White House Stands Behind Hill
Just to add to what my colleague, Elana Schor had earlier on Chris Hill: At his press briefing today, Robert Gibbs stood behind Chris Hill as the President's choice to be the next Ambassador to Iraq. So for the moment at least, there's no backing down to the McCain-Graham assault on Hill as being unready for Iraq. Hill is one of the most accomplished career diplomats at State but his assignments have all been European and Asian. He speaks Polish and Serbo-Croatian, according to the State Department web site.
But here's something interesting. McCain and Graham had no problem voting for Hill to be come George W. Bush's Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs even thought his previous experience was overwhelmingly European with one tour in Seoul. In general the country's supported the idea that senior State Department officials can move around the world and not have to prove their credentials each time they're assigned to a new region. McCain and Graham are imposing a new standard that seems odd. It's not wildly irrational to want an Iraq ambassador with Mideast experience but it's a bar that I've never heard Senators ask of any other career diplomat before. Perhaps TPM readers can think of other examples where Graham and McCain had no qualms about supporting a nominee for a key diplomatic post who had no previous experience in the region?
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Hill is one of the most accomplished career diplomats at State but his assignments have all been European and Asian.
Last I checked Baghdad/Iraq was also in Asia.
March 13, 2009 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
If McCain/Graham doesn't like him than he is probably pretty good.
March 13, 2009 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps TPM readers can think of other examples where Graham and McCain had no qualms about supporting a nominee for a key diplomatic post who had no previous experience in the region?
Well, according to Wiki, John Negroponte had no Middle East experience before he was ambassador to Iraq.
What I don't know is whether Huckleberry and Mac supported him . . .but the vote to confirm him was 95 to 3. . .and the 3 were Wellstone, Boxer, and Feingold, I think. Not Mac and the Huckster.
So let's review: positive vote for someone Bush nominated, even though that person had no experience in that region AND the conflict was raging out of control, but lots of concern trolling and cricism for someone Obama nominated, even though this person has had more experience than Negroponte AND things have quieted down considerably in Iraq.
Yes, I get it.
March 13, 2009 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whoops--it was Durbin, Harkin and Dayton who voted against confirmation:
Vote tally for Negroponte confirmation as ambassador
March 13, 2009 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's also:
James C. Oberwetter (born November 3, 1944) was U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. He previously served as Press Secretary for then-congressman George H.W. Bush (who would later become Vice-President and President of the United States). He has also been the special assistant to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and a member of the American Petroleum Institute’s Communications Committee.
Prior to his diplomatic service Oberwetter served as Senior Vice President of Hunt Consolidated, Inc., of Dallas, Texas where he directed the company's public affairs and government relations functions. In 2007 he founded Oberwetter & Company, LLC, which focused on international business and corporate strategies in the public arena. In December of 2008 he was selected by the board of the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce to become its President on February 1, 2008. He and his wife Anita reside in Dallas, Texas.
He had experience with oil, does that count?
March 13, 2009 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
These bozos expressed no objections when Dr no-one-could-have-foreseen Rice, a Soviet expert, was elevated to top Bush administration positions requiring much oversight of Middle Eastern relations and Islamic terrorism.
March 13, 2009 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
The former ambassador to India, David Mulford, also had no experience in the region. . .
I found three.
March 13, 2009 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
It should be no surprise that you would find more consistency in a bowl of tidewater soup than you could ever get outta' "Cracker" Graham and his trusty sidekick Mac. These guys are self-mocking - without even realizing it.
March 13, 2009 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
obama will be challenged on everything now that he has shown he is easy to back down and doesnt support his people.
ask freeman.
and where were all you people when Freeman was being attacked????
March 13, 2009 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
They picked Sarah Palin to be the VP nominee for goodness sakes, and they're concerned about someone's experience?
March 13, 2009 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink