Anna Wintour and Barack Obama
by aleXsandro Palombo
President Barack Obama is considering nominating Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, as his next ambassador to either the U.K. or France as he looks to reward his biggest fundraisers with embassies never out of fashion, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Wintour, 63, may have some competition for the London posting; Matthew Barzun, finance chairman of Obama’s presidential campaign, also is interested in the job, officially known as ambassador to the Court of St. James’s, said the people, who requested anonymity when discussing possible personnel moves.
Both Wintour and Barzun were among Obama’s biggest bundlers of donations in the campaign, with each raising more than $500,000 to help re-elect the president. Marc Lasry, the managing partner and founder of Avenue Capital Management, also wants the Paris embassy, said the people.
As Obama considers how to reshape his national security team -- nominations for secretary of state and defense could be made as soon as this week -- he also will be tending to his political organization. In January, he will install Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz for another cycle as the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, according to a Democratic Party official. His fundraisers are preparing to solicit donations for his inauguration parties, which cost almost $45 million four years ago.
Wintour, born in the U.K. and now a U.S. citizen, is among Obama’s top 10 fundraisers, two of the people said. She co- hosted a $40,000-a-plate event in June at the New York City home of actress Sarah Jessica Parker. Then in August, she hosted a dinner that cost $35,800 per person at the Westport, Connecticut, home of movie executive Harvey Weinstein.
Megan Salt, a spokeswoman for Vogue, said Wintour isn’t interested in a diplomatic post. “She’s very happy with her current job,” Salt said. Advance Publications Inc. is the parent of Vogue publisher Conde Nast.
Asked today about the choice, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney declined to answer, saying only “I have no personnel announcements to make.”
Via Bloomberg
