THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

The United States needs an ambassador to Mexico. Unlike the usual political plum appointment, President Obama has nominated a very qualified woman for the position. The Senate committee has approved her choice and the Senate as a whole waits to vote their approval. Except for one little pissant Senator who used one of those rare visits to the Senate to put a hold on her nomination. Marco Rubio.

most accounts, Roberta Jacobson’s confirmation as U.S. ambassador to Mexico should have been a shoo-in.

Fluent in Spanish, expert in Latin American politics and skilled in cross-bordeteign service post six months ago.

After working on Latin American affairs for both Democratic and Republican administrations for three decades, Jacobson has broad bipartisan support in Congress.

Mexico expressed enthusiastic approval and prepared to welcome her to Mexico City. The Republican-led Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the nomination and sent it to the full Senate.

But the nomination is in limbo, hostage to GOP presidential candidate Marco Rubio’s staunch opposition to Obama's diplomatic opening with Cuba, which Jacobson helped negotiate as assistant secretary of State.

The hold-up means the United States has not had an ambassador in its third-biggest trading partner since August, when Ambassador Tony Wayne retired.

Mexico is an important export market for California and other states. It also is the permanent residence of approximately 1 million U.S. citizens, and 1.5 million visit on any given day, according to the State Department.

The two countries share a 2,000-mile border and are partners in numerous security agreements involving extradition, weapons trafficking and cross-border police training.

"The failure to complete her nomination sends a bad signal to our Mexican partners and all those Americans whose livelihoods and well being depend on maintaining a good and balanced relationship between neighbors," said Eric Olson, associate director of the Latin American program at the nonpartisan Wilson Center in Washington.

Rubio, a senator from Florida, placed a hold on Jacobson's nomination in October, a legislative maneuver that blocks a confirmation vote.

"We need an ambassador in Mexico City that has the trust of Congress for this important post," Rubio explained. "I do not believe that Ms. Jacobson is that person and will oppose her confirmation."

He cited several concerns, including the Obama administration's failure to seek timely extradition of notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman before he escaped from a Mexican prison in July.

But Rubio's sharpest knife was whetted on Cuba.

Little Marco does not like the normalizing of relations with Cuba. Much of his political base and presumably the money he spends so freely comes from the old Moustache Petes in the Miami Cuban community who will take the massive butt hurt of losing to Castro to their graves. And they want everyone to come with them so Little Marco dutifully takes his orders from them and the hold remains, preumably until Marco dies.