If you have never seen this video, I hope you can see it here. Inside the State Department from National Geographic.
We see that, prior to trips, the Secretary of State chose and brought gifts along for those she was about to visit.
In turn, she received gifts. These were not personal gifts, however. They belonged, from the start, to us. Hillary did not keep them. She could not. They were property of the U.S. government from the moment they were given.
Nonetheless, when I see stories like these, I think - well, yes. If I were a Saudi Sheikh, I would give her jewels too! I would want to bedeck her in gems. Hillary is so beautiful inside and out. Yes, I would shower her with precious crystals, metals, and stones - carefully.
If I were a Chinese official, though, I would give her a panda cub. I think she would love that! This little ball of fur is one on the Atlanta Twins. So far so good with them, thank God and the great vets there! I think Hillary would have been thrilled for us actually to have one not owned by China (alas that was not to happen), and I am sure she would have let us rotate as babysitters. (Well, it's still vacation time. Daydreams are permitted.)
I have to say that I love the picture the New York Daily News chose for this story.
Here is another take on the same story.
State Department reveals Hillary Clinton received $500K worth of jewelry from Saudi king
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden received expensive gifts from Saudi Arabia, Russia and China, among others.
By Bill Hutchinson / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received expensive jewelry from Saudi Arabia and Brunei.
Foreign diplomacy doesn’t always resolve world-class problems, but it sure does rake in the swag.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was given a half-million bucks worth of diamond and ruby jewelry by Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and received $58,000 worth of bling from Brunei.
The lavish gifts were among a treasure trove of keepsakes bestowed upon U.S. leaders in 2012, the State Department disclosed Thursday.
Read more >>>>
$500K diamond-encrusted jewels, Cognac and a 41-inch saber: The lavish gifts given to President Obama, Hillary Clinton and others from foreign leaders
By Hayley Peterson
Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz gave Hillary Clinton diamond-and-ruby-encrusted jewels worth half a million dollars last year
The gift was disclosed by the State Department, which has released a complete list of items given to U.S. officials in 2012
Foreign leaders gave lavish gifts to a number of U.S. officials last year, including the Saudi Arabian king, who gave Hillary Clinton diamond-and-ruby-encrusted jewels worth half a million dollars.
Clinton's gifts from King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz - which included a necklace, bracelet, earrings and a ring - were by far the most expensive items among the hundreds of gifts given to U.S. officials in 2012.
A complete list of the gifts received last year, as well as a couple dozen from previous years, were disclosed by the State Department on Thursday.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, right, meets with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Read more >>>>
So, as summer wraps up and vacations end, it's fun to speculate about the gifts she got for us by being so awesome and what we might have had if China would only let us actually keep just one little panda. Nonetheless, we watch and hold our collective breath hoping these two little babies make it to day 100 and finally receive names - in the Chinese tradition.
