Among the Ambassadors of the Age of Aquarius: an old college roommate, the head of an entertainment company, and a lawyer who sold vacuum cleaners

So, tell us, BHO (aka A-New-Age-Is-Dawning Man): What happened to hope and change and a new climate with a new way of thinking in Washington?

The White House, unaware of historic norms, had been on track to give more than the usual 30 percent of ambassadorial jobs to political appointees until objections from career diplomats forced it to reconsider, administration officials say.

…Mr. Obama has been criticized in recent weeks for continuing the tradition of handing out ambassadorships to major campaign donors with no experience in foreign affairs.

The Washington Times reported Tuesday that an old college roommate, the head of an entertainment production company and a lawyer whose family made its money selling vacuum cleaners are among more than a dozen people who have been given ambassadorships after raising a total of at least $4 million for Mr. Obama's campaign, according to public records.

…Mr. Obama ran on a pledge to emphasize diplomacy and transparency but appeared to be well on his way to inflating the number of political appointees as ambassadors until the Foreign Service intervened.

…[A] senior administration official … noted that those who expected jobs but will not get them now should not be too concerned, because the administration "will need talent later."