Clintonian diplomacy without Hillary?

Posted By Megan Carpentier Friday, January 30, 2009 - 4:24 PM Share

While the U.S. has no official star presence at the Davos World Economic Forum this week, it certainly has an unofficial star there. Bill Clinton spoke there yesterday, ribbing Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin about his free-market credentials from the stage and later meeting him for private discussions behind closed doors.

Bill Clinton's tête-à-tête with Putin follows the announcement by the Russian government that Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet in advance of the April G-20 Summit, when Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will have their own face-to-face. One assumes (or, at least hopes) that Bill Clinton got some marching orders from his wife before sitting down with Putin at this rather delicate moment for U.S.-Russian relations.

EXPLORE:DAVOS09, HILLARY, RUSSIA
 
Facebook|Twitter|Reddit

ANNE

4:40 PM ET

January 30, 2009

Damn i wish bill could be

Damn i wish bill could be pres again. minus the bj's.

 

NYCGIRL

4:41 PM ET

January 30, 2009

What are bjs?

Anne,

I always enjoy your comments, but what are bj's?

 

ANNE

4:45 PM ET

January 30, 2009

lol. snow jobs with a bl

lol. snow jobs with a bl instead of an sn.

 

NYCGIRL

5:11 PM ET

January 30, 2009

Ha, ha! I hear you .. :-)

Ha, ha! I hear you .. :-)

 

CAROLYN-RODHAM

5:54 PM ET

January 30, 2009

Let's squeeze the "B" out of "Billary," please Bill

Bill needs to be careful...The last thing Hillary needs is for people to begin saying, "See? We knew she couldn't control him." We need to squeeze out the "B" and introduce the "H" back into "Billary."

 

RICKYA

6:42 PM ET

January 30, 2009

I don't think it would be a

I don't think it would be a problem. Bill Clinton is free to speak his mind on any topic. He is brilliant and worth listening to. There would only be a problem if he represents himself as speaking for the government, which he will never do.

 

CAROLYN-RODHAM

6:53 PM ET

January 30, 2009

Don't get me wrong, I'm a

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of Bill's, and would have supported him for a third and fourth term despite his personal shenanigans. But I think it is unwise for him to have a very public tete-a-tete with Putin before Hillary has had a chance to have a parley with Putin in her new official capacity. He's got to learn to live in the shadows -- hers, specifically -- for awhile at least.

 

RICKYA

11:12 PM ET

January 30, 2009

I don't think it is unwise at

I don't think it is unwise at all. He can have relationships with other heads of state without any conflict. He just has to make clear that he is not speaking for the US government.

 

STILL4HILL

6:48 PM ET

January 30, 2009

@Anne

I wish Hillary could be president - for once. I think Bill has always wished that too.

 

NYCGIRL

7:37 PM ET

January 30, 2009

I second that

Still4Hill,

I second that. I agree that Bill wanted to see her win so badly it hurt him literally. Remember him at the convention in the audience mouthing "I love you" when she was speaking? He was heartbroken and furious that she was PUSHED OUT BY HER OWN PARTY!

 

PYW

10:18 PM ET

January 30, 2009

For all we know

Obama's administration may have okayed Bill's remarks about Putin in advance.

 

LILA

7:11 PM ET

January 31, 2009

2 for 1

I think Bill is one of MANY reasons Obama asked Hillary to be SOS. Bill's personal relationships with world leaders are unmatched. Many other high profile people have met with world leaders, conducted diplomacy, etc. but Bill gets invited to birthday parties. He is uniquely postitioned to help carry out BHO/HRC's agenda. Paradoxically, his international visits are big news yet he can fly under the radar as an emissary. That's a huge asset for Hillary and you can bet they're all working together.

 

ANNE

2:40 AM ET

February 2, 2009

Are you saying she got picked

Are you saying she got picked because of her husband? Wow. I guess the little lady just can't get a job on her own merits.

 

Madam Secretary is an obsessive blog about all things Hillary Clinton. From her policies to her pantsuits, Madam Secretary delivers up-to-the-minute news, analysis, and gossip about America's top diplomat.