After the cast of NBC's Today gushed on Tuesday over President Obama's "very fashionable decision" 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 or watch the video after the jump]
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?
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.
