in Today's News 05.18.09

Hillary Clinton.  Paul Richter of the Washington Bureau of the Chicago Tribune reports that Clinton's "candor" is raising eyebrows and questions at home and abroad.  "Startling U.S. friends and foes alike, Clinton has sent aides scrambling to explain her remarks and has stirred a debate over whether speaking frankly is a good thing for U.S. foreign policy."

"Clinton's remarks may not seem to be insulting or impolitic on their face.  But coming from the nation's chief diplomat, they have raised eyebrows."

The remarks the article refers to are Clinton's many verbal mis-steps regarding North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, China and elsewhere.  Clinton has a habit of simply shooting off her mouth, and then leaving it to others to clean up the mess.

Richter undoubtedly writes because at least a section of the Obama administration wants to send a warning to Clinton.  The diplomatic wordage of the article is a nice way of saying that they believe Clinton doesn't know what the hell she is doing. (Hillary's incompetence comes as no surprise to those who have watched Hillary over the years.)

Obama faces an interesting predicament if things continue on this course.  At some point his people are going to get tired of smoothing out Clinton.  Then what do they do?  Firing her is not so easy.  And there is nowhere to kick her upstairs. Observing how Obama deals with this situation should be one of the minor entertainments of his administration.

BTW, it is interesting that Clinton, the old pro, stumbles almost every time she opens her mouth.  Obama, who is barely wet behind the ears, has only stumbled a couple of times with no big consequences.

Richter's article in not yet available on the internet.  It is titled "Clinton a diplomatic wild card" and was published on May, 18, 2009 by the Washington Bureau of the Chicago Tribune (which has been one of Obama's prime supporters).