Hillary Clinton: A No-Nonsense Style Honed as Advocate

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Clinton as Manager
This is part of a series of articles about the lives and careers of contenders for the 2008 Republican and Democratic presidential nominations.

A No-Nonsense Style Honed as Advocate
By MARK LEIBOVICH
Published: October 26, 2007


(Dennis Cook/AP)
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Mrs. Clinton as first lady in 1994, when she led a task force charged with overhauling the nation’s health care system. The ill-fated effort involved 511 people.

....“She is very smart and very organized,” said Leon E. Panetta, the former White House chief of staff. “Bill Clinton was very smart and not very organized.” It is indeed likely that a Hillary Clinton White House would be more punctual, precise and process-oriented than her husband’s. Still, managing something as big as the federal government and unforeseeable as a presidency presents an inevitably steep learning curve.

Mrs. Clinton has never led a large enterprise, a point her Republican rival Rudolph W. Giuliani has made in recent days. She has overseen a Senate office (staff of 55), a first lady’s office (staff of 25), an ill-fated “health-care task force” (involving 511 people), a presidential campaign (staff of more than 500) — and attended many, many meetings (“I’ve decided to declare meetings as my major,” Mrs. Clinton wrote jokingly in a letter in her college days).

Her background as a boss, powerful spouse and advocate could signal Mrs. Clinton’s approach to the job for which she is now applying. She is credited with hiring capable, loyal staff members, though her top aides have also been called insular and needlessly defensive at times.

Friends and advisers say Mrs. Clinton has been a diligent student of her own mistakes, and her style has evolved over the years from a tendency to micromanage to a greater willingness to delegate; from a bent toward perfectionism to one closer to pragmatism; from a go-for-broke mentality to one more willing to compromise.

Mrs. Clinton, for her part, draws a distinction between leadership and management, and her style and that of Mr. Clinton. “My husband has extraordinary leadership ability,” Mrs. Clinton said in an interview. “But he was also not as interested in the day-to-day management. He was much more focused on our goals and objectives: how you do the politics, how you do the persuasion. I’m trying to meld leadership and management in a way that really suits me.”...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/26/us/politics/26clinton.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[monmouth]

1. Wow!!

[William769]

2. K&R!

[NewHampster]

3. I read this article over lunch and kept thinking the Times Edorsement

can't be far behind. Great and honest article about a great and honest lady.

Hillary Clinton.............WooHoo

[Cameron27]

4. Great write up for Hillary,

K&R

[emilyg]

5. K&R

[burythehatchet]

6. faster ... I'm almost there...

[DURHAM D]

7. Very interesting -

She pegged Rahm early on and wanted him fired from the Administration. I have tried to give him the benefit of the doubt for many years but after his appearance on Bill Maher a few weeks back I just wanted to throw an egg at him. Glad to know he is not part of her team.

As for DeeDee - she was likable but not capable. She was not a "real" press secretary - she should have been shown the door much earlier than she was. Better than Dana but just not weighty enough.

George - well George turned out to be a snake in the grass. A moralizing little jerk.

I am glad to see I have been in great company all of these years. Seems she does not suffer fools well - I like that in a gal.

One of the main differences I see between Bill and Hill. Bill wants to be liked - Hill wants to get it right. Given our current national stress I would rather have the "get it right" person in charge.

[Cameron27]

8. I was surprised by the Rahm thing too,

I like her fix it, move on and don't get bogged down, attitude. The more I get to know her, the more I think she'd be a great president.

[DURHAM D]

10. James Carville.

I would love to know Hillary's take on James. Since he was only on the campaign and not in the administration I guess the interviewer didn't ask or maybe didn't get a answer.

Anyway, I have never liked him. I think he lets people think he is part of her campaign but I wonder.

[cuke]

9. She has good instincts

when it comes to people. She also has a very loyal staff

[MethuenProgressive]

11. The NYT? With a positive story about a Clinton? Wow...

Times has changed.