The Boi from Troy notes another case of Rep. Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) rising above the interminable partisan game-playing and selfishness that pollutes our democracy:
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice swore in California businessman Roland Arnall to the post of Ambassador of the Netherlands on Monday, February 27th.Roland Arnall takes on the position of Ambassador in a very important country to the US on the global war on terror. Bravo to the elder statesman, California Congressman Tom Lantos, who seems to keep getting it right after over 10 terms in Congress. Democrats, scorned at the fact that Arnall had switched his political contributions from Ds to Rs had tried putting the kibosh on the nomination, trying to link the man to the business practices of the company he founded decades ago. But one Democrat on the Hill stood out and in support of the nomination, even if it was not popular with his party: Tom Lantos.
Readers of this site and lovers of internet freedom in general know why we think Lantos is the Mantos.
Excuse me, but why should I or anyone else care about which empty suit is rewarded with an ambassadorship to a stylish European country? These are ceremonial positions, given almost exclusively to this donor or that donor. Big deal.
I’ll grant Lantos is a good man. (He’s also in the Progressive Caucus, which gets a lot of attention from freepers for being some sort of secret socialist coven in Congress.) Maybe he’ll support Bush on Dubai Ports. Nah.
People really looking to rise above “interminable partisan game-playing and selfishness that pollutes our democracy”, in journalism at least, should check out Richard Cohen’s column in support of Bush yesterday:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/27/AR2006022701041.html
Roger, the “Lantos is the Mantos” link opens up your e-mail.
Can I make a wild guess that the link was supposed to go to the Admiral Boorda comment?
Fixed. Thanks.
Actually, googling Mr. Arnall reveals that he is quite likely to be a real SOB:
http://www.clevescene.com/Issues/2005-10-19/news/feature.html
Oh, well, I’m sure His Excellency will rise to the challenge, and do at least as well as Shirley Temple did when she was ambassador to Czechoslovakia.
I’m sure Lantos’ support has nothing to do with the thousands of dollars in campaign contributions he’s received from Mr. Arnall, just as I’m sure running the country’s largest boiler room will be excellent preparation to be an ambassador.