Electing Barack Obama was indeed  a breath of fresh air, despite some issues we all may have with him already. One of the most interesting (though sorta anticipated) moves he’s taken so far has been to appoint former rival and outgoing senator Hillary Clinton to the post of Secretary of State.

Yesterday, she faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee so that she may be confirmed to the post.  Here are a few reason why it looks like Clinton and Obama are going to make Americans not look like a bunch of dirtbags to the rest of the world…

1. Her opening statement just about says it all, as far as why Obama was elected, and why her appointment to the State Department is fitting. Clinton is clearly on track to usher in a new era in our foreign policy. Just look at some of the things she said in her opening statement:

- “We will renew America’s leadership through diplomacy that enhances our security, advances our interets, and reflects our values.

- “Foreign policy must be based on a marriage of principles and pragmatism, not rigid ideology.”

- “We must use what has been called ’smart power,’ the full range of tools at our disposal. With smart power, diplomacy will be the vanguard of foreign policy.”

Decisive logic has been missing from U.S. foreign policy for nearly a decade; so just using the phrase”smart power” is enough to make one want to tear up a little. In the very turbulent climate that our world is in right now, it only seems right that we have a steady but firm figure guiding our foreign policy.

2. She’s going to be good for women. Liberal pundit and Air America host Thom Hartmann said something once at an event that truly resonated with me: A country’s monetary success, and political stability, are closely tied with the amount of freedom women have in that country. It makes a lot of sense, when you think about it.

Being that Hillary is the face of female empowerment in America right now (no, it’s not Sarah Palin…),  During the hearing, she mentioned that she wants to tackle the plight of women and girls around the world, “who comprise the majority of the world’s unhealthy, unschooled, unfed and unpaid.” Fabu!

3. This is going to be good for energy, too. Americans make up a relatively small chunk of the world population, yet we use a ton of energy compared to other nations. It ain’t right. Obama and Clinton will use their clout to engage other countries in establishing an international energy plan, to distribute fair amounts of energy to more places, while capping outputs.

Right now 65% of Americans hold a favorable view of her, her highest approval rating in a decade (and what was going on exactly a decade ago today? We all found out that Bill was getting BJ’s from some intern, so of course people were rallying behind her!).

So there you have it. If approved, will Clinton do a good job at State? What are some other areas in which the next administration might do well, or not so much?

Photo by duponddupont

Does anyone else find it kinda awesome that three of the major foreign policy/ national security posts in the country are being headed up by three well-qualified women?

We’ve got Janet Napolitano in Homeland Security, Susan Rice over at the NSA, and of course, Hillary Clinton taking on State.

Take that, stupid countries that don’t let women do simple things like own property or drive.

Photo by SEIU_International

Seems that Richardson and Kerry haven’t been giving it their all on the runway. Turns out that Obama is on track to choose Senator Clinton after Thanksgiving. it turns out, the major issue holding Clinton back from being chosen outright (the hubbster) has disclosed insane amounts of information to clear the air, and let his wifey have ago at the Secretary of State posish. (If you didn’t know, former President Clinton’s International aid foundation has a very complex funding system, funneled into 27 countries…could be tricky/influential on the Sec. of State if his or her spouse is a major international humanitarian)

According to a CNN poll, most Americans say that President-Elect Obama will make the right choices in choosing his cabinet members. So far the only solidified choice for cabinet that Obama has made so far has been Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (who, not gonna lie, is kind of a silver fox…oy).

A lot of appointed positions have been made like Deputy This, Senior That Advisor, but nothing major yet. Let’s take a look at this high-profile competition to be America’s Next Top Diplomat! (Sorry, no spread with Seventeen or deal with Ford Models).

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Hillary Clinton: Clinton’s the frontrunner in all of this, as this would make a lot of Democrats feel rather content. Though, it would be nice to keep her in the Senate, since she’s one of it’s most prominent members.

What would Tyra say?: “Hillary, you have the confidence to pull off being Secretary of State, but do you have the energy, which will have to emit to the international community? Lately you were all ‘bleh bleh bleh’ but you have to be like, ‘bam! uh! bam!’ Just don’t forget to smile with your eyes, but not too much. And don’t let your man be a liability, girl.”

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Bill Richardson: New Mexico’s governor has held a cabinet position before, as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. He has had a lot of foreign policy experience, as President Bill Clinton’s ambassador to the United Nations; also, he conducted diplomacy in Sudan and North Korea

What Would Tyra Say?: “Bill, you have a lot of experience already, but that could make you appear to be a little too cocky. You can be fierce, but you can’t be cocky. I like post-primary makeover, with the goatee and all, but you have to be careful of looking too sweaty out there. Just be like me, and remember to ask yourself, ‘Tyra, are you Sure or Unsure?’”
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John Kerry: You may remember John Kerry as “That Guy Who Lost to W. in 2004.” He was also a Vietnam Veteran, so that probably helps in the preventing-wars and making-sure-POWs-and-veterans-are-treated-with-respect department. He’s also a bit of a foreign policy wonk, since he’s been hanging out on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He’s also credited with really introducing Obama to the world stage, since he invited him to be the keynote speaker at the 2004 DNC Convention.

What Would Tyra Say?: “You know John, you have a great look going for you. It says, ‘I’m rich. You’re not. Deal with it.’ In some photos you look absolutely beautiful, but in others you look like kinda like a tranny. A longfaced tranny, at that. If you make it to the next round of vetting, I want you to ask yourself, ‘Am I fierce enough for this?’ I mean, look at me — I’m amazingly fierce. Basically, just be me. Fierce.”

Photo by Marcn

Hillary Clinton says the chances of her seeking the highest political office in the U.S are “probably close to zero.” The junior senator from New  York also said she would be even less likely to being nominated to the Supreme Court or run the senate as the majority leader.

Well, as you remember, Clinton said before that she just wanted to concentrate on being the best senator from New York, and then she ran a long, thrilling, earth shattering campaign for the presidency. Is it a hoax, or do you think she’s hung her hat as far as the presidency is concerned?

Photo by Marcn

Senator Hillary Clinton has raised more than $8 million for the Obama campaign since she dropped out of the presidential race in June. Just over the weekend she brought in $1.5 million at events in Texas and California for Obama and a few congressional candidates.

She’s headlining fundraising events in cities across the country to raise some more cash. She’s also trying to help more women get in on the Senate. According to USAToday:

On Friday, she issued an e-mail fundraising appeal for Louisiana incumbent Mary Landrieu and challengers Kay Hagan, who is locked in a tight battle against Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina, and former New Hampshire governor Jeanne Shaheen, who is engaged in a repeat of her close 2002 race with GOP Sen. John Sununu.