Clinton bids colleagues farewell

[ProSense]

Clinton bids colleagues farewell

By AMIE PARNES

At an emotional private party just off the Senate floor, soon-to-be Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told her Senate colleagues Wednesday night that serving in the Senate “has been the greatest experience of my life” and that leaving them was “like leaving family.”

Clinton, whose eyes welled up as she worked the elegant LBJ room in the Capitol, hugged and kissed colleagues, posed for pictures and thanked them one by one as she reminded them she would be “just around the corner.”

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) nearly choked up as he spoke. “Parting is such sweet sorrow – I have such sweet memories of you,” he said. “I feel like crying.”

An emotional Clinton responded, “This is not goodbye — this is just a wave, Harry.. . . We’re going to be in each others’ hearts and minds.”

Clinton was feted by her daughter, Chelsea, and by some members of the Obama team — Rahm Emanuel, the incoming White House chief of staff, transition chief John Podesta and economic adviser Larry Summers, who left frequently to chat on his cell phone in the hall, a stray shirt tail hanging below his suit coat.

The former first lady is expected to give her farewell speech at 11 a.m. Thursday, an hour after Vice President-elect Joe Biden delivers his own farewell address.

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[Jennicut]

1. I expect Joe to be really emotional, he has been there forever.

This will be tough for him, though moving into the VP's job can't be all that bad! Hillary sounds like she is getting emotional too. Have we ever had this many Senators leaving at once. Or had two senators become Prez and VP? Hmmm, I must go google this.

[Beacool]

2. She loves being a senator.

I hate to see her leave the senate where she would have been a great asset in helping to pass the domestic agenda, but I know that she will be a great SOS.

Godspeed, Hillary.

Thank you for posting a positive thread about Hillary.

;)

[PM Martin]

3. Then why is she leaving?

:shrug:

[rvablue]

4. Because her and our President has asked her to serve ... it's the highest honor in the land?

And, I might add, why didn't you include Biden in your snark, too?

[PM Martin]

5. Not a snark. A question.

Biden chose to be VP.
I do believe that Hillary will be an excellent SOS.

[Beacool]

6. Like Rvablue said, because she was asked to serve.

She's always had a strong sense that it's her duty to serve and give back. I'm sure that she'll throw herself wholeheartedly into the job, but I still would have preferred that she stayed in the senate where she had her own power base and independence.

Tomorrow I'll see her in NY and it will be bittersweet to hear her say goodbye. As she said to us recently, she's not leaving NY. Bill and Chelsea will still be based here, but we won't get to see her around here as much. She will be missed........

:(

[grantcart]

7. You really have to admire her taking on this challenge and giving up the security of

the Senate.

I think executive office suits her better than the slow paced consultative legislature.


Good luck Secretary of State.