Well, Hillary is in the news this weekend on a variety of fronts, so I thought I would share some of what I see along with editorial comments. (This picture has nothing to do with these stories. I just found it and know some readers will enjoy this picture from Thursday with Pakistan's FM Qureshi.)
First, a story completely new to me about Senator Jon Kyl (R - AZ) blocking the nomination of Raul Yzaguirre for ambassador to the Dominican Republic, a country crucial to land operations in the Haiti relief effort. Once again The Party of NO rears its ferocious head. Anybody who thinks Secretary Clinton has not pushed hard on these Iran sanctions (his reason for NO) must have been living under a rock for the past year plus. You can read the story here. Kyl stymies ambassador nod over Iran
Speaking of living under a rock or on some other rock far from the sun, it was yesterday when I encountered the silly op-ed by David Ignatius dated today in the Washington Post. Where to begin on this one? I guess here.
"...Obama is different. He truly doesn't seem to relish politics, in the raw, mix-it-up sense. Most of all, he isn't needy for public attention in the way our most neurotic and gifted politicians have been --"
Really? David, have you noted that the current POTUS, for weeks has been out of town fund-raising, campaigning (allegedly for Democratic party candidates, but, if you listen, it sure sounds like he is campaigning for himself), that is when he is not on vacation. Then there is this.
An interesting example of the administration's ability to shrink large political personalities is Richard Holbrooke, the special coordinator for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Holbrooke's garrulous style is utterly different from Obama's, and the White House appeared to be on the verge of dumping him early this year when the secretary of state is said to have intervened. Holbrooke has been on a short leash -- not making trouble, but not as effective as he might be.
Anybody listening to Holbrooke knows that his complete loyalty and deference is to Hillary Clinton whom he finds brilliant to work with. Switch THIS horse mid-course? I don't think so. He is effective and has the utmost respect for the chain of command.
Finally, *sigh* he ends with this.
Maybe Obama, the anti-politician, really doesn't care if he gets reelected, so long as he's doing what he thinks is right. Somehow, I can't imagine this breakthrough president stepping aside to write law-review articles. But to stand a chance in 2012, he's going to need someone to light a fire under him, someone who can play politics fiercely -- and also can bring in some new voters.
Surely it's obvious that I am describing Obama's second-term masterstroke: Vice President Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Read more>>>>
Oh, David, David, David! Let him! Let him not be re-elected! And take the "Vice" off that title. It is about time we recognize that Hillary Clinton, who is fierce on so many levels would probably not, in the second slot, be able to save the ticket. No! Her place is at the Top of the Ticket. It is that or the Democrats can wave bye-bye to the Oval Office which is not, as we are seeing, a playpen.
Finally, we have this by Gil Hoffman in today's Jerusalem Post. Likud: Talks are a huge achievement. Here are a few highlights.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s announcement on Friday that diplomatic negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians would resume on September 2 evoked conflicting reactions from inside Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party.
An official Likud statement released by the head of the party’s reaction team, MK Ophir Akunis, called the American announcement on talks without preconditions a huge achievement for Israel.
This guy promises to be trouble.
MK Danny Danon heard the announcement about the planned summit in the United States, where he is seeking support from Jewish leaders and Republican politicians to oppose territorial concessions in the diplomatic process. Danon intended to start a campaign when the freeze is set to end on September 26, but he said he would have to advance his efforts.
A couple of my favs, however, are, as always, right behind our girl.
Labor chairman Ehud Barak released a statement expressing satisfaction with the beginning of the talks, which he pushed forward in many talks with American officials.
“Israel wants peace with security,” Barak said. “Both sides will have to make courageous decisions in order to reach an agreement.”
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni also praised the restart of the diplomatic process. Her associates said she had pushed for a year and a half for talks to begin at the point where her own negotiations with the Palestinians (when she was foreign minister) ended due to the national election in February 2009.
“She is happy that the talks will cover all the core issues of the conflict,” a Livni associate said.
I saw a story that the lovely Secretary of State is co-hosting a birthday party for a particular former POTUS today on Long Island. Cheers! Happy Birthday (again)! I hope they have a great time and dance their shoes off!
