But he was robbed! He ended up as chairman of the federal student loan board instead:
A big Republican donor goes to his governor and senator, saying he was told by President Bush (news - web sites)'s chief fund-raiser he'd be getting a plum ambassadorial appointment but it wasn't delivered. The senator takes his case right to the top of the White House.
Nothing happens for two years.
The donor then helps stage a fund-raiser for Bush. A week later, the donor lands an appointment as the chairman of the federal board overseeing billions of dollars of student loans.
No big, happens all the time, right?
The difference is, Acklie put it in writing and named names.
Acklie named names -- including chief fund-raiser Jack Oliver -- and committed to writing one of the unwritten rules of politics: Presidents for years have rewarded big donors with plum ambassadorships.
"My only interest, if I am going to serve, would be in serving as an ambassador or in a position involving trade," Acklie wrote in a May 2001 "Dear Mike" letter to then-Gov. Johanns. The letter was contained in the official gubernatorial correspondence obtained by The Associated Press under Nebraska's open records law.
It's good to see the AP going after this kind of story, at least.