Washington D.C., Jul 22, 2009 / 15:12 pm
Dr. Miguel Diaz, President Obama's nominee to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, spoke at his confirmation hearing this morning in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In his remarks, Diaz pledged to "embrace President Obama and Secretary Clinton's diplomatic vision of leading through active listening and learning from others to seek common ground."
Before delivering his remarks, Diaz was introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who described him as "a faithful Catholic...a gifted theologian...a respected scholar...a natural teacher...and a dedicated bridge-builder." According to the Minnesota Post, Klobuchar added, "He knows and loves America, and he knows and loves the Catholic Church."
After a second introduction by freshman Senator Al Franken, Diaz began his testimony by saying, "As a Cuban American, my identity has been shaped by two cultures. I strongly believe that this has made me more open to others." Drawing on this experience, he said he would use it to "build bridges between different communities on behalf of our country."
Diaz, who has worked in the academic world for years, also pointed out that his experience is "not limited to the realm of books... and the classroom."