Hillary's Crowded Platform

    Back in the early days of the personal computer, there was a highly successful international spy-chasing game named "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?"  Several recent headlines have made me ask "Where in the World is Hillary Clinton?"  

    First, as the health care debate geared up President Obama found it prudent to send Joe Biden off to Georgia (the ex-Soviet state, that is) and the Ukraine where he could do little harm. So, on the heels of a diplomatic initiative by President Obama and Hillary Clinton to "open a new era of mutual respect and improved relations" with Russia, Biden offered the following "The reality is, the Russians are where they are. They have a shrinking population base, they have a withering economy, they have a banking sector and structure that is not likely to be able to withstand the next 15 years. They're in a situation where the world is changing before them and they're clinging to something in the past that is not sustainable." Understandably, the Kremlin was moved to ask "Who is shaping U.S. foreign policy?"   Where in the world is Hillary Clinton?

    Next, Secretary of Defense Gates is sent off to assure Israel that Obama's mild acceptance of Iran's crackdown on internal democratic opposition and apparent acceptance of continuing nuclear aspirations should not be taken as a concern to Israel. So we have the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff saying that any strike by Israel against Iran's nuclear facilities would be “profoundly destabilizing”, while Joe Biden is saying that the United States “cannot dictate” to Israel. Where in the World is Hillary Clinton?

    Third, we have Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner joining Obama on the series of G-20, G-8, and G-2 discussions about the international financial crisis, and providing assurances about our fiscal responsibility as part of the ongoing discussion about China's proposal for a new global currency to replace the dollar. While Treasury must be involved in these discussions, it is only part of our China agenda, and Hillary has recently muscled in to meetings with Chinese leaders to add  North Korea's nuclear program to the agenda.  

    In American history it is not unknown for a president to tap a political rival as our chief foreign emissary, and in the age before the telegraph it was a quite effective technique. Perhaps Peggy Noonan was correct that Hillary "got rolled" when she agreed to become Obama's Secretary of State, and he then appointed special emissaries to handle Afghanistan/Pakistan (Holbrooke) , and the Middle East (Mitchell).  But then, perhaps there is some significance to the fact that she maintains a campaign staff of eight and is adding to a $3,000,000 campaign war chest. 

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    For those of you concerned about the depth of thought and attention to detail exhibited by our Congressional leaders, this week's You Tube is a brief comment by John Conyers, the chair of the House Finance Committee. Six months to name a dog; a few weeks to overhaul health care.

bill bowen - 7/31/2009

    Favorites: 
    1. Mitt Romney's "Free and Strong America" PAC web site. 
    2. Tom Campbell's California governor campaign web site.

Comments

[William McCormick]

Never underestimate the cunning of liberal politicians. Their basic agenda has so little real base in America that they have to resort to gaming us in order to ever get in position to implement their ideas. Obama used the economic crisis and a manufactured logic that Iraq was another unwinnable Vietnam we could not get out of to win a victory. Unfortunately, the electorate were so dismayed that they gave him a Congress that set the stage for the "checks and balances", so important to the nation's founders, to be virtually nonexistant allowing Obama to push through any liberal program he wanted. And, he wanted a lot of them.

And, he selected Biden as his running mate eliminating him as a second term advisary. Then he "honored Hillary" by putting her into the Secretary of State job and, as you suggest, immediately parceled all her true power to his (Czars) special appointees. Biden continues to discredit himself with his foot in the mouth remarks. Hillary is in hiding across the ponds and out of the limelight. Even husband Bill is not exactly a handy tool and advisor of the White House. So Obama has done his best to destroy the opposition's position for Term Two.

Hillary and Bill are a formidable team. And, hardly ready to retire from national office. Hillary is likely keeping her options open and undoubtedly letting Obama destroy his own base.
My guess is if his popularity continues to erode she will resign in another year or two and begin the campaign against him. To counter it don't be surprised if Obama offers her the VP job for the second term dumping Biden. Liberals are experts at smiling while they steal your wallet. Even with each other.