MORE HILLARY - AT 9:12 A.M. ET: Following on the theme of the story just below - the mysterious role of Hillary Clinton - it seems the secretary will have a coming out party, the 415th of her career.  The Politico notes it:

In the first six months of the Obama administration, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has brought her star power to the world stage and cemented her position as a serious internal player. Now, according to her aides, she is ready to articulate her own policy agenda, one that focuses in part on strengthening Americans’ capacity for what has been called “smart power.”

Her own policy agenda?  Her very own?  Wait a second.  Doesn't she work for a guy who lives in a big white house?  What is this "own"?  More:

The speech she is scheduled to give Wednesday to the Council on Foreign Relations is expected to serve as an explanation and framework of the administration’s foreign policy and a tour of its busy first half-year. But it will sound some themes closely associated with Clinton’s former life as first lady and U.S. senator.

And then there's this tidbit:

Clinton appears increasingly comfortable expressing her views. State Department officials have suggested that she’s been a hawkish internal voice, pushing Obama toward more confrontational stances toward adversaries from Iran to Cuba.

Hmm.  May I humbly refer you to my comment in the item below, suggesting that Ms. Hillary will jump ship as soon as the jumping is good.  She can't take a position to the left of Obama.  I mean, how much room is there?  But she can go to his right, which probably reflects her natural instincts anyway.

Watch Hillary closely.  She hasn't given up on the White House.  She remembers how good the cooking was.

July 14, 2009