The Wall Street Journal

Biden to nominate Comcast executive David Cohen as U.S. ambassador to Canada

Published: July 21, 2021 at 5:13 p.m. ET

By

Ken Thomas

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Biden also to nominate Victoria Reggie Kennedy, attorney and widow of late Sen. Edward Kennedy, to Austrian post

Comcast executive David Cohen has deep political ties to President Biden.

Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit

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WASHINGTON — President Biden plans to nominate David L. Cohen, an executive with Comcast Corp. CMCSA, +1.28%, to serve as U.S. ambassador to Canada, and Victoria Reggie Kennedy, an attorney and the widow of the late Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, to serve as the top U.S. diplomat to Austria.

A third nominee announced Wednesday, Jamie Harpootlian, a Columbia, S.C., attorney, is slated to serve as U.S. ambassador to Slovenia. Mrs. Harpootlian is the wife of state Sen. Richard Harpootlian, a top South Carolina political ally and fundraiser for Mr. Biden.

The other two nominees also have deep ties to the president.

Mr. Cohen, a senior adviser to Comcast Chief Executive Brian Roberts, hosted Mr. Biden’s first 2020 campaign fundraiser at his Philadelphia home in April 2019. A longtime Philadelphia business executive and attorney, Mr. Cohen previously served as chief of staff to then-Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell. Mr. Rendell later served as Pennsylvania governor.

An expanded version of this article appears on WSJ.com.

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