Tapper to Carney: Has Obama seen The Devil Wears Prada?
posted at 2:01 pm on December 6, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
I admit, I haven’t paid much attention to the controversy over reports that Barack Obama might appoint Vogue editor Anna Wintour as US Ambassador to the UK or France. The primary qualification for ambassadorial posts in the US has traditionally been having enough checks in your checkbook and those of your friends. Regardless of whether a President has been Republican or Democrat, these posts have always been a payoff for deep-pocketed political support, and the heavy lifting of actual diplomacy has always fallen to careerists at State.
Still, one would think that having some sense of personal diplomacy might matter, especially for more important assignments like the Court of St. James. Wintour’s reputation as the antithesis of diplomat in her business and personal dealings has grown to legendary status, and was reportedly watered down a bit for the novel and film The Devil Wears Prada. The disconnect between the concepts of “diplomacy” and Anna “Nuclear” Wintour is so wide that Jake Tapper felt compelled to ask Jay Carney yesterday about the President’s cinematic habits:
In light of recent rumors that the administration is considering Anna Wintour for a diplomatic position, ABC White House reporter Jake Tapper has a very serious question for President Obama: Have you seen The Devil Wears Prada? …
Carney’s initial response was that he will “not engage in speculation about possible personnel announcements,” but that president is looking for “talent, wisdom and character in his appointees.”
Tapper than asked if it’s “important for a diplomat to be diplomatic.” Carney continued to avoid direct answers for another minute or so until Tapper popped the Devil Wears Prada question, eliciting laughter but no answer from Carney.
Wintour’s diplomacy was successful where it counted — on the campaign trail. Given her extensive work in the fashion industry and her familiarity with France, she might be a good fit for the post there … and I’ll let readers add their thoughts on the justice of that choice in the comments section.
Update: I changed “read” to “seen” in the headline to match Tapper’s question.
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OT
Schadenfreude on December 6, 2012 at 2:01 PM
Maxine Waters w/b a better pick.
Schadenfreude on December 6, 2012 at 2:02 PM
Eh, Wintour probably isn’t a lot different from the woman Obama has had to deal with since the day he said “I do.”
radjah shelduck on December 6, 2012 at 2:03 PM
We’ve already spit in the face of our once Greatest Ally enough the last 4 years…then again, doubt she could do any worse.
nextgen_repub on December 6, 2012 at 2:05 PM
Let him appoint whomever he wants. We have larger problems than trying to save the President from himself. It’s far more important that we try to save the nation from the President.
IndieDogg on December 6, 2012 at 2:07 PM
Why appoint her anything? She’s rich … just take all her money and dump her off in some shelter.
darwin on December 6, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Send her to France…they’ll love her.
CoffeeLover on December 6, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Style over substance. Isn’t that the calling card of this administration?
Meric1837 on December 6, 2012 at 2:09 PM
I think she would be a perfect fit for Libya.
JPeterman on December 6, 2012 at 2:10 PM
Pop her in France
See how the peasants live with 75% tax rates
cmsinaz on December 6, 2012 at 2:10 PM
As I say to all of these situations… I have worked and written in political satire for eight years… and I can’t even come up with a joke for a situation like this… truth is more bizarre than fiction.
I suppose “France Declares War on United States” might be a headline one day after this appointment.
Washington Fancy on December 6, 2012 at 2:10 PM
I doubt bho has the reading skills of one who would have read ‘Dick and Jane’? OK, I’m dating myself!
L
letget on December 6, 2012 at 2:12 PM
If it has to be big bundler, I would rather have Beyonce at the Court of St James. She would probably offend fewer people.
juliesa on December 6, 2012 at 2:12 PM
Both England and France know Obama is not serious about our relations with them.
Either one will accept such an appointment with a chuckle and move on.
Sad, but we are just not important anymore.
Jabberwock on December 6, 2012 at 2:13 PM
Obama: “I know the Devil. The Devil is a personal friend of mine. And let me tell you, Wintour is no Devil. B*tch on wheels, maybe. But no Devil.”
The Rogue Tomato on December 6, 2012 at 2:14 PM
Probably not. But I’m sure he’s seen the movie.
Better question for Carney: Has Obama read the Constitution of the United States of America?
steebo77 on December 6, 2012 at 2:14 PM
Gawd I love me some Jake Tapper. Too funny!
Scotsman on December 6, 2012 at 2:14 PM
At this point, Obama can follow Kaligula’s footsteps and nominate Bo to the Senate, and the pooch would win in a landslide if the state is anything but deep-red. And in four years, the state’s color won’t even matter. With that in mind, sending Wintour as an ambassador to a decadent European cesspool and having her confirmed is pretty much a given. Here’s to hope that European proles revolt in a year or two and she’ll get a chance to check the heavenly fashions.
Archivarix on December 6, 2012 at 2:15 PM
…or watched the soft-core version, The Devil Wears Nada?
:P
Ladysmith CulchaVulcha on December 6, 2012 at 2:19 PM
I am really hoping this happens, and David Cameron responds by appointing Victoria Beckham as ambassador to the U.S.
rockmom on December 6, 2012 at 2:27 PM
Obama only reads what is on his teleprompter.
VorDaj on December 6, 2012 at 2:27 PM
Obama already knows all the answers, so why should he read any old books, especially if they were writen by old honkies?
VorDaj on December 6, 2012 at 2:29 PM
I hear the Libyan Ambassadorship is vacant.
BKeyser on December 6, 2012 at 2:31 PM
And he can’t even master that, the destructive Dummy in Chief.
Schadenfreude on December 6, 2012 at 2:31 PM
The Google CEO will be Sec. of Surveillance.
Schadenfreude on December 6, 2012 at 2:32 PM
The Devil Reads Pravda
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 2:32 PM
Instant thread winner. God, I needed that laugh.
Archivarix on December 6, 2012 at 2:32 PM
“No, but we know who’s better today, Pravda”
Schadenfreude on December 6, 2012 at 2:33 PM
American Ambassador Idol
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 2:34 PM
How about ambassador to saudi arabia?
paulsur on December 6, 2012 at 2:34 PM
ROTFL! We could’ve had Adele. We could’ve had it ALLLLLLLLLL!
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 2:36 PM
Obamuh probably did see The Devil Wears Prada and that’s probably where he got the idea that she was arrogant, mean, flippant and condescending enough–you know, just like him–to be qualified for the post. Or, like his intelligence-challenged low information voting supporters, he confuses Prada with Pravda.
stukinIL4now on December 6, 2012 at 2:37 PM
The Europeans loooove them some Obama, so what could possibly go wrong? I say send her.
CJ on December 6, 2012 at 2:37 PM
Really, who cares? What happened to that chap, Ben Ghazi?
Just another shiny distraction courtesy of the media.
kim roy on December 6, 2012 at 2:39 PM
She can fluke right off .
EnglishRogue on December 6, 2012 at 2:40 PM
The Devil Likes In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
22044 on December 6, 2012 at 2:40 PM
O/T, this is just me, but this is funny!
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/06/texas-burglary-suspect-calls-11-on-homeowner-with-gun/
L
letget on December 6, 2012 at 2:43 PM
Big surprise that Obama would want to sic Wintour on England.
blink on December 6, 2012 at 2:48 PM
Shocking OT news:
Shocked I tells ya, shocked..
Where this great recovery Obama promised us?
Galt2009 on December 6, 2012 at 2:51 PM
The Court of St. James?
Does Her Majesty even know who/what Prada is?
It would be too funny.
Another Drew on December 6, 2012 at 2:53 PM
Didn’t the dems base part of their objections to John Bolton on allegations about how he treated those working under him.
agmartin on December 6, 2012 at 2:56 PM
call me xenophobic but to be an American ambassador you should be immersed in the American culture. someone who was born and raised in england and moved here in her late 20′s dont fit the bill. is she even an American citizen??
chasdal on December 6, 2012 at 3:01 PM
She’s gotta ditch that hideous wig before anything.
darwin on December 6, 2012 at 3:11 PM
I wonder who Obama will pick to be our next Ambassador to Libya.
steebo77 on December 6, 2012 at 3:16 PM
I don’t know, but if so, mostly on paper.
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 3:16 PM
she’s all yours, frogs….
ted c on December 6, 2012 at 3:18 PM
I don’t think that’s a wig. It’s a b!tch helmet fashioned out of her own hair.
steebo77 on December 6, 2012 at 3:18 PM
It’s been done before!
Luxembourg Redux
amazingmets on December 6, 2012 at 3:20 PM
This woman represents the typical liberal socialist hypocrite limousine liberal elite… Arrogant beyond belief, mean and nasty, despise ordinary people, but at the same time talks about helping those the poor with other people money…
mnjg on December 6, 2012 at 3:23 PM
France will declare war on the United States over this…
Washington Fancy on December 6, 2012 at 3:27 PM
“The president looks for talent, wisdom and character…”
Follow up question for Mr. Carey: And how then did you get a job?
AndrewsDad on December 6, 2012 at 3:30 PM
“Strike a pose!” Madge is already our de facto ambassador to the UK.
Christien on December 6, 2012 at 3:32 PM
I like better the idea that others have already proposed: Wintour to Syria.
apostic on December 6, 2012 at 3:51 PM
The System Is Broken
I support public financing and will work to make it viable
An Editorial by Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. USA Today, June 20, 2008.
IlikedAUH2O on December 6, 2012 at 3:51 PM
Racism, no…How about sexism?
From Michelle Malkin, 12/05/2012:
IlikedAUH2O on December 6, 2012 at 4:04 PM
I saw “The Devil Wears Prada” on my flight to Las Vegas for my honeymoon. I’m sure what I saw was a censored version for the plane, but it wasn’t terrible.
Wherever she ends up, I’m sure that the country will be well dressed.
ScoopPC11 on December 6, 2012 at 4:04 PM
So this is being tough on the pre pubescient punk carney…come on Tapper…the rest of the bozo media haven’t got the spine….ask some tough stuff….
crosshugger on December 6, 2012 at 5:54 PM
…let her run…in the streets of Cairo!
KOOLAID2 on December 6, 2012 at 7:06 PM
Pity the poor embassy staff that has her for ambassador.
polarglen on December 6, 2012 at 7:51 PM