Tag Archives: Rufus Gifford

Ambassador Rufus Gifford Sworn-in as Chief of Protocol of the United States

January 12, 2022 By in Ambassadors, Biden, Blinken, State Department Tags: , , , , ,

 

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Biden Deputy Campaign Manager Rufus Gifford to be @StateDept’s Chief of Protocol

June 4, 2021 By in Ambassadors, Biden, Nominations, Officially In, Political Appointees, State Department Tags: , , ,
13 Going on 14 — GFM: https://gofund.me/32671a27
On May 28, 2021, President Biden announced his intent to nominate his Deputy Campaign Manager and former US Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford to be the State Department’s Chief of Protocol with the rank of Ambassador during his tenure. The WH released the following brief bio:

Rufus Gifford, Nominee for Chief of Protocol, with the rank of Ambassador during his tenure of service, Department of State

Rufus Gifford is a private consultant who left his consultancy work to serve as Deputy Campaign Manager, Biden for President. Earlier, Gifford was the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark.  Prior to that, Gifford was the Finance Chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee in Washington, D.C., Finance Director, Obama for America, Chicago, Illinois, and Finance Director, Democratic National Committee, Washington, DC.  Earlier he was the California Finance Director, Presidential Inaugural Committee, for President Obama’s first inauguration and was a Political Consultant in Los Angeles, California.  Actively engaged as a civil society leader, Gifford has promoted and sponsored a variety of organizations including UTEC in Lowell, Massachusetts, The LGBT History Museum in New York, NY, Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C. and The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, MA. Gifford received a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in 1996. 

According to history.state.gov, the Department first established a Division of Protocol on Feb 4, 1928. All incumbents since 1961 have held the rank of Ambassador. The Protocol Office has been part of the Office of the Secretary of State since July 12, 1965. The Chief of Protocol serves as the protocol officer for the U.S. Government and advises the President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, and other high-ranking officials on this subject.
If confirmed, Ambassador Gifford would succeed Sean P. Lawler who served from 2017 until 2019. Lawler made news just prior to the G-20 summit in 2019 and left his post shortly after that according to news reports. The Chief of Protocol office has been a hot mess:

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An American Ambassador’s Charm Offensive Via a TV Reality Show

November 17, 2015 By in Ambassadors, Americans Abroad, EUR|Europe, Public Diplomacy, State Department, Technology and Work, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted: 3:54 am EDT
[twitter-follow screen_name=’Diplopundit’ ]

 

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[protected-iframe id=”aedcf8451c23eedc6e2103590baee12a-31973045-31356973″ info=”//player.cnevids.com/embedjs/51cc9fb8bb8f55bdfb000005/video/564654fe94c05f3159000012.js” ]

 

Excerpt via Vanity Fair:

Says Richard Stengel, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy & Public Affairs, “We give ambassadors great latitude and discretion in media engagements in their host countries. Ambassador Gifford has been one of the most creative in identifying novel and innovative ways to connect with his local audience to advance the image of the U.S. and our foreign policy goals.”

His accessibility hasn’t come without his critics: some commentators in Denmark have suggested that Gifford’s celebrity status has made the Danish press less critical of the nice American man from television. The show will end its run this month, though, with no plans for a third season. Gifford’s charm offensive will continue for another year, until the next president assigns a new ambassador to Denmark.

So what does life post posting look like? “I have no idea what we’ll do next,” he says. “I say ‘we’ because Stephen is a big part of the equation [since] he’s moved around the world for me. . . . If he wants to move to Kenya and go work on saving elephants, I’ll figure out what to do, because he deserves that time.”

Read in full here.

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US Embassy Denmark: A Wedding in Copenhagen

October 12, 2015 By in Ambassadors, Holidays and Celebrations, Living, Social Media, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , ,

Posted: 1:52 am EDT
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Congratulations and best wishes to U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford and Dr. Stephen DeVincent on their wedding at Copenhagen City Hall on October 10. A collection of tweets below with some photos:

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Round-up: American Ambassadors Presenting Their Credentials (Photos)

November 22, 2013 By in Ambassadors, Foreign Service, Round-Up, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

— By Domani Spero

The newly confirmed American ambassadors presented their credentials to each of their receiving states in the last couple of months. Below are just a few of the photographs that are available online.

U.S. Embassy Japan
Cred_kennedy2013

TOKYO, Japan (November 19, 2013) U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy arrived at the the Imperial Palace, where she presented her credentials to His Imperial Majesty Emperor Akihito.
[State Department photo by William Ng/Public Domain]
(click on photo to view Flickr slideshow)

U.S. Embassy United Kingdom
@MatthewBarzun Diplomacy is a balancing act, like wearing a top hat. Preparing for my #CredentialsCeremony

@MatthewBarzun
Diplomacy is a balancing act, like wearing a top hat. Preparing for my #CredentialsCeremony

U.S. Embassy Brazil
A embaixadora dos EUA no Brasil, Liliana Ayalde, apresentou hoje suas credenciais Ă  presidente do Brasil Dilma Rousseff. via US Embassy/FB

October 2013: A embaixadora dos EUA no Brasil, Liliana Ayalde, apresentou hoje suas credenciais Ă  presidente do Brasil Dilma Rousseff.
via US Embassy/FB

U.S. Embassy Germany
CRED_Emerson Germany 2013

S. E. den Botschafter der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika, Herrn John B. Emerson | 26. August 2013, Schloss Bellevue – © Bundespresseamt via US Embassy Berlin/Flickr (click on photo to view slideshow)

U.S. Embassy Italy
CRED_Italy Philips

October 2, 2013. L’Ambasciatore John R. Phillips ha presentato ieri le Lettere Credenziali al Presidente Giorgio Napolitano.
Con l’accettazione formale delle Credenziali, si conclude il processo di insediamento del nuovo Ambasciatore, iniziato con la nomina da parte del Presidente Obama lo scorso luglio. (via US Embassy Rome/FB)

U.S. Embassy Denmark
Ambassador Rufus Gifford received his credentials from H.M. Queen Margrethe II today at a ceremony at Amalienborg.

Ambassador Rufus Gifford received his credentials from H.M. Queen Margrethe II  (not in the photo) at a ceremony at Amalienborg. U.S. Embassy/FB Photo

U.S. Embassy South Africa
CRED_Ambassador-Gaspard-and-his-spouse

On October 16, 2013 Patrick H. Gaspard presented his credentials to President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria as the new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa. Photo of Ambassador Gaspard and his spouse Ms. Raina Washington at the credentialing ceremony. (US Embassy Photo)

U.S. Embassy to the Holy See
Via US Embassy/The Vatican

Via US Embassy/The Vatican

Ambassador Ken Hackett presented his credentials to Pope Francis at the Vatican in October 2013. More photos via US Embassy Vatican/FB.

Ambassador Ken Hackett presented his credentials to Pope Francis at the Vatican in October 2013. More photos via US Embassy Vatican/FB.

U.S. Embassy Spain
El Embajador James Costos presentó ayer sus cartas credenciales ante el Rey Don Juan Carlos. Este es el paso definitivo en su acreditación como Embajador de EEUU en España.

El Embajador James Costos presentó ayer sus cartas credenciales ante el Rey Don Juan Carlos. Este es el paso definitivo en su acreditación como Embajador de EEUU en España. US Embassy Madrid/FB

U.S. Embassy Australia
Ambassador Berry formally presented his credentials to the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Quentin Bryce AC CVO, who received them on behalf of the Queen.

Ambassador John Berry formally presented his credentials to the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Quentin Bryce AC CVO, who received them on behalf of the Queen – September 2013 Photo via US Embassy Canberra/FB

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State/IIP Introduces New American Ambassadors on YouTube – Pick Your Favorite Now!

September 17, 2013 By in Ambassadors, Foreign Service, FSOs, Political Appointees, Social Media, Trends, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

— By Domani Spero

The  State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) has rolled out several videos for its Ambassador Introduction Video Series on You Tube.  The videos are mostly in English (with one exception) or with some local language subtitles. The most viewed from this latest releases is the video of US Ambassador to Belgium Denise Bauer.  The only one in a foreign language (with an English version also available) is delivered unexpectedly not by a career diplomat but by non-career appointee Alexa Wesner, the new ambassador to Austria.  The most viewed in this series at 377,521 views is still the video introduction of the late Ambassador Chris Stevens originally published in May 2012 by america.gov and US Embassy Tripoli. A good number of these videos get less than a thousand views.

See Here Comes the Sun: U.S. Senate Confirms A Slew of New Ambassadors as It Runs Out the Door for the recent confirmations. We expect to see mored videos like these as the confirmed ambassadors start getting to posts.

AUSTRIA

U.S. Ambassador to Austria Alexa Wesner  

Deutsch Version – 6,254 views |   Meet U.S. Ambassador to Austria, Alexa Wesner English Version – 687 views

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Post … – Jun 27, 2013

BELGIUM

U.S. Ambassador to Kingdom of Belgium Denise Bauer 

Views: 34,261

Officially In: Denise Bauer — from Women for Obama to Belgium

DENMARK

U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford

Views: 9,974

Officially In: Rufus Gifford — From Obama for America to Denmark

ITALY

U.S. Ambassador to Italy John Philips

 English with Italian Subtitles – 105 views

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts | July 9, 2013

CHAD

U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Chad James Knight

Views – 94

Officially In: James Knight, from Iraq to Chad

LEBANON

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale

Views – 60

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts – June 21, 2013

BURKINA FASO

U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso Tulinabo Mushingi

Views – 41

Officially In: Tulinabo Mushingi, from S/ES to Burkina Faso

LAOS

U.S. Ambassador to Laos Dan Clune

Part Lao/Lao With English Subtitles – 25 views

Officially In: Dan Clune – From HR/BEX to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

UNITED KINGDOM

Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s Matthew Barzun

Views: 647

Special mention goes to the US Embassy in London for ditching the video formula and welcoming the new Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s, Matthew Barzun by looking back at some of the former Ambassadors to London in Position Filled at Grosvenor Square! Ambassador Barzun was previously the chief of mission at the US Embassy in Sweden duringPresident Obama’s first term in office.

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Officially In: Rufus Gifford — From Obama for America to Denmark

July 10, 2013 By in Ambassadors, Nominations, Obama, Officially In, Political Appointees Tags: , , , , , , ,

◉ By Domani Spero

On June 14, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Rufus Gifford as the next Ambassador to Denmark. The WH released the following brief bio:

Rufus Gifford most recently served as Finance Chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee.  He served as Finance Director for Obama for America from 2011 to 2012, and as Finance Director for the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011.  From 2008 to 2009, he was the California Finance Director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, after working as a political consultant in California from 2004 to 2008.  From 1998 to 2004, Mr. Gifford was Creative Executive for Davis Entertainment, an independent film company based in Los Angeles.  He is currently a Federal Club Member of the Human Rights Campaign and a Partner in Conservation for the World Wildlife Fund.

He received a B.A. from Brown University.

Denmark_Copenhagen_EXT1_944_1

US Embassy Copenhagen, Denmark
State Department Photo

Here is WaPo:

Gifford, an indefatigable — some beleaguered donors have said maybe too indefatigable — fundraiser, was the key person behind the campaign’s $1 billion war chest.

The longtime Democratic fundraiser and activist in the gay community would be the second openly gay ambassador named to a NATO ally. The first, James Hormel, served in the latter part of President Bill Clinton’s second term as ambassador to Luxembourg.

Gifford’s ex-partner Jeremy Bernard — also a formidable fundraiser and major Democratic pol — is the first man and the first openly gay person to be White House social secretary. Gifford and Bernard, who remain good friends, had been called one of Washington’s top “power couples.”

If confirmed, Mr. Gifford would succeed Washington lawyer Laurie Susan Fulton who was appointed into office in May 2009 and departed post in February 2013.  Senior Foreign Service Officer Stephen Alan Cristina is currently Charge d’Affaires a.i.  Of the last 19 ambassadors appointed as chief of mission to Denmark since 1960, 17 or 89.5% had been political appointees.

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