Legal Commentary

Hillary Gets Warm Welcome at State Department

By Jeralyn

Hillary Clinton went to her new office today and met with State Department employees. She received a warm welcome.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received a rousing welcome this morning when she arrived at Foggy Bottom for the first time, as cheering foreign service and civil service employee packed every inch of the C Street lobby, including the balcony overlooking the flags of foreign nations.

TPM's video here shows the throngs who assembled to greet her. President Obama and VP Biden will visit there this afternoon. [More...]

Clinton told the staff that President Obama and Vice President Biden would be visiting the department this afternoon "to send a clear and unequivocal message that we are a team and you are a member of that team." She said the new administration would "not tolerate the divisiveness" that had hampered foreign policy in the Bush administration.

Other comments:

there are "three legs to the stool of national security -- defense, diplomacy and development. We are responsible for two of three legs.... Robust diplomacy and effective development are the best long term tools for securing America's future."

Obama will announce George Mitchell as middle-east envoy and former U.N. ambassador Richard Holbrooke as special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan when he visits today. It should be at 2:40 pm ET.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 22, 2009 (boomark / email).