Clinton on Iran in Washington Times
01 July 2009 12:30 pm by Taylor Marsh
There’s a curious article in the Washington Times that Secretary Clinton was the one who urged Obama to “toughen his language on Iran.” This is interesting on multiple levels, not coincidentally coming after the Politico story describing Clinton’s role through “toils in the shadows… grindstone leadership” at State. Nothing will ever convince me that Secretary Clinton is looking for a second billing to anyone but President Obama, which is what the placement of this story in the Washington Times is all about.
Behind the scenes, the officials, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they were discussing internal deliberations, said Mrs. Clinton had been advocating the stronger U.S. response, but the president resisted. When he finally took her advice, the aides said, he did so without informing her first.
There’s broader play on the reason Obama likely didn’t feel like “informing her first” was the right move.
On cue, Townhall takes the bait, too: “Clinton urged Obama to talk tough on Iran.” For Clintonites at State, that’s way to go, as in job well done.
On a dueling front, Steve Clemons wrote a piece the moment Obama’s Iran language toughened another notch, which coincided with the violence ratcheting up in Iran, citing Biden’s influence:
Sources report to me that recently the Vice President made comments that Obama needed to speak in support of the Iranians in the streets demanding that their votes count. Biden has not wanted to inject the United States into the fray — but he has wanted the White House to express admiration and support for the risks Iranian citizens are taking to secure democracy.
Obama’s foreign policy team is stacked with what was known in 20th century language as “hawks,” of which Biden and Clinton are just two. It’s important to note that on Afghanistan policy, Biden argued against more troops there, while Clinton (along with Gates) reportedly ordered for more, if limited in nature, and won. Now on Iran we have them both not surprisingly weighing in on the side of the big stick of rhetorical messaging.
In contrast to the Politico story earlier, this new Washington Times piece goes out of its way to make clear Clinton is very much in the mix, giving advice the President is taking, which no one doubts.
As for this news story on Clinton and Iran, are you hearing her now, oh Israel?
It’s all very subtle. Brilliant, even.
“It was a happy surprise,” one administration official said. “It was echoing the line the secretary had been pushing for a couple of days.”
Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary Clinton are the best of friends, but neither is going to give up their place in the foreign policy spotlight, as they both have their eyes on what comes AO, after Obama.
TM NOTE: A sentence about the rumored arrival of Sidney Blumenthal to State has been removed, as the hire was stopped by the White House.
