As America's top diplomat, she would have been the logical one to send in anyway, but when it comes to reining in Hamid Karzai, in fact whenever the situation calls for a special touch of charm, Hillary Clinton is the girl for the job. She possesses a superbly gifted intellect, has been blessed with exquisite beauty (which never hurts when dealing with men), and has the most extraordinary social skills. We know her I.Q. is high, but even though President Obama cited her intellect and her work ethic when choosing her for this job, it is her E.I. - her emotional intelligence, her ability to read people and appeal to their concerns that makes her so successful in efforts such as the Afghanistan initiative, billed as a charm offensive, over the past week, a week that ended, by the way, with her receiving a visit from the incoming Foreign Minister of the U.K., William Jefferson Hague (yes, that IS is middle name!), whom she also welcomed warmly and impressed. If you are going to launch a charm offensive, she is your girl! Although the new governor of my state appears to think elementary school teaching is babysitting, the truth is that elementary school teachers need to know all subjects and also know how to present them clearly, integrally, and memorably. Secretary Clinton would be an excellent elementary school teacher. This week she spoke at the 2010 CARE Conference and gave a brilliant speech explaining how assuring one relatively simple basic need, good nutrition, over the thousand days from conception to age two, can change the course of history for a country and for the world. It is remarkable when you think about that, and it is remarkable how she manages to take an issue like that and crystallize its importance. The lesson, if you watched the video, was indelible!
So here is Secretary Clinton's amazing week in review. God bless her!
Monday: Hosting a dinner for Hamid Karzai.
Who could possibly resist that smile?
Tuesday: Afghanistan - U.S. Strategic Talks
Wednesday: The day began with the lovely SOS addressing the 40th Washington Conference on the Americas wearing one of my all-time favorite jackets.
The charm offensive then moved to the White House for a joint press availability with Presidents Obama and Karzai. Can you see in this face, especially around the eyes, what I mean by her high E.I.?
As part of her lesson plan for President Karzai, she sent him on two field trips:
1. With Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to Walter Reade to meet our warriors wounded in fighting the Taliban he said he might join.
2. With With General Stanley McChrystal to the Afghanistan section of Arlington National Cemetery.
Thursday: Secretary Clinton and President Karzai held a moderated conversation at the U.S. Institute of Peace.
As a reward for responding positively to her efforts, Secretary Clinton treated President Karzai to another field trip, this time to the beautiful botanical gardens at Dumbarton Oaks, prior to his departure.
Friday: In the aftermath of the defeat of the Labour Party in the U.K. election earlier in the week, both Gordon Brown and David Miliband tendered their resignations. Miliband's successor, William Hague, paid a visit to the State Department on Friday, and the Secretary greeted him warmly looking just beautiful in a pink pantsuit and pink pearls. Looking gorgeous never hurts!
She appears to have impressed him very favorably according to his own words on PBS Newshour last night.
Huge week, well done, Madame Secretary! Beautifully done by a true beauty!
