Clinton Confirmation Hearing: Deputies Will Manage State Department

Hillary Clinton sought to assuage senators on Monday about her ability to manage the sprawling State Department by saying that she won't actually be running it.

The biggest obstacle between Clinton and confirmation as Secretary of State may not be her husband's conflict of interests. Instead, there is often a deep, if rarely spoken, concern about her management skills, stemming from both the botched healthcare rollout in the early '90s and her famously chaotic and back-biting presidential campaign.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) gingerly broached the subject by noting that management is not her "greatest strength" and asked how the Senate could be comfortable that she would sail the ship in the direction she intended.

Clinton was ready with an answer, clearly anticipating the challenge. "This is to me one of the most important questions," she replied. "I decided to fill a position that had not been filled although it had been created ten years ago, and that was the deputy for resources and management."

As secretary, Clinton said, "you get consumed by the crisis of the moment." Even "with the best intentions to deal with management," she said, the secretary routinely spends her time on more immediate concerns, "on Gaza, or Iran, or on Russia and the Ukraine pipeline."

Clinton said she had called on Jack Lew, a former director of the Office of Management and Budget, to fill the position. James Steinberg, she said, had agreed to leave the deanship of the Lyndon Baines Johnson public policy school in Austin, Texas, to help manage the department as well.

Lew would also be empowered to represent the State Department before Congress and with the president during budget negotiations, Clinton said.

Comments

[partyofone]

Well it is comforting news to all those who have admired the Bush CEO-delegation model. Wasn't Hillary the one who lectured Obama that the president has to be a manager? I guess the SoS of State is different. Hillary the Hypocrite's position is whatever is expedient at the moment for Hillary.

[NoFactsJustTruth]

I just want to know that State will 'manage' their contracts with MERCENARIES ...out of existence.

[partyofone]

But didn't Blackwater contribute to Hillary's presidential campaign and the Clinton Global Initiative? Hillary may owe the mercenaries.

[partyofone]

Yep, this from the Guardian-UK

"The private security company Blackwater - listed as having made a donation of up to $25,000 [to the Clinton Foundation] - is mired in controversy as five of its employees were indicted by a US grand jury for manslaughter and weapons charges following the deaths of 17 Iraqis in an incident last year in Baghdad. Blackwater Worldwide's contract to protect American diplomats is up for renewal by the state department next year."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/19/hillary-clinton-charitable-fund-donations

[robXdion]

This is great news! This means Obama will already have some candidates to pick from when Bill gets to be too much or she implodes. Obama has gotta learn.

[anopenmind]

Hillary was outstanding today!! Today we didn"t just see a woman nominee for Secretary of State we watched a Highly Qualified individual with intelligence, knowledge of the issues and a vision!

Note to all woman (Especially Palin) If you"re going to run for public office don"t just run as just a woman run as the most Informed and Knowledgeable!!! Hillary Clinton made us (woman) Proud today! She has earned all of our respect!

[partyofone]

Intelligence does not mean integrity, one attribute both Clintons lack. That is the issue.

[stell]

So what is she needed for? She's just a figurehead like Obama.

[uglyhumanbeing]

figurehead for americans.

what are you suggesting?

[naschkatze]

Hillary Clinton cracks me up. She can really look glamorous at times, but when she wants to be taken seriously, she really puts on the frump look. Today's hearings are an example, and I recall when she first became a senator, she did the same thing.

[uglyhumanbeing]

naschkatze sounds like a metaphor for awwww she is a na...zi.

[partyofone]

She is doing her Madelaine Albright imitation. Where's the broach.

[JackND]

Heh...I just read this story just after getting my daily laugh by reading today's drivel over at hillaryis44 and their overwrought overassessment of Hillary's supposed mad skills.

[raop]

Do any of these hearings really mean anything? Almost all of the hearings seem to be a love fest ( read the transcript for Duncan hearings). Clintons hearings rarely seem to be testing her scope of an issue. I have nothing against Clinton or the PE and feel both would do a good job in their roles but why have these hyped up hearings and warm the committee chairs if the result is already a foregone conclusion.

[partyofone]

Even when there are tough questions, there is no follow up. The Senate has become a rubber stamp for the White House, even for Bush. Sometimes they make noise, as with Gonzales, but nothing happens as a result.

[Grunty1]

PoliticalAmazon is assigned to the thread. Please just nod and pretend its important.

[bannorhill]

If "Deputies will manage the state department" as Hillary promised thet why do we need Hillary?

[partyofone]

Bill needs a new source of influence to peddle, and HIllary needed something to save face after the humiliating collapse of her disorganized, debt-ridden, visionless, "inevitable" campaign for president.

Her supporters are calling her brilliant and treating this appointment like a gem, when it is a consulation prize. Hillary is eating A LOT of crow.

[PoliticalAmazon]

We really need to be concerned about how Hillary will use her SOS position to continue to aid her business job-outsourcing colleagues in India.

If you are not familiar with this, google "Hillary Clinton" "Jobs" "India"

Here's a quote:

(http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2008-03-25/article/29569)

[BEGIN QUOTE]

...In a speech promoting globalization and free trade, here is what Sen. Clinton said in New Delhi: "There is no way you can legislate against reality. Outsourcing will continue....We are not against all outsourcing, we are not in favor of putting up fences."

The India Review, a publication of the embassy of India, commented April 1, 2005: "Senator Clinton allayed apprehension in India that there would be a ban on outsourcing."

Siddharth Srivastava reported in Asia Times, March 1st, 2005: "Hillary Clinton made it apparent where she stood on outsourcing during her India visit...Hillary has been at the forefront in defending free trade and outsourcing. She faced considerable flak for defending Indian software giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for opening a center in Buffalo, New York." (TCS provided hundreds of special visas for foreign employees to work in New York for substandard, non-union wages.) She praised Clinton"s "strict adherence to the principles of free trade and outsourcing that affect India directly."
{END OF QUOTE]

[closetodemfection]

Yawn.

[SethBLiNK]

When are we going to hear the complaints of sexism?

How come they ask the female about her management skills? Why don't they ever ask a man that? Hillary has named two males to "manage" the department. Did she have to do that to satisfy the male dominated congress.

I think Hillary will be a good SOS, and I'm glad she was chosen. But over the course of the past election she played a huge roll in the dumbing down of political discourse and the tendency to knee-jerk accusations of sexism to every criticism, a tendency that helped lead to the emergence of Sarah Palin as long term threat.

[PoliticalAmazon]

They asked her about her management skills because her primary campaign was an absolute disaster. The people chose and the way she managed them was simply awful.

[Cord]

Was it disaster? She only needed to win some caucuses and it wouldn't be a completely different story.

[sej100]

Well if people were honest a lot of this hearing was due to sexism.

For example, despite Bill's disclosures they still say not enough. HOWEVER, the fact that George Bush's family was a partner in the CARYLE GROUP during his entire PRESIDENCY did NOT phase them a bit. No conflict of interest Please!!!!!!!
And then again why was no one concerned about Cindy McCain's financial empire?
Why did John Kerry's wife not give us this type of pause.

And as for management skills please look to some of the men who were given carte blanche?

[partyofone]

What? Obama was constantly asked about his lack of executive experience during the campaign. Bill Richardson's executive experience was hightlighted as a qualification for being SoS.

Two of the last three SoS have been women.

The Sexism Hillary needs to be worried about is in the Middle East. Many knowledgable observers confide that a female broker will never accomplish much progress in Middle Eastern peace negotiations. Sad but true. The Middle easetern oil barons care nothing about political correctness.

[dbdzen]

Obama and Clinton had a very frank discussion about her deficiencies. One of the conditions that was on the table as part of the job offer was that she would have a strong COO operating under her, managing the complex, sprawling bureaucracy that is the Foreign Service and managing the budget.

[PoliticalAmazon]

Why would Obama nominate someone who is so deficient in management skills? Her staff is extremely important in implementing Obama's vision (as interpreted by Hillary, and that's a very scary idea).

It's Hillary's responsibility.

This whole situation is ridiculous.

[Cord]

Why would Americans elect a President who has been campaigning for 50% of the time since being in public office?

[SethBLiNK]

Obama describes himself as being more of a leader than a manager. He's big picture and so is she, and they both delegate and depend on deputies who take care of the details.

[propitiousmoment]

If she's tied up with the day to day details of running a sprawling organization, she will not be devoting her capabilities to untangling the complex issues that face us around the world, or interacting with foreign leaders, which is her primary responsibility. The state department is there to support her and implement policy. It's not support, it's a drain if she has to manage every detail. Nobody is perfect, in any position. She is there because of her unique strengths and what she can bring to her duties that will enhance our interests in the world. So management is not her forte, bring someone in who can be trusted and who's good at it, give them some direction and set clear expectations, and let them handle the details.

[Liberalforsure]

SHe proved that she cannot manage a walmart or taco bell however I do believe she is probably perfect for this job. Trust Obama, he has shown brilliant judgement so far and there is no reason to doubt him on this.

[partyofone]

I support Obama, but this appointment does not seem brillant but tactical. Defuse the Clintons, at the risk of ownng all their bagagge and drama. Big risk.

[Okieborn]

President Obama I respect You And Worked Hard Volunteering !!!
Why Oh Why Did You Pick A Clinton For Your SOS ?????????

[DDK]

He chose her because he believes that she's the best person for the job, your volunteering notwithstanding.

This is a done deal. Once you've registered your displeasure, it becomes time to give the woman (and her boss) a chance to see if she merits the confidence Obama obviiously has in her.

[PoliticalAmazon]

Did you feel that way about Bush Jr's appointments?

[closetodemfection]

Did you even bother to watch the hearing?

[partyofone]

She is dishonest. And the GOP will sink her after the confirmation when they are ready to distract Obama's administration. My prediction.