The White House said Friday that President Joe Biden has chosen Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to serve as ambassador to India, appointing a high-profile ally to one of the most challenging diplomatic jobs.
If verified, Garcetti will be shipped to India, which is dealing with a spike in coronavirus infections and fatalities.
Last year, Garcetti, who contemplated running for President in 2020 and subsequently became a member of Biden’s inner circle, emerged as a highly debated candidate to join Biden’s Cabinet. However, he dropped out of the race, claiming that the growing coronavirus epidemic made it difficult for him to withdraw.
However, despite a significant increase in government expenditure to combat the problem, Garcetti was overwhelmed by a homelessness crisis that became a national disgrace. Despite his early promise to make repairing roadways and sidewalks a priority of his administration, many remain cratered and disintegrating.
Biden is rewarding a loyalist by selecting Garcetti, who was one of his national campaign co-chairs, participated on the committee that screened his pool of vice-presidential candidates, and was one of the numerous co-chairs for Biden’s inauguration committee.
In a statement, Garcetti said the nomination gives him another chance to serve the public after 12 years in the Los Angeles City Council, six years as a Naval Reserve officer, and work as an associate professor of diplomacy and foreign affairs.
Bauer is a well-known Democratic fundraiser who previously served as ambassador to Belgium. During Biden’s previous presidential campaign, she was the executive director of Women for Biden. In President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign, she played a similar role.
Haas is presently acting assistant secretary of state and senior deputy assistant secretary for economic and business affairs at the State Department, where he has served in five geographical bureaus and as consul general in Mumbai.
In recent weeks, Biden has pushed up his ambassadorial selections.
Biden is also expected to appoint former State Department official Nicholas Burns as his ambassador to China, and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as his ambassador to Japan, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter.