After the cast of NBC's Today gushed on Tuesday over President Obama's "very fashionable decision" [1]
to possibly appoint Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as an
ambassador, on Wednesday, regular panelists Donny Deutsch and Star Jones
scoffed at the idea, with Deutsch declaring: "I'm not quite sure somebody who edits a fashion magazine is qualified to be a liaison to one of our biggest allies." [Listen to the audio [2]]
While the morning show's supposed journalists touted the news and made a
joke out of ambassadorships being handed out to big Obama campaign
donors, Deutsch and Jones, reliable fans of the President, spoke out
against the notion. Deutsch took the cronyism to task:
...we very cavalierly accept that the big raisers, the big donor raisers, the people that raise money for presidents, get these ambassadorships. I mean, we complain a lot about the super-PACs and the people buying elections. Why, because someone raises money, should they be qualified to be an ambassador to another country? Nobody is raising their hands about Anna Wintour or anybody else. There's something wrong with this system.
Jones went so far as to reference the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens in Benghazi, Libya to stress the seriousness of the position:
I mean, the United Kingdom and France are huge allies for us, and I imagine that that position is extremely powerful, if you're going to send someone. We know with the ambassador that we lost this past year, that that position is extremely important and we don't want to give short shrift to any ambassador. Because they could be put in harms way. They're a diplomat.
Despite the valid points raised by Deutsch and Jones, co-host Savannah
Guthrie still dismissed such concerns: "Well, good, bad or indifferent,
it's a system that's been around for awhile....not all ambassadorships
are created equal. Being ambassador to Pakistan is different than being
ambassador to France. Does that change the analysis?"
Deutsch wrapped up the discussion by questioning Wintour's
qualifications: "I'm not quite sure somebody who edits a fashion
magazine is qualified to be a liaison to one of our biggest allies. I'm
not quite sure what she's done in her career to justify that....there's
such a blurring now between entertainment and politics, it's like,
'Anna Wintour, Ambassador to France.' I'm sorry, no thank you."
Here is a full transcript of the December 5 exchange:
8:38AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We are back at 8:38 with Today's Professionals, our
power players are here, they're back – they're assembled to tackle the
hot topics of the morning, if I could just get it out. Star Jones, Donny
Deutsch, and sitting in for Dr. Nancy this morning, Paula Deen. Perhaps
it's my excitement that you're here, Paula.
PAULA DEEN: Thank you, Savannah. I have to say, this is probably one of
my favorite segments on the Today show, except when I'm the topic.
[LAUGHTER]
GUTHRIE: Well, you know, you're in the clear. You only have to-
DEEN: I'm cleared today.
GUTHRIE: Yeah, you only have to opine this morning.
DEEN: Sitting next to these two brainiacs.
GUTHRIE: Careful the way you reach over to Donny.
STAR JONES: He's a big old flirt.
GUTHRIE: Yeah. Let's start with Anna the Ambassador. There was a report
out of Bloomberg that Anna Wintour, who is the editor-in-chief of Vogue
magazine, may be being considered by the White House to be ambassador
to either the UK or to France. The White House is denying the reports
and she denies it as well. But it may well happen. What is your – what's
your gut reaction? What do you think of this idea, good or bad, Donny?
DONNY
DEUTSCH: You know what's interesting? Anna Wintour aside, good or bad,
that we very cavalierly accept that the big raisers, the big donor
raisers, the people that raise money for presidents, get these
ambassadorships. I mean, we complain a lot about the super-PACs and the
people buying elections. Why, because someone raises money, should they
be qualified to be an ambassador to another country? Nobody is raising
their hands about Anna Wintour or anybody else. There's something wrong
with this system.
GUTHRIE: Well, good, bad or indifferent, it's a system that's been around for awhile.
DEUTSCH: Anna Wintour-
GUTHRIE: Not all ambassadors, but some ambassadors are fundraisers. What do you think, Paula?
DEEN: Right, right. You know, I think a lot of it has to do with the
person that's being asked to do it, whether they can step in and be
passionate about it.
STAR JONES: And also what place they're going to be sent to.
DEEN: Right.
JONES: I mean, the United Kingdom and France are huge allies for us,
and I imagine that that position is extremely powerful, if you're going
to send someone. We know with the ambassador that we lost this past
year, that that position is extremely important and we don't want to
give short shrift to any ambassador.
DEEN: Right.
JONES: Because they could be put in harms way. They're a diplomat.
DEUTSCH: I'm not quite – candidly, and I'll probably be black-listed
from everybody in the world, I'm not quite sure somebody who edits a
fashion magazine is qualified to be a liaison to one of our biggest
allies. I'm not quite sure what she's done in her career to justify
that.
GUTHRIE: Well, as Star mentions, not all ambassadorships are created
equal. Being ambassador to Pakistan is different than being ambassador
to France. Does that change the analysis?
DEUTSCH: No, I'm sorry, you're still an ambassador to one of the major
countries of the world. We've lost sight – there's such a blurring now
between entertainment and politics, it's like, "Anna Wintour,
Ambassador to France." I'm sorry, no thank you.
GUTHRIE: Well, Donny, that Vogue profile you were counting on...
JONES: You're out.
GUTHRIE: Not gonna happen.
DEUTSCH: Nothing personal.
JONES: That sexiest man alive, don't be waiting on it.