Ambassador Bobby V?

[Valadius]

Reports indicate that Bobby Valentine is on the short list to be named United States Ambassador to Japan.

[Frayed Knot]

As mockable as some of Trump's picks are going to be, it's not like Ambassador jobs haven't often been handed out to various public figures short on connections to diplomacy but with plenty of connections to those with connections. Being a Kennedy, or at least related to one, was always a good path while Clinton was occasionally given to streamlining the process by simply auctioning off various posts to the highest bidder.

In this case I'd bet that BV's at least somewhat passable command of the language puts him well ahead of most of the previous dozen or so ambassadors to Japan while his occasional penchant for pissing people off may actually be less than your typical diplomat.


IOW ... Why the hell not!

[Lefty Specialist]

Because we're officially through the farking looking glass now anyway, there are worse choices.

Surprised he'd give up his guest analyst spot on SNY for this, though.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Does he have to give it up? President Trump will still be executive producing the Celebrity Apprentice. Why should a political job get in the way of your television responsibilities?

[seawolf17]

This would literally be the only thing he's done that makes any sense.

And it only BARELY makes any sense.

[Guest themetfairy]

I think he'd actually be a good choice for the position.

Hey, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Just by chance Trump is going to make one or two not awful decisions every so often.

[Edgy MD]

Looking backwards at US Ambassadors to Japan:

[list:2vmm5hz0][*:2vmm5hz0]Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, 2013–present — doesn't speak Japanese.[/*:m:2vmm5hz0]
[*:2vmm5hz0]John Roos, 2009–2013 — did not speak Japanese.[/*:m:2vmm5hz0]
[*:2vmm5hz0]Tom Schieffer, 2009–2013 — did not speak Japanese.[/*:m:2vmm5hz0]
[*:2vmm5hz0]Howard Baker, 2001–2005 — unclear.[/*:m:2vmm5hz0][/list:u:2vmm5hz0]

[nymr83]

FK hit the nail on the head - the criticism of Trump for things that everyone else does too is absurd and masks the warranted criticism of the things he really shouldn't do.

yay for Bobby V, hope its true!

[Centerfield]

seawolf17 wrote: This would literally be the only thing he's done that makes any sense. And it only BARELY makes any sense.

This. Lol.

[Frayed Knot]

Looking backwards at US Ambassadors to Japan: Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, 2013–present — doesn't speak Japanese.

Ahh yes, as I recall that was her fall-back position after her previous campaign for getting appointed to the U.S. Senate (actually running for the job was going to be far too much trouble) didn't go as well as she hoped.

[Edgy MD]

If the US recalled Valentine, would he still be spotted in a doorway in a far corner of the embassy press room wearing glasses and a fake mustache?

[Lefty Specialist]

Can he take Steve Phillips with him?

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Edgy MD wrote: If the US recalled Valentine, would he still be spotted in a doorway in a far corner of the embassy press room wearing glasses and a fake mustache?

Bad ass!

Good for Bobby V. I hope this works out.

[Valadius]

Should this come to pass, he would have to be confirmed by the Senate. There would be a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I'm wondering how he's going to be able to answer complex foreign policy questions about things like the South China Sea and the threat of North Korea.

He'd also likely come to my office to meet with my boss at some point.

[Guest themetfairy]

Valadius wrote: Should this come to pass, he would have to be confirmed by the Senate. There would be a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I'm wondering how he's going to be able to answer complex foreign policy questions about things like the South China Sea and the threat of North Korea.

My guess is that he'd do better than the average potential ambassador.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Maybe they'll ask him about the double switch.

[Frayed Knot]

Valadius wrote: Should this come to pass, he would have to be confirmed by the Senate. There would be a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I'm wondering how he's going to be able to answer complex foreign policy questions ...

Like whether the salad fork should go on the outside or the inside?


btw, Bobby V and current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- both USC men!!, although Bobby is four years older so they probably weren't at the same frat parties.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Anyone get the tweet that if Vee can be an ambassador Joe Torre should
be the Ambassador to Italy?

[Edgy MD]

Ambassador to the Court of St. James: Art Howe.

[A Boy Named Seo]

So it's safe to assume that BV musta been a pretty ardent Trump backer.

[Lefty Specialist]

Valadius wrote: Should this come to pass, he would have to be confirmed by the Senate. There would be a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I'm wondering how he's going to be able to answer complex foreign policy questions about things like the South China Sea and the threat of North Korea. He'd also likely come to my office to meet with my boss at some point.

Bobby's a smart guy. I'm betting that he'd be a lot more on point in any hearing than a lot of other nominees will be. He dealt with the New York beat writers for 6 years, a couple of Senators will be a cakewalk by comparison.

lol at the double switch.

[Guest Mets Willets Point]

Caroline Bouvier Kennedy is much more popular at Fenway Park than Bobby Valentine.

[G-Fafif]

President-elect went on record in 2004 against a certain type of Japanese import.

When Donald Trump appeared on a sponsored segment of ESPN's ''SportsCenter'' on June 30, Matsui was hitting .254, appearing anemic at the plate, committing errors at a rapid rate. He was the easiest target imaginable. The host, Dan Patrick, asked Trump to name the athlete or manager he would most like to fire. Trump stalled for a moment, tried to give a diplomatic answer, then could not help but fire away. ''I would certainly say Kaz Matsui of the Mets has been a bust,'' he said. ''There's no doubt about that.''

Meanwhile, of the many qualities I'd attribute to the prospective ambassador, diplomacy wouldn't be the first to leap to mind.

"You're not dealing with real professionals in the clubhouse," Valentine says. "You're not dealing with real intelligent guys for the most part. A lot can swim, but most of them just float along, looking for something to hold on to. That's why, I'm sure, they're having a players-only meeting. Because there's about five guys in there right now who basically are losers, who are seeing if they can recruit. They actually think there's some accomplishment and some reward in being the BMOC. They don't know that, looking back at it five years from now, that will mean nothing."

[Frayed Knot]

Mets Willets Point wrote: Caroline Bouvier Kennedy is much more popular at Fenway Park than Bobby Valentine.

You mean to say that no one in Fenway is singing songs with interjected lines like "So Good, So Good, So Good" with Bobby in mind?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Given his need to be the smartest guy in the room, I worry about his forbearance with state secrets. I mean, can he be trusted to keep our classified bar-menu information under wraps?