May 29, 2010

It’s no secret that politically speaking, I’m a liberal democrat. I keep thinking about what it might have been like if you had become president rather than Barack Obama. I was very torn during the primaries. I wasn’t sure you could win. I wasn’t sure he could lead. I actually felt you’d both be good presidents.

But the more I think about it, the happier I am he won. And I mean that in a much nicer way than it comes off. Should you have won, I can’t begin to think who you might have chosen as Secretary of State that would have been as hardworking and effective as you have been. Joe Biden? I’d be worried he’d say the wrong thing. You couldn’t hire your husband, although he’d have been a grand choice.

No, the more I think of it and the longer I see you in action, the happier I am that you helm the Department of State. I can’t think of anyone better suited to the job, more capable, more unflappable. In a way, your job is the most important in the country. You are the face abroad, the person who brings the figurative force to bear so that the literal force isn’t needed.

Some people are born to do certain things: Ichiro Suzuki was born to play ball; IB Singer to write novels; Yitzak Perlman to play the violin. You were born to do this job.

And I’ll bet you don’t miss the campaigning one bit, either.

Keep up the good work. You make women — and I’d like to think men — everywhere proud.

Lisa