Embassy Row

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By James Morrison

FORCE OF HABIT

President Obama, who promised to break with the tradition of naming top campaign supporters as ambassadors, is so far following the trend set by his predecessors who rewarded their blue-chip backers with jobs in London, Paris or other cushy diplomatic posts.

The Center for Responsive Politics has identified 19 political appointees so far, although two are Republicans. Most of them contributed exclusively to Democratic candidates and many to Mr. Obama's presidential campaign and inauguration.

"U.S. presidents have long rewarded campaign donors, fund-raisers and other loyalists with ambassadorships, and Democratic President Barack Obama seems to be no exception," the center said.

Mr. Obama nominated Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. of Utah to serve as ambassador to China and Daniel M. Rooney, a longtime Republican who endorsed Mr. Obama, as ambassador to Ireland. The others are Democrats, some of whom raised huge sums from several donors through a political technique known as bundling. Others made only modest personal contributions.

The center identified the political supporters and their donations as follows:

• Nicole Avant, a business executive nominated for the Bahamas who bundled about $500,000.

• Donald Beyer, a former lieutenant governor of Virginia nominated for Switzerland who bundled at least $500,000.

• Ivo Daadler, a foreign-policy expert nominated to NATO who donated $1,000.

• Miguel H. Diaz, a theology professor nominated for the Vatican who donated $1,000.