President Obama campaigned on “Change” in Washington that would reject the cynicism, partisanship and the political gamesmanship that have long dominated the town.

Those naive enough to believe that Obama actually intends to be 100% pure and in any case would actually achieve his declared objective ran to the polls in enthusiasm. Even with the best of intentions, Obama was going to have to play some level of hardball politics that would compromise his idealized political rhetoric.

While seeking to undercut Republican opposition by, say, smearing aligned and independent political groups such as the Chamber of Commerce may be understood as the necessary means to achieve Obama’s goals - and then excused by his supporters who declare that lofty goals sometimes require unsavory tools. Engaging in other forms of Washingtonian games is not so easily rationalized.

There are somethings that Obama may not be able to avoid doing if he wants to achieve legislative success, but Obama has gone beyond those parameters and embraced old political tricks that he scorned not long ago.

One of the most established and publicly criticized arts in Washington is the act of rewarding wealthy political donors with ambassadorships. Liberals claim that such a reward-for-donation scheme is an indictment against the role of money in the political process. It is at best unethical and at worst a blatant violation of the public official’s fiduciary responsibilities.

Presumably Obama would concur since he relied against the elite use of politics for private gains, and few things would demonstrate this more than the ability of wealthy American to buy the honorary title of ambassador.

But, of course, Obama has political rhetoric and then he has his interests. The one-year-in president swore off the endless campaign whereby new president continually go off looking for reelection while serving in office, but Obama is doing just that. Since taking office he has attended several fund-raising events and accumulated millions.

As he has not shied away from rewarding generous donors. The idealized Obama would only appoint career diplomats as ambassadors. How has Obama fared?:

He may have promised to change Washington, but President Barack Obama is continuing one of its most renowned patronage traditions: bestowing prized ambassadorships on big donors. Of the nearly 80 ambassadorship nominations or confirmations since Obama’s Inauguration, 56 percent were given to political appointees and 44 percent have gone to career diplomats, according to records kept by the American Foreign Service Association.

This is the “change” candidate? Do not be surprised if he starts having sleepovers at the White House for a $1million-a-pop.