Names: Skipp Orr to the Asian Development Bank

Posted By Josh Rogin Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - 11:47 AM Share

Good news for all you Obama foreign-policy campaign mavens who haven't gotten called up to join the administration yet: there's still hope. President Obama nominated a top Asia foreign policy advisor for an ambassador-level job Monday evening.

Robert "Skipp" Orr, the former president of Boeing Japan and a former Hill and USAID staffer, was a major Obama fundraiser and foreign-policy advisor based in Asia during the campaign. Obama announced his intention to name him an executive director of the Asian Development Bank, headquartered in Manila.

Among Japan hands, Orr represents a Democratic-leaning group of experts and academics that saw the Obama presidency as an opportunity to shake loose the traditional hold over Asia policy held by a few prominent and well respected experts and former officials.

Back in 2008, other major Asia scholars were associated with other campaigns. Former NSC Senior Director Mike Green and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Randy Schriver were top McCain advisors. Kurt Campbell, who is now assistant secretary of state for East Asia, was a Hillary Clinton supporter and current NSC Senior Director for Asia Jeffrey Bader was a Bill Clinton-era Asia official.

After the election, Obama appointed the Clinton-era guys rather than his campaign confidants. Orr, as well as some other top campaign foreign-policy advisors, were left out as administration slots got filled one after the other. Other top Asia slots were assigned for other reasons. The prestigious position of ambassador to Japan went to California fundraiser John Roos, who is not an Asia expert. Obama gave the China ambassador position to former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, a Republican whom many saw as a potential 2012 rival.

Now 14 months into the Obama administration, the top diplomatic posts have been largely doled out. But some still remain and loyal campaign supporters can still get their due. In another example, Tony Lake was just appointed head of UNICEF, a position that doesn't require any Senate confirmation.

So don't lose hope, former Obama foreign-policy campaign advisors. And to President Obama, how about taking care of former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig and Senate Foreign Relations staffer Frank Jannuzi?