Amy Klobuchar: “There are just a few quotes from people who are not in politics at all. ``There's a crisis in a relationship between our…”

“There are just a few quotes from people who are not in politics at all. ``There's a crisis in a relationship between our two countries,'' said Bruce Karstadt, president and CEO of the Minneapolis-based American Swedish Institute. ``I don't really quite understand that any statement is being made other than we're ignoring you.'' I will give another example. Leif Trana, a Minister Counselor at the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, pointed out that his country just committed to 52 fighter jets. I believe each one is over $200 million. Norway is purchasing these jets from Lockheed Martin, a U.S. company, and all of them are going to be made in a Lockheed Martin plant in the State of Texas. Imagine how many jobs this provides and that we would consider not sending an ambassador to a country that not only sees us as an ally--and is allied, by the way, in our issues we have in our conflict with Russia. The Minister Counselor at the Norwegian Embassy goes on to say: Norwegians have long had a great affinity for the United States. After the E.U., this is our place where most Norwegians travel to and study. This is the last quote I will give you from this article today: Jon Pederson, board chairman of the Minneapolis-based Norway House, said it's shameful to play politics with the ambassador posts. ``This position is important,'' Pederson said. ``Left unfilled like this is a slap in the face to Norway.'' Let's go through what has been going on--853 days in the case of Norway.…”