Comments on: Hillary Consulted Republicans, Neocons, And Liberals For Big Foreign Policy Speech

By: actuator

actuator — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:23:48 +0000

Bernie, did it ever occur to you that perhaps appearing to “let’s hear from lots of divergent, smart voices” is mostly for appearance which means that responding positively to senisible things heard that are contrary to the “program” is not very likely. Call me a cynic, but I think it’s all about posturing for political purposes and he’s one of the besty at it. There’s no risk in that for him and if Cheney responded to O’neill as you said, he was an idiot.

By: nalyd nebajan

nalyd nebajan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Secretary of state Clinton should have consulted a couple of people that spring to mind
1) Tariq Ali : specialist on India, Pakistan and the Middle East
2) Helmut Schmidt : on U.S Europeen matters
3) Daniel Cohn_Bendit: on the impact of politics on world environment
After that she will be all set.

By: fred

fred — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:45:17 +0000

A lot of those are ‘former’ neocons. A VERY important distinction.

By: Bernie Latham

Bernie Latham — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:04:50 +0000

Alan
Many long-time New Yorker fans such as myself found Tina’s tenure there an unhappy event. Keillor left the magazine soon after her arrival and wrote some rather biting commentary on the dear lady.

By: alan

alan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:20:49 +0000

Ithink that once the President, Gates and Jones were consulted, all the other names really make it sound as if SOS is doing her best to make sure her speech will have some impact. It is US policy that is being enunciated, not that of the Democratic Party.Good for her.

I was rather struck by Tina Brown stupid snarkiness. I generally think well of her stuff but the Daily Beast has been removed from my “to read”ist because it has too many clowns masquerading as writers.

By: Bernie Latham

Bernie Latham — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:15:22 +0000

This sort of inclusive “let’s hear from lots of divergent, smart voices” has been a hallmark of Obama’s process. As I’ve noted before, it was a process that Paul O’Neill brought with him to his post under Bush but which was one of the key things that got him ousted by Cheney. It is the only way to go and bravo to everyone who has the courage and integrity to put their own ideas and preferences and egos at risk in this manner.

By: Greg Sargent

Greg Sargent — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:05:29 +0000

John Paul, I don’t think my piece was critical. In fact, it was simply taking note of the wide diversity of opinion she solicited. Not sure where the criticism here is.

By: John Paul Telhomme

John Paul Telhomme — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:02:46 +0000

So, she consulted everyone from Fukuyama (reading anything this guy says makes me pass out) to Lugar and Brezezinski to Podesta. What is wrong with listening to all opinions, learning from them? Why is this news? Journalists whose conclusion and actions are less consequential listen to both sides of any story. Right? I hope you do Mr. Sargent.

By: par4

par4 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:55:38 +0000

Chomsky,Zinn?

By: Greg Sargent

Greg Sargent — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:51:38 +0000

jmundstuk — good point re Fukuyama. In fact as Ben Smith notes there are no neocons or Bushies (Bush II, that is) on the list.

By: jmundstuk

jmundstuk — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:32:00 +0000

Glad to hear she consulted with the president. Seems like a good move. Fukuyama helped fuel the rise of neocons, but he jumped off that train a while ago. If she were talking with Wolfowitz, Feith, Perle, I’d start to worry.