Hillary Clinton: battling for Barack from behind the scenes

Hillary Clinton: battling for Barack from behind the scenes

Hillary Clinton, as secretary of state, has been prevented from taking an active part in the presidential campaign. But, as Alex Spillius writes, she has been a unsung hero of Obama's re-election.

By Alex Spillius, Diplomatic Correspondent
9:00AM GMT 11 Nov 2012

The first phone call Barack Obama placed after Mitt Romney had conceded defeat late on Tuesday night was to Bill Clinton, to thank him for his sterling work as a campaigner on the Democratic candidate’s behalf.

But the freshly re-elected president would have been equally justified in making that call to the other Clinton – Hillary, his secretary of state – who, against the odds, has proved to be the greatest asset in his administration.

Once Mr Obama’s nemesis, Mrs Clinton is now not only a close colleague but, it appears, a friend.

Protocol dictated that they should accompany each other to Andrews Air Force base in September to receive the bodies of the four Americans killed in the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi. It did not dictate that Mrs Clinton should squeeze the president’s hand after he had paid tribute to the fallen, or that he should put his arm around her waist as they stepped down from the podium.

More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/9667310/Hillary-Clinton-battling-for-Barack-from-behind-the-scenes.html