# Dear Americans. Get real diplomats **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 30, 2024, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989 "2024-11-30T21:09:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/21 "2024-12-01T00:05:19Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > Fucking Kushner as ambassador to France? I suspect that the French, who are known to be an emotional lot more concerned with their pride and dignity than with political pragmatism, may give this asshole a less than warm reception. They’ll go through the motions, but the idea will be to make him understand that they all fervently wish he would just discreetly fuck off. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/22 "2024-12-01T00:11:59Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I presume you’re saying the ambassador should represent the best interests of both countries, and ideally this will be the case. No. The say, US ambassador to Canada, represents the best interests of the US. Canada’s best interests are represented in the US by the Canadian ambassador. If the best interests are shared, that’s both good and serendipity. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/23 "2024-12-01T00:24:21Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > “The American people,” I assume. Or, maybe, just, “The United States.” Sure sounds like he means “us”, the people on the board he’s addressing. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/24 "2024-12-01T01:10:09Z")
I’m not Dear. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/25 "2024-12-01T01:15:02Z")
@Gatopescado …I’m not Dear… Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/26 "2024-12-01T01:22:36Z")
Just ask around. Too bad about your Huskers. That was my bad. I started watching the game and was rooting for them. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/27 "2024-12-01T01:48:26Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > started watching the game and was rooting for them. It was a pretty blah game, but your support is appreciated. I only got to watch the 2nd half, in time to watch us claw defeat from the jaws of victory. I see your team also ended up 6-6, so bowl eligible also . At least we’ll each get to watch one more game this season and won’t have to listen to “Fire da coach!” for the entire off season, no small thing. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/28 "2024-12-01T10:16:43Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Nobody here picked these doofuses, of course. That’s not correct. The plural is “doofi”. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/29 "2024-12-01T10:18:17Z")
Doofling, since they aren’t impressive enough to be a true Doofus. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/30 "2024-12-01T11:19:50Z")
The correct French plural is “doofaux”. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/31 "2024-12-01T12:19:04Z")
A common misconception; it’s from the Greek, so it’s “doofodes,” pronounce, doo-AH-fuh-deez. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/32 "2024-12-01T14:49:18Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > > [@The\_Librarian](#): > > > > Fucking Kushner as ambassador to France? > > You should be embarrassed. > > Way ahead of you. There are so many other things to be embarrassed about, it might take awhile before I get around to that one. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/33 "2024-12-01T14:49:19Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > I’m just rubbing it in. > > Fucking Kushner as ambassador to France? > You should be embarrassed. I’m not embarrassed. I’m glad he will be there instead of here fucking up the Jersey Shore. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/34 "2024-12-01T14:55:14Z")
They’ve already posted a _grande horizontale_ to the Paris Embassy in the shape of Pamela Harriman. Paris is a soft posting, as is the London one, whereas, say, Benghazi is probably something most of the political appointees would say, ‘thanks but no thanks’ to. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/35 "2024-12-11T15:11:48Z")
Just when you think they can’t get worse, Don Jr. plaything and former Faux News leg model Kim Guilfoyle was named ambassador to Greece. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/36 "2024-12-11T15:25:37Z")
That’s a real hot mess. Good thing she’s not going somewhere that actually matters to foreign policy, but I’m sure she’ll embarrass us, nonetheless. Having worked in the Foreign Service, I can tell you that the Americans at the post are banging their heads on their desks and calling their career path advisors to try and get short-toured out of there before she arrives. People like her are a nightmare for support personnel. Demanding, ego-driven, spoiled, and with no concept of what they can and cannot do with tax dollars. As weird and eccentric as career ambassadors can be, I’d take them any day over some wannabe like this dipshit. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/37 "2024-12-18T03:27:54Z")
If you think our ambassadors are bad, wait till you hear about our next president! ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/38 "2024-12-18T12:25:18Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > Benghazi Tripoli. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/39 "2024-12-18T17:01:01Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The actual diplomatic work is typically done by career diplomats. Yes. At least in recent years there haven’t been major problems (that I’m aware of) with ambassadors pissing off allies, like there was in 1938-40 when FDR’s ambassador to England, Joe Kennedy was a huge defeatist predicting the downfall of the British and lobbying against U.S. support. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989/40 "2024-12-18T17:54:31Z")
I feel like this little gem belongs here, too: > **[Trump nominates ex-NFL star Herschel Walker as ambassador to Bahamas](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/18/trump-herschel-walker-bahamas-ambassador)** > > Allegations emerged during Walker’s failed Senate campaign that he paid two ex-girlfriends to have abortions It _used to be_ ‘better in the Bahamas.’ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-americans-get-real-diplomats/1010989.md?page=3)