Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spent the weekend in Switzerland and Ireland, but landed on the morning talk shows on Monday, fending off questions about whether she has been marginalized in the Obama administration. It’s not considered a good sign when people start asking this question in Washington, because the implication is that the answer is “yes.”
Clinton had no comment when newscaster Ann Curry on NBC’s “Today” program asked whether she should be more visible on such hot-button issues as Iran and Afghanistan. But she responded fully when asked about concerns that the “highest-ranking woman in the United States needs to fight against being marginalized.”
“I find it absurd, I find it beyond any realistic assessment of what I’m doing every day,” Clinton said. “I believe in delegating power. I’m not one of those people who feels like I have to have my face in the front of the newspaper or on the TV every moment of the day. It would be irresponsible and negligent were I to say, ‘Oh no, everything must come to me!’”
She had a theory about why she’s comfortable working this way. “Maybe this is a woman’s thing. Maybe I’m totally secure in that I feel absolutely no need to go running around in order for people to see what I’m doing. It’s just the way I am.”
But aren’t there moments, she was asked, having campaigned so hard for president against Barack Obama, that you just want to make a decision yourself?
No. “I am part of the team that makes the decision.”
On another front, Clinton said flatly she would not run for president again. She said she’s looking forward to retirement “at some point.”
For more Reuters political news, click here.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton (Hillary Clinton in Dublin, October 11, 2009)
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Don’t think for a minute that Hilary doesn’t have a set of Billy balls. She is powerful, crafy and Barrack, Billy and Hilary make quite the troyka. It will show up big time during this adminstration.
- Posted by Bob BurnsI’m continually amazed at how many people claim to come from “a wealthy family” and yet have no command of written English. Do the wealthy no longer school their children in grammar and punctuation?
Comparing Hillary to Palin is like comparing fine champagne to Boone’s Farm. Hillary is an educated, well-travelled and intelligent woman. Palin is a small-minded moron.
Those of you who are worried about the one world government need to check your prescription of Haldol because you may have schizophrenia (characterized by bizarre delusions and hallucinations).
- Posted by BKMrs Clinton is a true lady. She stood by her husband through a horridly personal event, when she could have ran. Most of you cannot imagine the shame of what she dealt with blown up into the world spotlight. Secretary of State Clinton, you are awesome, and I think doing a terrific job. As for people wanting to impeach Obama I ask this: Why? That ‘incredible’ Bush, you don’t bother to speak against him, and look at what he did to our economy, to our standing in the world’s eye.
- Posted by Tony BarbourI think Mrs Clinton has the right attitude, she is part of a team. I think she has done a great job of it.
- Posted by sjensenHillary clearly took a swipe at The Obama ego… endless screen time. I think she’s deliberately laying low so that the scapegoat role doesn’t fall on her. Why not let Obama take all the spotlight, credit and ultimately the RESPONSIBILITY for knee capping the US in the world.
- Posted by Pamela HutzThat seem to be more of a media issue if she is being marginalized. Other then that I think she’s a hard working, smart woman that doing her job. She’s polling very high right now and if she was more in the media crossfire they would find a way of dragging her down, as they’ve always done.
The Bush administration left such a mess behind, I’m sure she has a lot of clean up to keep her busy.
The campaign was a hard fought one, which left me a little disgusted with Hillary - both Clinton’s in general. But I must say, not seeing a lot of her is helping to heal the wounds and brings back the good feeling I once had for them.
- Posted by StellarFirst of all, I will qualify my answer with the fact that I am an independent and have voted for as many Republicans as I have Democrats over the years. I voted for George H.W. Bush, but not Bush 43. I am also a regular church-going Christian — of the mainstream Methodist persuasion.
Is Hillary marginalized? No.
She is working behind the scenes like a good team player. She has been traveling and working for the U.S. as our #1 diplomat. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is traveling to Zurich, London, Dublin, Belfast, and Moscow from October 9 to 15, 2009.
In Zurich, Secretary Clinton attended the signing of two protocols between the governments of Turkey and Armenia. In London and Dublin, the Secretary engaged in a series of discussions on a wide range of bilateral, transatlantic, and global issues. In Belfast, the Secretary emphasized the U.S. commitment to the joint economic prosperity of Northern Ireland and the United States, as well as reaffirming unwavering U.S. support for Northern Ireland’s peace process.
In Moscow, the Secretary is meeting with senior Russian officials to discuss progress on a successor agreement to “START”, cooperation on nonproliferation and counterterrorism, discussions about Iran, and the next steps for the Clinton-Lavrov commission.
She will not upstage President Obama. This makes me respect her all the more. She is doing an excellent job.
To those who think Obama is horrible as a President:
On George Bush’s watch the U.S. was attacked by terrorists (he ignored intelligence). After going to war in Afghanistan (where the terrorists were), he took his eye off the ball and went to war in Iraq (where the terrorists were NOT) after telling us Saddam had WMDs (a lie). The Iraq war has cost us nearly 1 trillion dollars so far.
Under his watch, a recession that started in 2007 was consistently denied — allowing it to turn into a near depression and disaster before giving it any attention — which eventually required billions in bailouts to keep our financial system afloat. Meanwhile, the average income of the middle class actually went down — the middle class was being squeezed.
Under his watch, manufacturing jobs left this country by the millions. We no longer manufacture much of anything. The borrowing of money from China to shore up our country’s debts (to pay for two wars) became rampant. China now practically owns us.
His school-yard bullying attitude of “your either for us or against us” turned practically the entire world against us. Had he had another year in office, we would possibly have become isolated — with a war in Iran.
Before becoming president, Bush failed at every business he “started” and he was in the process of bankrupting this country, too.
He left a mess for the next president to clean up. And no matter who had won — whether McCain or Obama — it will take years to clean up the mess.
- Posted by Mae