Should the Senate Confirm Emanuel and Burns?

The editors of the Wall Street Journal urge the Senate to confirm the appointments of Rahm Emanuel and Nicholas Burns to be the U. S. ambassadors to Japan and China, respectively:

Japan’s new Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, is eyeing a boost in defense spending. A prompt confirmation of Mr. Emanuel will accelerate cooperation and send a message to China about the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance.

The Senate could also help by confirming the next U.S. ambassador to China—a position that has been vacant since October 2020. Mr. Biden has nominated Nicholas Burns, a seasoned foreign-policy establishment figure.

and, complaining about the “parochial interests” that are blocking Mr. Emanuel’s confirmation:

Mr. Emanuel, President Biden’s pick, is opposed by two progressive Democrats, Ed Markey and Jeff Merkley, who cited a police homicide that took place when Mr. Emanuel was mayor. GOP partisanship could also work against Mr. Emanuel.

But great-power politics hasn’t slowed down to accommodate the parochial interests of U.S. Senators. Japan’s significance to Asia’s security has surged since 2019 as China escalates its military threats against Taiwan. In the months since Mr. Biden’s election, Japanese officials have declared that an attack on Taiwan is a direct threat to Japan’s security. There’s anxiety in Tokyo about America’s resolve—and who can blame them if the U.S. can’t even send an ambassador to the country?

It probably doesn’t help that Mayor Emanuel is an obnoxious shmuck who may have alienated quite a number of people in Washington. I question whether Rahm has the temperament, credentials, or experience to do an effective job as our ambassador to Japan but I do think that we should give President Biden the benefit of the doubt and confirm his appointees to their posts.