issues to her list.

I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t go thru…Ted Cruz picks a battle with Michelle Kwan?
 
Belize is a pretty place and Kwan can always call Simone Biles who added Belize citizenship awhile back.

Frankly I wondered why it took this long for her to get a position on the Biden administration.
 
skatfan said:
Frankly I wondered why it took this long for her to get a position on the Biden administration.
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I have too! I know she wanted a position in the State Dept (heard it from reliable :sekret: in Dem politics). I'm not sure this counts but maybe it will lead to bigger things.
 
I don't think an ambassadorship to Belize is a low spot on the totem pole. That's the highest-ranking US diplomat in the country.

Here's a list of the current US ambassadors and nominees. As you can see, ambassadors in small and underdeveloped countries tend to be career Foreign Service officers. Those serving in the big-deal countries tend to be "Other"--i.e., appointed. The career folks like to have as few "Other" ambassadors as possible, because those are highly desirable positions.

https://afsa.org/list-ambassadorial-appointments

There are a lot of vacancies at the moment. I wonder whether the focus on the pandemic has meant some other tasks are being addressed more slowly than usual. It was nice to see so many female names on the list, though, especially among the career officials. There was a time when a woman's role in the State Department was to be married to a foreign service officer and serve as the unpaid hostess of his dinner parties.
 
www.nytimes.com

Biden Taps Michelle Kwan and Caroline Kennedy for Ambassador Posts (Published 2021)

Ms. Kennedy, nominated to be ambassador to Australia, and Ms. Kwan, nominated to be the envoy to Belize, were prominent Biden supporters during the 2020 campaign season.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
President Biden said on Wednesday that he would nominate two high-profile women who were early supporters of his candidacy, the former ambassador Caroline Kennedy and the decorated figure skater Michelle Kwan, to ambassadorships in his administration.
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The New York Times' copywriter understands which appointment is more important, even if its reporter doesn't. :lol:
 
I can think of much lower rungs in government than an ambassadorship that requires Senate approval and confirmation and warrants news groups to make headlines out of it. Some are acting like she got an unpaid internship gig or got a job being a lackey for a low-level State Dept. official.
 
VGThuy said:
I can think of much lower rungs in government than an ambassadorship that requires Senate approval and confirmation and warrants news groups to make headlines out of it. Some are acting like she got an unpaid internship gig or got a job being a lackey for a low-level State Dept. official.
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It is totally a big deal! Sure Belize is not an "important" country but its a political appointment to an ambassadorship!

One big step in Michelle's career! :cheer:
 
acraven said:
I don't think an ambassadorship to Belize is a low spot on the totem pole. That's the highest-ranking US diplomat in the country.

Here's a list of the current US ambassadors and nominees. As you can see, ambassadors in small and underdeveloped countries tend to be career Foreign Service officers. Those serving in the big-deal countries tend to be "Other"--i.e., appointed. The career folks like to have as few "Other" ambassadors as possible, because those are highly desirable positions.

https://afsa.org/list-ambassadorial-appointments

There are a lot of vacancies at the moment. I wonder whether the focus on the ********* has meant some other tasks are being addressed more slowly than usual. It was nice to see so many female names on the list, though, especially among the career officials. There was a time when a woman's role in the State Department was to be married to a foreign service officer and serve as the unpaid hostess of his dinner parties.
Click to expand...
It's because some GOP members of the Senate are being obstructive. MSNBC was discussing the blocked ambassador appointments this morning.
 
acraven said:
I don't think an ambassadorship to Belize is a low spot on the totem pole. That's the highest-ranking US diplomat in the country.

Here's a list of the current US ambassadors and nominees. As you can see, ambassadors in small and underdeveloped countries tend to be career Foreign Service officers. Those serving in the big-deal countries tend to be "Other"--i.e., appointed. The career folks like to have as few "Other" ambassadors as possible, because those are highly desirable positions.

https://afsa.org/list-ambassadorial-appointments

There are a lot of vacancies at the moment. I wonder whether the focus on the ********* has meant some other tasks are being addressed more slowly than usual. It was nice to see so many female names on the list, though, especially among the career officials. There was a time when a woman's role in the State Department was to be married to a foreign service officer and serve as the unpaid hostess of his dinner parties.
Click to expand...
So many vacant positions! I am sure Biden can fill them all with qualified people.
 
skatfan said:
Belize is a pretty place and Kwan can always call Simone Biles who added Belize citizenship awhile back.

Frankly I wondered why it took this long for her to get a position on the Biden administration.
Click to expand...
It turns out she spent the past nine months pregnant so that does explain some of it.

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How the heck is she going to be an ambassador with s baby. She certainly does not need money. Stay home and enjoy that baby. Those months go by so quickly.
 
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