Comments on: Hillary

By: dawn

dawn — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:58:00 +0000

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.

By: elise

elise — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:33:44 +0000

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?

By: Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:09:06 +0000

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.

By: elise

elise — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:30:04 +0000

Thank you for the link, Peggy Sue. Hillary is a gift to those of us who would be without hope right now.

By: dawn

dawn — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:05:55 +0000

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.

By: foxyladi14

foxyladi14 — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 23:15:44 +0000

AMEN AMEN…

By: elise

elise — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 22:26:33 +0000

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.

By: snosandy

snosandy — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 22:00:20 +0000

That made me smile.

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:28:06 +0000

Obama hasn’t any sense. He’s stupid and vengeful

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:23:43 +0000

I agree with you Craig!

By: libbygurl

libbygurl — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:40:36 +0000

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).

By: PYW

PYW — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:26:34 +0000

NewHampster, I agree with you completely. Nice post.

By: beachnan

beachnan — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:49:32 +0000

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.

By: Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:33:26 +0000

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

By: Sassy

Sassy — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:07:35 +0000

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!