Ambassador at Large and United States Coordinator for Refugee Affairs Nomination of Victor Palmieri.
The President has asked me to say on his behalf that he intends to nominate Victor Palmieri as Ambassador at Large, with special responsibilities for coordinating refugee affairs. Mr. Palmieri is one of the best managers in this country. He has made his reputation by solving large-scale, complicated problems in major organizational situations.
The President has selected him for this very important post, because the job of saving literally hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people, requires the best managerial skills that this Nation has to offer. Mr. Palmieri will have the President's full support in mobilizing every available resource of the Government and the private sector. Mr. Palmieri will be working closely with the First Lady, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of this office.
Note: Press Secretary Jody Powell made the announcement at 11:32 a.m. to reporters assembled in the Briefing Room at the White House.
Following the announcement, the First Lady and Mr. Palmieri made brief remarks. Matthew Nimetz, Acting Coordinator for Refugee Affairs, Department of State, Ambassador Henry D. Owen, Special Representative of the President for International Economic Summits, and Lincoln Bloomfield, of the National Security Council staff, then answered reporters' questions. The press release also includes a transcript of those remarks and the question-and-answer session.
Jimmy Carter, Ambassador at Large and United States Coordinator for Refugee Affairs Nomination of Victor Palmieri. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/249320
