Obama rewards fundraisers

President Barack Obama selected for ambassadorships in Europe two of his presidential campaign's biggest fundraisers.

Obama said he would nominate William Eacho to be ambassador to Austria.

Eacho raised more than US$500,000 ($777,000) for Obama's presidential run and he and his immediate family also donated US$226,000 to federal politics in 2007-08, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics.

Bruce Oreck, who raised more than US$500,000 for the Obama campaign and with his family gave US$202,000 to federal races, according to the centre, was chosen to be ambassador to Finland.

Obama has picked campaign fundraisers and donors for plum posts in Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Morocco, Belize, Canada, the Bahamas and South Africa.