His term expiring, Garcetti pushes hard for job as ambassador to India
(Fortune Magazine) — The one-term mayor of Los Angeles wants to move into the nation’s diplomatic corps. But does he have the necessary experience to navigate the world’s most complex relationships and help make sure that America has the right people in the right places?
Garcetti is on the short list for the nation’s next ambassador, and he has been pressing hard for the job. “He is going to be a hard-working member of the diplomatic community, but he’s also going to be a person who will be able to build bridges,” said a senior administration official. “He has a real affinity for America, and that could be an important part of his contribution to our image abroad.”
Garcetti’s ambitions extend from his longtime job as a lawyer, his early years as a community activist and his years as an activist for gay rights as city attorney, when he fought the city’s ban on same-sex marriage. He has since campaigned for marriage equality, and now leads a coalition called “For Our Future” that is pushing for a measure to legalize gay marriage in California.
His campaign for the Indian trade job has picked up, as he has pressed to become the lead candidate to lead the trade mission. “I would be working closely with the US Trade Representative; I would be working closely with the secretary of commerce. The only thing I want to do is help make sure that the US is respected and given the respect of people in other countries,” he told Fortune in a recent interview. “We want to make sure that we have people who understand the value of America and people who understand the value of a fair, level playing field within the market.”
“His credentials are impressive,” said Mark MacDougald, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy. “He is well-respected and well-liked by many political leaders and civil society leaders, including some who were critical of his past actions. He will be a useful diplomat because of his global experience. He’ll be able to handle these issues, and he’ll be able to understand the value of diplomacy.”
Garcetti’s biggest challenge has been convincing the powers that be that he might be able to make a difference, and perhaps get
