Hillary suits up for a rematch

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By Monica Crowley

Instead of sending Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on quixotic missions to try to persuade the Chinese and Indians to forgo economic development in favor of sketchy climate-change regulations, President Obama should focus on the effect such tasks are having -- on her.

The whole point of bringing Mrs. Clinton into his administration was to keep her quiet and happy. Above all, it was to keep her involved so she didn't get idle and resentful -- and conspiratorial with her partner in love and crime, Bill.

Yet, in just six short months, Mr. Obama has managed to isolate and pull the rug out from under her. How has she been dissed? Let us count the ways:

c Iran. In the early stages of last month's democratic revolt, Mrs. Clinton urged Mr. Obama to be tougher on the regime and more supportive of the protesters. He blew her off. Then, more than a week into the massacre, he finally made a stronger statement condemning the regime's brutality.

Mrs. Clinton should have been satisfied -- except he didn't alert her before he did it. She had to hear about it on Fox News with the rest of us.

c Russia. She did not accompany Mr. Obama to Moscow two weeks ago to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. She claimed her recently broken elbow prevented travel. But let's get real: She would walk over hot coals while swallowing a burning sword to be at the center of the world's action.

Because Russia is pretty much the only foreign policy portfolio that hasn't been taken away from her and given to a "czar," she would have packed enough Tylenols to get through it -- if she had thought she would have some influence. Instead, she stayed home, nursing her elbow and a rapidly simmering grudge.

c Syria. Mrs. Clinton's State Department had a "working group" negotiating concessions from Syria, including ending its support for terrorism through Hezbollah and the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Once the concessions were secured, a U.S. ambassador would be dispatched to Damascus. In an end run, Mr. Obama decided to appoint an ambassador before her team could gain a single concession.

c Israel. Having adopted Mr. Obama's entrenched positions on freezing Israeli settlements and engagement with Iran, she has sacrificed much of her previously solid Jewish support. Turning her back on Israel can't sit well with her.

c Personnel. Mrs. Clinton wanted longtime Clinton confidant (and conspirator) Sidney Blumenthal to serve with her at the State Department. The White House said no. She also wanted Harvard University professor Joseph S. Nye Jr. for the ambassadorship to Japan. Again, Mr. Obama deep-sixed her choice in favor of one of his major fund-raisers.