Today, February 1, 2013, is Secretary Hillary Clinton's last day as Secretary of State. The debate on her impact is puzzling. The crux of the matter is whether she has a "great achievement" and whether she will have a lasting impact.
When is the last time that a Secretary of State operated independently of the President? The Secretary of State implements foreign policy designed by an administration. Clinton has done this with grace and great energy.
I don't recall a similar debate about other recent Secretaries of State.
Are our expectations higher for HRC as a leader than for others? Are we in fact measuring whether she is ready to be the presidential candidate in 2016?
I do not recall a similar discussion about Powell, Rice, Albright, or other recent Secretaries. Even with some of the giants like Kissinger and Dulles, we have reason to believe that they were skillful in executing the policies of their respective presidents, most if not all of the time.
The Secretary of State is a leader in terms of leading the public dialogue and heading the Department of State. The Secretary of State is not an independent foreign policy initiator.
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