That's the Best Reason He Could Come Up With?

I first heard this at the Brewers-Nats game from former Green Team staffers I was with last week.

It only took the Wisconsin media five days to catch up.

Glad to see that Sen. John Kerry once again shows things are more about revenge for losing in 2004 than anything.

Mark Green's nomination as ambassador to Tanzania appeared in jeopardy Friday because of opposition from Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

The senator has placed a "hold" on the nomination because Green is a political appointee, not a career Foreign Service officer, a Kerry aide said.

"There is no further action expected on this nomination," the aide said.

President Bush nominated Green for the post in early June.

It's within Bush's power to bypass the Senate and advance Green's nomination as a recess appointment, which he could do as early as August.

Green, 47, a Republican from Green Bay, served eight years in the House of Representatives, ending in January.

Last year, he made an unsuccessful bid for Wisconsin governor against incumbent Democrat Jim Doyle.

While in Congress, Green paid visits to Africa, and 20 years ago, he and his wife were volunteer teachers in Kenya.

As of April, there were 156 U.S. ambassadors, 65% of them career Foreign Service officers and 35% of them political appointees, the State Department said.

If approved, Green would replace the current ambassador, Michael Retzer, also a political appointee. Retzer took his oath of office in August 2005.

Yes Senator Kerry, and we're sure to know that every single one of your ambassadors wouldn't have been political appointments had you been elected President.

Right.

The reality is Kerry's been doing this to multiple Bush appointees since America rejected him. Most of them were either connected to groups that donated to Republicans (THE HORROR!!!), donated to the Swift Boat Vets, or served in some capacity during President Bush's re-election.

Mark Green was Wisconsin State Co-Chair of Bush-Cheney '04 with Scott Walker.

Ah well, the Recess swearing-in ceremony should still be a blast to attend.