CTV News is reporting that they know who the next American ambassador to Canada will be. David Wilkins is a close friend of the Bush family, a major fund-raiser for Dubya and is currently Republican Speaker of the House in South Carolina.
Wilkins himself is apparently playing it pretty close to the vest. Bush has previously considered him for ambassador to Chile and a federal judgeship and both times Wilkins has withdrawn his name. He's not saying much about this either but that could be because he's trying to work out who's going to take over his current position. There are four other Republicans who want the job and if they all go for it and split the GOP vote while the Dems stick together, South Carolina could end up with a Democratic Speaker.
So at least the Democrats would get something out of this.
Even if Wilkins is Bush's choice he still has to be confirmed. But with a battle looming on the choice of John Bolton to represent the U.S. at the U.N. and judicial nominations coming up soon after that, I don't imagine the federal Democrats are in much of a mood to fight over who the ambassador to Canada will be.
I haven't heard anything yet on how, um, outspoken Wilkins might be but since he's a long time speaker of a state legislature I'm figuring I should keep my ear plugs handy. Either that or put Bert back up on the sidebar.
This was also in the Toronto Star a couple of days ago. If you look at the article, this is the caption under Wilkins' picture.
"David Wilkins, left, is a major fundraiser for the Republican party and has close ties to the Bush family. There is little or nothing to indicate he has any expertise in Canada-U.S. relations."
You might as well go ahead and put Bert back up.
Was there ever a time when ambassadors were expected do be, you know, diplomatic?
*holds head in hands*