What Message Will Obama Send to Turkey?

Turkey slides toward radicalization. And Barack Obama nominates for ambassador to Turkey Francis J. Ricciardone Jr., a career diplomat with a proven track record of being weak on democracy and human rights. Josh Rogin explains what's going on:

The nomination fight over Ricciardone will likely become a debate over how best to approach Turkey during this delicate stage. For those who want to use the stick, he's destined to be the wrong choice. For those who thinks carrots are preferable, Ricciardone's extensive knowledge, fluent Turkish, and reputation for getting heavily involved in public diplomacy make him the perfect selection.

As AEI's Danielle Pletka tells Rogin, "Now is not the time for us to have an ambassador in Ankara who is more interested in serving the interests of the local autocrats and less interested in serving the interests of his own administration." So, what message will Obama send to Turkey?