Hillary
By NewHampster on February 14, 2009 at 1:35 AM in Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Samantha Power, Susan Rice
I do not think that Hillary Clinton is being marginalized, yet.
In her first trip abroad since taking office, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Asia, departing Washington, DC on February 15. Secretary Clinton will visit Japan (February 16-18), Indonesia (February 18-19), the Republic of Korea (February 19-20), and China (February 20-22).
As she prepares for her first overseas trip as Secretary of State I got to thinking of the Hillary I know, not the Hillary some imagine.
There are those, like wifebot, who are convinced she drank the Kool-Aid and is dedicated to carrying out the foreign policy goals of his Oliness. These are the people, many former Hillary supporters too, who always ask me, “aren’t you thrilled with the new Secretary of State’, ‘What an achievement.” I’m not here to pass on how I respond to them.
These people, IMHO, truly imagine that Mrs. Clinton realized the error of her ways and has been doing penance since she bowed out of the race last spring. She latched on to Obama’s superior foreign policy concepts with a vengeance, then asked to be given the opportunity to sell the policies to the world.
I say Cow Patties.
President Obama is no dummy. He knew very well that the person his team blasted as just a first lady, is in fact brilliant and incredibly well informed on world issues. He on the other had no clue and proved it in many a debate, yet I believe he is smart enough to know he had no clue. The policy she and he will be managing is her policy that he has embraced and not the other way around.
Now I’m not saying I trust him any more than Blago. I’m just saying that I think she is really in charge of this game and, and the “economic crisis” has given her a window of opportunity to amaze the world and all Americans with the depth of her brilliance. Essentially, he and a brilliant staff, framed the entire campaign, trumped her at every move leaving her always playing catch up. Now she has the very visible ball of foreign policy to frame in her image.
But you ask, where has she been? Why has Joe Biden been traveling and speaking about policy?
She, dear friends, has been doing what sets Hillary Clinton apart from all others. She has been in her room studying. Preparing and learning before jumping into the battle.
Joe Biden speaking to that security forum in Munich was the correct person to be there. It was almost entirely heads of state or their second in command. It was a higher level, no real work sort of deal. Had Obama sent his Secretary of State, some would have seen that as a slap in the face, in fact I bet it was Secretary Clinton’s decision. Update: Since initially posting this at Partizane, I’ve learned that I was wrong on the count of attendees. “13 heads of state and government, as well as 46 ministers and 6 heads of international organizations have announced their attendance at the 45th International Security Conference.” http://unian.net/eng/news/news-299345.html My response to the reader who pointed out the true numbers: “typical bosses meet and would have been a real waste of Hill’s valuable time. Joe has 4 years to waste on funerals and useless meetings where no real work is done.”
And you worry about those other strong women, Rice and Power. Rice as UN Ambassador is strickly a spokesperson for the administration. Power on the otherhand, will be in a position to back stab but she will also be in a position to be closely watched and squashed by Obama if needed. If those two are all Hillary has to worry about then her job should be easy.
Hillary has been quiet, Hillary has been working hard to prepare for her role and the immediate needs of the upcoming trip. I think most of us normal people have no idea about the level of focus she will give to the countries and leaders she is about to visit. I think those leaders are about to be amazed by the focus she brings to the table and the uncanny knowledge one can only get by hard, detailed studying.
Bon Voyage Madam Secretary. I know you will make us proud.
Originally posted at Partizane
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New Hamptster, you must be quite amazing to have made it through all of this with Wifebot! I don’t know how you do it! My ex boyfriend and I only made it to a couple weeks post election. i have the patience of a saint, but he didn’t. Oh, well.
Yes, Hillary will make us proud! I feel safe with her in the role of SOS, but I am a little worried she will end up under the bus at some point. I sure hope Odumbone knows that the Clintons have some dirt on him and he is toast if he tries to ruin Hillary!
I hope you’re right, OSMB.
I prefer the term, ‘incoming flaming cowpies’ myself. But anyone who thinks Hillary is going to spout Obama spew vs. what is in America’s best interest needs to go buy the latest edition of Vogue ’cause that is one woman who doesn’t feel the need to have the fashionistas validate her.
Hillary will prevent America form losing it’s sphere of influence in the world.She will build renewed alliances and project her own level of power as Obama continues to be mired in this economic calamity.
Hillary will also be the last one standing down the road as she has not had to vote on any of these economic stimulus bills.
Evidence of her rising power was seen the other day when a person looked at my debit card (my name is Clinton) and beamed back that Hillary was going to save America’s reputation in the world.
That made me smile.
All I can say is that you are astonishingly forgiving of Obama.
An alternate explanation of recent events might be that
1. Obama offered the SoS position to try to neutralize his most obvious opponent.
2. Hillary accepted because, either she sees him as being an inevitable failure and thus could position herself in SoS as a base of power and try again for the White House in 2012, or she is exiting and using SoS as her coda.
3. Obama has shown himself to be utterly clueless in every area of governance except the consolidation of power. Rice and Powers are exactly where he wants them. They are part of the shadow cabinet he has assembled where, for every cabinet position subject to Congressional approval and oversight, there is a staff position answerable to no one but Obama.
Time will tell but I strongly suspect that Obama will use the shadow cabinet to undercut and subvert all the cabinet appointees – especially Hillary.
As Obama’s popularity tanks, he will become petulant and then vengeful and he will start to sabotage his imagined enemies.
Hillary probably has 2-3 months to shore up her position and insulate herself from his attacks via his surrogates, Rice and Powers.
Craig, do you think the Clintons are stupid? Either one of them? Do you believe they don’t understand the ways of politics or Washington and that they have no allies? Please go back for a moment to 1998. Concentrate on Hillary speaking to the press after she had been subpoenaed to testify before the Grand Jury. I can see her in my mind, with her head high, looking the press straight in the eye without flinching. Try to remember her rising above the attempts to humiliate and degrade her. Then think about her working with Gingrich, Delay and Graham to pass legislation as a senator. The same men who tried unsuccessfully to impeach her husband and destroy her pride. Do you think that woman would accept the position as Secretary of State as a coda? There is incredible grace in accepting what you cannot change while holding on to principle and dedication. Hillary Clinton will never be marginalize by anyone. She is as much a part of our culture as the Washington Monument. Her approval rating at this moment is higher than Obama’s, not just here in our country, but all over the world. Real character and beauty is not superficial and can’t be erased. Before the South Carolina primary during one of her rallies, a 103 yr. old black woman got on the stage with her and said, “You are polished gold” and gold she is. When she appeared at the Denver Convention in her orange pantsuit, she was more beautiful than Pelosi in her designer clothes and jewels will ever be. I am profoundly disappointed in you Craig. I’ve always thought you were an intellegent man.
“Hillary Clinton will never be marginalize by anyone.”
Did you ever think that maybe she expects to be marginalized and will allow it to happen in a failed Obama Presidency and thus giving her the opportunity to resign?
If she continued as NYS Senator Hillary was not going to be afforded the health issue she wanted and thus the power base she sought.
As SoS she is in a win/win situation where she wins if Obama’s policies work but she can also win if Obama fails and appears to have marginalized her.
Elise:
First, Read the first part of point two.
Second, I have had trouble with Hillary’s position since she threw her support behind The One. That may have been politically expedient but she kinda lost the moral high ground for me at that point. I respect your passionate support for HRC but I think she missed her moment.
Craig, the first part of point two:
for more than fifteen years, people have tried to ascribe motives to everything Hillary does. Everyone assumes Bill Clinton is less complex and earthy, ie women and money, but theories abound about Hillary. She’s power mad, she’s communist and so on and on. But, IMO, both are more complicated and at the same time, more straightforward than their enemies are willing to acknowledge. You have decided that for you, Hillary has lost the moral high ground because she did what she promised to do several times over the last two years. You can argue she was doing what was politically expedient in agreeing to campaign for Obama. My argument is she is trying to position herself to help the American people in the best ways she can given the reality of the Party’s perfidy and backstabbing. It is my belief most people in this country also understand, on an intuitive level, this is who she is and what she wants. Her approval rating reflects my idea. Do you remember all the questions in the media and anger? What does Hillary want they all asked? Well she answered that question. She wanted respect for the eighteen million who voted for her. She wanted universal health care for every American. She wanted to restore the economy and stop the lose of jobs and she wanted to restore American reputation in the world. In this life, we never get everything we want and the most courageous people accept the reality and do what they can. If she had refused to do what she had promised to do, then she would have been marginalized and it would have been dishonest. Of course, none of this will change your mind because if you don’t understand by now you never will. Sending Joe Biden on diplomatic missions is a crap game and dangerous beyond belief. Sen. Mitchel and Amb Holbrook have known Hillary for many years and respect her. They know they can work with her to achieve what needs to be done in the Middle East and Far East. If the end result of her tenure is success and Obama takes the credit, so what? We will all benefit and those involved will know the truth. Sorry, but I think YOU have lost the moral high ground.
AMEN AMEN…
I agree with Seattle Moss on this. Obama did not “offer” Hillary anything. This is what she demanded in that private midnight meeting soon after the last primaries in exchange for her endorsement and active support during the general election.
I agree with you Craig!
We must not forget that 17 votes separated Obama from Hillary at the Dem Convention. 17 votes were awarded Obama for Michigan, a state in which he was not on the ballot. A back- room deal for the second-best of the Illinois machine. Rezko’s #1 man was Blag.
Thank you; repeat often. Those of us who knew will never forget; but not everyone knew.
I am relieved yes relieved that Hillary is no longer in the Senate. She will not have to go through the rest of her political life stuck with the repercussions of a yes vote for this ridiculous “spendulus” act. She has her own huge staff, building and plane.
For those who really wonder what she has been up to here are two websites to follow her daily schedule.
She is one BUSY lady!
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/appt/2009appt/index.htm
http://allthingshillaryclinton.blogspot.com/search?q=
Thanks for this excellent post, NewHampster. Yes, I agree, Hillary approaches the position of SoS the same way she approached being a Senator when she was first elected — kept her head down and figured out how to do the job right — and she was most effective there, as I am sure she will be here. If Pr. Obama has any sense, he will let her do her job. He certainly needs her help.
Obama hasn’t any sense. He’s stupid and vengeful
I think Hillary is doing fine. It is in Bobe’s best interest, at this point, to have at least one person he appointed doing the hired job. That Hillary is a workhorse. She is doing a good job of actually doing the SoS job. Unlike (clear throat) some who are in perpetual campaign mode.
She has been SoS for exactly 2 and 1/2 weeks.
Let’s give her a month and check back in then to see what is happening.
http://us-foreign-affairs.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_is_hillary_doing_her_first_month_in_office
Hillary meets privately w/ 14 professional Afghan women:
“The State Department issued a statement about the meeting late Friday. It was not on Clinton’s public schedule, and Wood did not mention the meeting at his daily press briefing when he discussed the secretary’s second day in office.
According to the State Department, Clinton praised the women’s “bravery and courage” for bringing reform to Afghanistan and reaffirmed President Obama’s commitment to stabilizing Afghanistan.
At her confirmation hearing, Clinton also pledged to focus more attention on women’s issues, especially in Afghanistan.”
http://capitolhillforum.com/topic/1135772/1/
Let me change that to 3 weeks and a few hours. Let’s check in this time next week.
Clinton’s speech to the Asia Society in New York on Friday is definately worth a look.
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/02/117333.htm
The United States, she said, “is committed to a new era of diplomacy and development in which we will use smart power to work with historic allies and emerging nations to find regional and global solutions to common global problems.”
This is a huge shift from the Bush administration’s use of “values diplomacy” to bind democratic allies of the US closer together which had the effect, intentional or not, of isolating “rogue nations” such as China, Burma and North Korea. The Clinton philosophy, in contrast, seems to accept political differences, downplay issues of security and work intimately with all the countries of ASEAN, including China, as indispensable partners in solving the problems facing the region.
“As members of the Asia Society, you know very well,” she said, “how important China is and how essential it is that we have a positive, cooperative relationship. It is vital to peace and prosperity, not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but worldwide. Our mutual economic engagement with China was evident during the economic growth of the past two decades. It is even clearer now in economic hard times and in the array – excuse me – in the array of global challenges we face, from nuclear security to climate change to pandemic disease and so much else.”
“We anticipate an even stronger partnership with Japan that helps preserve the peace and stability of Asia and increasingly focuses on global challenges, from disaster relief to advancing education for girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan to alleviating poverty in Africa.”
She’s going to be asking them for far more than these countries are accustomed to contributing. From Republican military-related negotiations to perhaps more meaningful, applications of “smart power,” instead.
Hey, I still say if SOS Clinton plays her cards right, Prez, 2012! Who elese will have the abiliity to bring the party together after Mr. Barry Soetoro’sperformance??? Clinton, prez, 2012!
I am still a skeptic and shall be until I see otherwise.
Pres. Clinton pissed me off after I read where he is in favor or bringing back the fairness doctrine or have a proper balance on the other side? Oh really Mr Prez? Since the biased media is slanted at least 80% to the left, does that mean you think that the MSM should hire more fair and balanced reporters and broadcasters? Somehow I doubt that is what he meant.
Oh and to quote Hillary during the Bush Administration…. in her own words ” I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration, somehow you’re not patriotic, and we should stand up and say, we are Americans, and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration!
I’ll hold you to those words Hillary now that you’re under the new and improved administration !
Well, don’t hold Hillary responsible for the actions of Odumbo and his sleazy back-room men.
Hillary never backs down from a debate and her position on anything is well-researched. She has no reason to fear discussion. She can defend her positions.
Good work New Hampster!
I certainly think that Secretary Clinton is as able and informed as anyone could be, and I certainly wish her well!
That said, she faces enormous challenges, from the usual suspects, as well as the encroachments of Russia into Iranian affairs!
Some of the despots are idiots, but I would never under-estimate Putin!
Hampster, thank you for this. I managed to catch Hillary’s speech and Q&A before the Asia Society yesterday, where she spoke about her trip [starting today, I think], the countries she’ll be visiting, the people she’ll be seeing and issues on the agenda.
Amazing. She got a standing ovation. So, well done and she didn’t miss a beat. She even expressed condolences to the families of victims in the Buffalo crash, mentioning Beverly Eckert, one of the 9/11 widows, who was lost.
Hillary looked tired, but I tend to agree with you. I bet she’s been up late preparing every angle for this first round of meetings. Her plate is very full [she gave a sense of what is going on in March and April].
What a powerhouse!
When it comes to foreign affairs and strategy, we are very lucky. I took note, too, that she’s been meeting with Geithner about the economic issues, joining State, Treasury and many departments in her plan to engage the world with everything we have. For instance, she’s taking Special Envoy Todd Stern with her because environmental issues will be on the agenda.
Anyone interested can find the transcript here. She makes me feel very proud as an American.
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/02/117333.htm
Thank you for the link, Peggy Sue. Hillary is a gift to those of us who would be without hope right now.
You’re welcome, Elise. I know Hillary inspires me, always did. I’ve always felt she was the force behind the Clinton name. I still feel that way though I was a strong supporter of Bill Clinton. Maybe, in addition, to being proud as an American, I should add: It makes me equally proud to be an American woman.
She’s the gold standard, as far as I’m concerned. I’m always amazed at her resilency when most of us would fold in the middle.
At least in foreign policy, I feel confident that we have someone who knows what the hell she’s doing. She’s relentless and tireless. Good for her! Good for us all.
I agree with Sandi, you cannot hold Hillary responsible for Obama, and the Dems in Congress. She has nothing to do with Obama and his policies concerning anything other than America and foreign policy.
NewHampster, I agree with you completely. Nice post.
Agree with you, but do you really think that this (SoS for HRC) was the decision taken BY Bam-Bam himself? Methinks you give this know- and do-nothing too much credit for any act of governing.
The new pResident remains a puppet of behind-the-curtain power wielders, until proven otherwise. BH0 knows nothing about anything – except relentless self-promotion and preening before the mirror and those adoring crowds (dwindling in number as we write).
If, as Mr. Johnson asserts, President Obama realizes his paucity of knowledge in foreign affairs and plans to benefit from Secretary Clinton’s superior expertise in this area, surely the simplest, most straightforward way to do so would be to allow her to: (1) attend conferences suitable to her position and make announcements regarding major changes in U.S. policies toward Iran instead of allowing Vice President Biden to do so; (2) supervise all diplomats instead of giving U.N. Ambassador Rice cabinet status; (3) avoid potentially back-stabbing rivals instead of placing them in her retinue; (4) visit Europe and tend to our affairs there instead of shunting her off to North Korea and parceling those responsibilities off to (apparently) either Ambassador Rice or Vice President Biden; and (5) engage with the leaders and issues in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, at least before, if not instead of, appointing two separate special envoys for these regions. In other words, he would treat her as Presidents normally treat Secretaries of State. I don’t have Mr. Johnson’s gift for reading President Obama’s mind, but from objective appearances it seems to me that he has stripped Secretary Clinton of much of her office’s authority while leaving her open to criticism for any of her usurpers’ failures as the person whom the public associates with responsibility over U.S. foreign policy. That he attempted a similar maneuver on the Senator Gregg as nominee for Secretary of Commerce makes me even more apprehensive for Secretary Clinton and U.S. foreign policy. In this context, insistence on Secretary Clinton’s obvious diligence and expertise is a non-sequitur, as neither would prevent President Obama from undercutting her as Secretary of State. Indeed, they might even provide a motive for doing so.
Comparing SoS Clinton to Senator Gregg is comparing apples and oranges. While there is no doubt Obama will and has used everyone to achieve his goals, Gregg is replaceable and Hillary isn’t. It is amazing that after so many years of evidence to the contrary, some insist on underestimating her. And from some comments here at nq, I would say they do so even though they understand Obama’s limitations outside of campaigning. He still borrows her words and steals her ideas. Who would he appoint to replace her? Colin Powell?
Of course, Secretary Clinton has much more to offer President Obama’s administration than Senator Gregg would have. The issue is whether President Obama recognizes this. We can only guess at this by observing objective indicia, the most important of which is how he defines their respective responsibilities. If you had employees you thought you couldn’t afford to lose, would you give their most important and prestigious responsibilities to others and expect them to keep working for you? Probably not. Yet President Obama treated both Secretary Clinton and Senator Gregg in precisely this way. We can deduce from this that President Obama does not recognize Secretary Clinton’s superior value to his administration. In noting President Obama’s actions, I’m merely recognizing that he is too arrogant and inexperienced to know his apples from his oranges, not concurring in his bad judgment.