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Matthew Barzun: why is he Obama's favourite for the UK ambassadorship? | Matthew Barzun: why is he Obama's favourite for the UK ambassadorship? |
(4 months later) | |
Age: 42. | Age: 42. |
Appearance: potato with hair. | Appearance: potato with hair. |
Occupation: likely new American ambassador to the UK. | Occupation: likely new American ambassador to the UK. |
A diplomat then? Don't be so naive. The ambassadorship to the Court of St James never goes to a career diplomat; it's given to a chum of the president for services rendered. | A diplomat then? Don't be so naive. The ambassadorship to the Court of St James never goes to a career diplomat; it's given to a chum of the president for services rendered. |
What services has Barzun rendered? A spot of high-level surveillance perhaps? How very topical, but sadly not. It's all about money. The ambassadorship to the UK is the president's plum appointment, coming as it does with a mansion and 12 acres in Regent's Park. It usually goes to the person who raised the most dosh in the election campaign. | What services has Barzun rendered? A spot of high-level surveillance perhaps? How very topical, but sadly not. It's all about money. The ambassadorship to the UK is the president's plum appointment, coming as it does with a mansion and 12 acres in Regent's Park. It usually goes to the person who raised the most dosh in the election campaign. |
How much did Barzun raise? As national finance chairman for Obama's 2012 campaign, he hauled in $700m. He was also a key Democratic figure in 2008, and is credited with building Obama's crucial network of citizen fundraisers. He got the ambassadorship to Sweden as a reward for his work in 2008, but this time has really hit the jackpot. | How much did Barzun raise? As national finance chairman for Obama's 2012 campaign, he hauled in $700m. He was also a key Democratic figure in 2008, and is credited with building Obama's crucial network of citizen fundraisers. He got the ambassadorship to Sweden as a reward for his work in 2008, but this time has really hit the jackpot. |
He's rich in his own right, presumably? Loaded. He's from a wealthy family that traces its New England lineage back to Puritan John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts; made a packet as chief strategy officer of technology reviews website CNET; and is married to Brooke Lee Brown, whose family own the company that makes Jack Daniel's. | He's rich in his own right, presumably? Loaded. He's from a wealthy family that traces its New England lineage back to Puritan John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts; made a packet as chief strategy officer of technology reviews website CNET; and is married to Brooke Lee Brown, whose family own the company that makes Jack Daniel's. |
Wasn't Anna Wintour tipped for the London job? A media fantasy – her financial pulling power was tiny compared with Barzun's. | Wasn't Anna Wintour tipped for the London job? A media fantasy – her financial pulling power was tiny compared with Barzun's. |
Is it a good idea for diplomatic posts to be decided by patronage? Critics increasingly think not. About a third of ambassadorships go to the president's backers, including many of the most desirable European capitals, but several of Obama's first-term ambassadors came unstuck and had to be recalled because of poor management skills. | Is it a good idea for diplomatic posts to be decided by patronage? Critics increasingly think not. About a third of ambassadorships go to the president's backers, including many of the most desirable European capitals, but several of Obama's first-term ambassadors came unstuck and had to be recalled because of poor management skills. |
Who gets the other two-thirds? Career diplomats, who enjoy the delights of Albania, Burundi, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. | Who gets the other two-thirds? Career diplomats, who enjoy the delights of Albania, Burundi, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
What about the rest of the alphabet? As you will notice we're getting close to the bottom of the column. | What about the rest of the alphabet? As you will notice we're getting close to the bottom of the column. |
So will Wintour get a job? There's always fashionable Ouagadougou. | So will Wintour get a job? There's always fashionable Ouagadougou. |
Not to be confused with: Polymath Jacques Barzun, his grandfather. | Not to be confused with: Polymath Jacques Barzun, his grandfather. |
Do say: "Welcome to England, Your Excellency. | Do say: "Welcome to England, Your Excellency. |
Don't say: "Lend us a tenner." | Don't say: "Lend us a tenner." |
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