Sec. Hillary Clinton, Perfect Antidote for State's Ivory Tower Ills
Hillary Clinton will prove to be a superb choice for Secretary of State, but not for the hundreds of reasons you've thus far read in widespread media musings.
And despite her regrettable vote for the Iraq War in 2002, I believe that Secretary Clinton, a Democrat since her undergraduate years at Wellesley College, will be responsive to progressive goals on the world stage.... as both Clintons generally have been on foreign policy matters.
Sure, President-elect Barack Obama cleverly fulfills many political goals by elevating her to the top post in his cabinet, including:
- Removing her voice of dissent from the U.S. Senate, particularly on domestic matters as health care and education. Obama plans to reform these areas along his ideas, not Clinton's.
- Legally removing her from partisan politics, and from the Clinton political machine of patronage and fund-raising, which effectively takes Clinton out of the running for the 2012 presidential race.
- Salving the wounds of millions of Democrats who passionately supported Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential candidacy, which should significantly increase party loyalty for the Obama administration.
- Keeping extremely close tabs on and control over the lucrative dealings and international gallivanting of former President Bill Clinton in ways that never could have been accomplished without Hillary Clinton in this particular position.
All perfectly understandable reasons for Obama to nominate Clinton to State, of course. Nothing wrong with a politician looking out for his own political survival and shoring up his support.
Besides, becoming a globe-trotting, policy-forging, newspaper-headlining Secretary of State also accomplishes plenty of political goals for Hillary Clinton.
But those aren't the reasons why Hillary Clinton will make an excellent, progressive-pleasing Secretary of State.
I believe that Hillary Clinton will be a Secretary of State to be proud of because her leadership style will be unique for the U.S. State Department:
- Pragmatic, not hopelessly theoretical or ideological
- Hands on, not ivory-tower distant
- Passionate and compassionate, not academically detached
- Upbeat, warm and friendly, not chilly or remote
- Independent and strong, neither presidential appendage nor ingenue-protege
- Hardworking and endlessly engaged, not prone to a country-club mentality
Think the opposite of Bush Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice: academic and theoretical to the core; hellbent on implementing an ideological agenda; notoriously chilly and remote, even when describing the direst of international situations.
Hillary Clinton will never be caught shoe-shopping and attending glitzy Broadway shows during a national emergency.
Hillary Clinton will never be described as "too detached emotionally" or as having "so little compassion, so little humanity."
Athough she's well-educated and bright, Hillary Clinton will never be viewed as the ivory-tower intellectual type most commonly employed by the State Department, but as a practical, problem-solving, hard-charging, tough-talking, no-nonsense, straight-shooting leader.
It's about time someone upset the cozy, cliquey applecart of smug academic domination at State!
Come to think of it, I can't imagine a better Secretary of State for the change promised by Barack Obama
Related Reading
Profile of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State Nominee
(Photo #1 taken on Nov 21, 2008: Common Wealth Media Service-Pool/Getty Images; Photo #2 taken on June 2, 2008: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Hey Deborah, what’s your opinion of Bill Richardson being tapped for Secretary of Commerce?
Ms White:
I usually agree with you, but Hillary was the head of the Young Republicans at Wesley, and worked for the Republican party as an adult.
As a lawyer, Hillary fought the impeachment of Richard Nixon–this is according to her boss at the time, written in an open letter when Hillary was running for president.
In my opinion, Hillary’s change to the Democratic party was cosmetic, and only when she saw Bill as her path to power.
I agree with you on paper, I just wish it weren’t HER. Too much baggage, you know?
Robert, Bill Richardson as Commerce Secretary is a great choice.
Perhaps the most politically centrist part of Richardson’s successes as New Mexico governor have been his ability to create jobs, bring new businesses to his state, and to reduce taxes for residents.
Also, Richardson is pro-free trade, but with intelligent concessions for labor in those countries. And being Latino will help greatly when he plays a part in negotiating valuable free trade agreements with Latin countries in particular.
Another excellent nomination by Obama. I really didn’t realize he would be quite this smart and non-ideological in his cabinet appointments.