Joe Biden Nominates Comcast’s David L. Cohen As Ambassador To Canada
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President Joe Biden nominated longtime Comcast executive David L. Cohen as his next ambassador to Canada.
Cohen’s selection was long expected. The senior adviser to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts backed Biden early in the presidential race, as he co-hosted the presidential candidate at his home for the campaign’s kickoff fundraiser in April, 2019.
Also tapped for an ambassadorship were Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the widow of Edward Kennedy, who was nominated for a posting in Austria, and attorney Jamie Harpootlian, for a posting in Slovenia.
Before his current post, Cohen was senior executive vice president at Comcast, serving as a key D.C. spokesperson for Comcast as it lobbied and sought government approval for various mergers, including the company’s acquisition of NBC Universal and an effort to purchase Time Warner Cable, which was abandoned amid regulatory opposition. Cohen’s portfolio also included areas such as corporate communications, legal affairs, government and regulatory affairs and public affairs, and he served as the company’s first chief diversity officer. He previously was chief of staff to Ed Rendell when he was mayor of Philadelphia.
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Earlier this month, Biden nominated Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to a posting in India.
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The ambassadorial nominations are awaiting Senate confirmation.
Biden already has selected nominees for some of the most highly prized ambassadorial postings that have traditionally gone to campaign donors and supporters. Earlier this month, he nominated Denise Bauer, a former ambassador to Belgium, for a posting in France and Monoco, while a number of outlets reported that he will nominate Jane Hartley for the UK. Hartley is a former ambassador to France and a former cable and broadcast executive. Another prominent Los Angeles figure, physician and UCLA professor Cynthia Telles, was nominated to be ambassador to Costa Rica.
Biden nominates tech exec, political adviser David Cohen as U.S. ambassador to Canada
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Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden has nominated David Cohen, a tech executive who once served as chief of staff to the mayor of Philadelphia, to be his ambassador to Canada.
Cohen, a lawyer, lobbyist and fundraiser who currently serves as a senior adviser to the head of U.S. communications giant Comcast, had long been pegged as the likely nominee.
In addition to a number of roles in a variety of Comcast departments, a White House biography says Cohen also served as the company’s chief diversity officer.
But he’s no stranger to political circles: in addition to serving as the company’s primary lobbyist, Cohen spent five years as chief of staff to Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell in the 1990s.
He also hosted the first fundraising event of Biden’s successful 2020 presidential election campaign.
In other long-awaited nominations, Biden also named Victoria Reggie Kennedy, a prominent D.C. lawyer and widow of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, to be his envoy to Austria, and Jamie Harpootlian to take up the post in Slovenia.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2021.
Biden nominates David Cohen as pick for ambassador to Canada
]
U.S. President Joe Biden has nominated David Cohen, a tech executive who once served as chief of staff to the mayor of Philadelphia, to be his ambassador to Canada.
Cohen, a lawyer, lobbyist and fundraiser who currently serves as a senior adviser to the head of U.S. communications giant Comcast, had long been pegged as the likely nominee.
In addition to a number of roles in a variety of Comcast departments, a White House biography says Cohen also served as the company’s chief diversity officer.
But he’s no stranger to political circles: in addition to serving as the company’s primary lobbyist, Cohen spent five years as chief of staff to Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell in the 1990s.
He also hosted the first fundraising event of Biden’s successful 2020 presidential election campaign.
In other long-awaited nominations, Biden also named Victoria Reggie Kennedy, a prominent D.C. lawyer and widow of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, to be his envoy to Austria, and Jamie Harpootlian to take up the post in Slovenia.