President Biden is tempering the ambassadors ’expectations of his big-dollar donors, indicating that he will not hand out plum messages for months and hints that he will name fewer of them than his predecessors.
The big picture: The president took the Democratic Party’s push for diversity when choosing his cabinet. Lawmakers are now pressuring him to extend it to the selection of his ambassadors, which means that white donors – the core of his fundraising base – will be in serious competition for fewer seats.
What we are hearing: Biden is more likely to reward loyal politicians and former aides, with talks about former senators like Claire McCaskill heading to a golden place in Europe.
- As for political leaders, Julianne Smith, a former Biden aide, could be named ambassador to NATO.
- In the donor class, Denise Bauer, Obama’s ambassador to Belgium, was the best fundraiser. He could return to Europe, possibly to Paris, among the most coveted positions.
- Doug Hickey, another big donor from Biden, is also interested in an overseas publication.
- James Costos, a former HBO executive who was Obama’s ambassador to Spain, has expressed interest in the UK, but many others are interested, including David Cohen, a Comcast executive.
- Louis Frillman, a real estate investor, and Nathalie Rayes, president of the Latino Victory Project, have informed partners that they are interested in Madrid or another European place.
The big question: The ambassador to China has recently relapsed into former politicians, giving Beijing the prestige of a big name and the White House the comfort that its envoy will have a political antenna to detect possible problems.
- If Biden appoints Disney chief executive Robert Iger, who has told Biden officials he is interested, he would break that ground.
Biden is scheduled, weather permitting, visit the State Department on Monday, a symbolic demonstration as it seeks to invigorate diplomacy and underscore America’s commitment to allies and partners. He is also expected to comment on his foreign policy initiatives.
- While the president will certainly appoint some donors to key positions, others get nervous about being let go and are feverishly pressuring cases.
- While more than 800 people and couples raised more than $ 100,000 for Biden’s presidential candidacy, the most elite group of “packers” rose well above that amount and also gave a maximum of $ 620,000 to the Biden Victory Fund.
By the numbers: Biden will likely make out-of-career nominations for approximately 30% of the approximately 190 total ambassadors, leaving 70% for outside career service, according to people who are familiar with the issue.
- This 70:30 ratio would be in line with the traditional breakdown, according to the American Foreign Service Association.
- President Trump deviated by appointing political ambassadors for about 44% of his appointments.
- Trump’s candidates also skewed very differently, with more than 90% of their openings aimed at those who are white, Foreign Policy reported in 2018.
Deepen: The political category has always been broadly divided into three compartments: political experts, politicians and donors.
- Biden is expected to reap more benefits from the first two categories, leaving fewer positions for donors who want to end a successful business career with an overseas publication.
- Biden has an extensive network of friends and allies in Beltway, but he was never so successful (nor did he depend) on money and celebrity classes in New York and California.