There is considerable excitement in Indian diplomatic circles on the nomination of the next U.S. Ambassador. Six months after President Joe Biden assumed office, the White House announced that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will be the next occupant at Roosevelt House in New Delhi.
Support from the President
Mr. Garcetti is a political pick of Mr. Biden and endorsed him during his run for the top political post. The nomination is also seen as support from the Biden camp to Mr. Garcetti after some high-profile controversy in the Mayor’s office last year.
Mr. Biden is unhurried in making diplomatic appointments. The first set came in April. The latest announcement reflects the U.S.’s priorities as Washington prepares to host this September the first in-person summit meeting of the leaders of Quad.
While making public his acceptance of the nomination, the Ambassador-select promised to bring the same energy to the office that he demonstrated as an activist, teacher, a naval officer and a public servant. “And should I be confirmed, I’ll bring this same energy, commitment, and love for this city to my new role and will forge partnerships and connections that will help Los Angeles,” Mr. Garcetti tweeted.
People familiar with the workings of the administration in Washington suggest that Mr. Garcetti enjoys a strong backing from the Vice-President too. He served on the panel appointed by the Biden team to select the candidate for vice-presidency.
Considering the wide spectrum of interactions among the many sectors of New Delhi and Washington and the number of professionals engaged in conversations, his appointment should be looked at from the prism of both how things work inside the Beltway in Washington, D.C. and a reflection of politics of the West Coast, especially California.
As a number of Indian-Americans have been appointed in the Biden administration, a few aspirants with strong India connections will be disappointed. Reports say that a few with India Caucus on the House side also threw their hat in the ring. On this count, Mr. Garcetti’s dealing with India or previous interactions would appear thin. The choice of the new envoy to India, who has a sprinkling of Hindi vocabulary in his lexicon, should open up the conversation.
Since the announcement, a quick observation of posts by the denizens of Los Angeles on social media on Mr. Garcetti shows that they are unflattering, but then such is the nature of politics. Mr. Garcetti served in the city council for two decades including the last eight years as the Mayor.
Yet, from the standpoint of India, what is important is that Mr. Garcetti can pick up the phone and talk to the President and the Vice-President when required to move the pieces to provide momentum to the bilateral ‘global strategic partnership’.
Process of selection
The formalisation of his appointment awaits confirmation by the Senate, a requirement under the U.S. Constitution that states the President “shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers…”.
The confirmation process can take a few weeks after the President sends the list of names up the Capitol Hill. There is a growing practice to scrutinise names, with Committees examining the qualifications, policy preferences and independence of the nominees, and at times even seeking information on their health and financial assets.
The confirmation process has been debated over the years. Some political commentators hold a poor view of it while the legendary Senator, Robert C. Byrd, from West Virginia, defended it saying that if the Senate “rushes through a nomination without adequate investigation, it is accused of ‘consent without advice, or being half-rubber, half-stamp”. Taking part in proceedings in 1987, he remarked that the Senate would do disservice to a president by rushing any nomination. The process as mandated continues uninterrupted.
K.V. Prasad is a senior journalist and a former American Political Science Association Fellow with the U.S. Congress