Tina Brown of The Daily Beast has a piece today on her Web site about the role Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plays in President Barack Obama’s White House. In response to recent oversees trips by the president to Russia and Cairo, Ms. Brown recognizes Ms. Clinton’s notable absence. Furthermore, when Ms. Clinton does play a substantial role in the decision-making process her efforts are largely unrecognized.
For example, Ms. Brown notes this regarding the president’s decision to send more troops to Afghanistan,
Even when there’s legitimate credit to be had, she remains invisible. Contrary to administration spin that Biden played a critical role in the decision to send more troops to Afghanistan, the vice president stayed opposed to Obama’s strategy. It was Hillary, sources tell me, whom the president relied on throughout the deliberations with principal national security advisers to support and successfully argue his point of view. The need to paper over the difference between Obama and the vice president meant Hillary’s role went unacknowledged.
Although Ms. Brown wonders how much Ms. Clinton really cares. She writes,
On her State Department plane, Hillary is always eager to throw off her well-groomed public look and sit up front with no makeup, wearing sweats and her bookworm glasses, as she crunches her way through a big fat file of foreign policy memos. She is as formidably well-informed in this job as she was at the Rose Law Firm in Arkansas, doing all the legal backup work for the guys on a big deal. Or when she played the canny sounding board and strategist for Gov. Bill Clinton in his run for president.
Politics being what they are, Ms. Brown wonders how long Ms. Clinton can remain quiet. More aptly, how long will her supporters allow this kind of treatment to continue?
That’s the trouble. You could say that Obama is lucky to have such a great foreign policy wife. Those who voted for Hillary wonder how long she’ll be content with an office wifehood of the Saudi variety.
UPDATE: Thanks to the folks from Newsy for passing along this video on the same topic. Check it out.
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This is exactly what happens when you are working for someone you are better experienced and qualified than. I have always sensed it that Barrack Obama appointed her to the position in order to suppress her. The thing is that this woman is such a bright and intelligent person that no matter what, she will always shine whether one acknowledges it or not.
I really hope that some day there will be a “President Hillary Clinton” because I believe it will be America’s greatest blessings.
FYI, I say this as an African-American who voted for her during the primaries and refused to vote during the presidential elections coz I just dont think that Obama understands what the presidency is all about besides pomp and pageantry.