White House Press Secretary Jay Carney tried to avoid questions about President Obama’s rumored intention of appointing Vogue editor Anna Wintour as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, or perhaps France.
“There have been enormously effective diplomats in this country’s history who have not necessarily risen through the diplomatic corps,” Carney said, per a rush transcript, during the White House press briefing when asked about the qualities and background necessary for nomination to one of those positions.
ABC’s Jake Tapper precipitated that comment by asking — without mentioning Wintour’s name — about the selection process behind appointing an ambassador to one of those countries.
Carney, recognizing the tendency of Tapper’s question, said he would not “engage in speculation” about personnel appointments.
“Miss Wintour, who donated tens of thousands of dollars to the Obama election campaign and helped raise another $500,000, is in line to top a shortlist being drawn up by President to replace outgoing ambassador Louis Susman,” according to the Daily Mail.
