Clinton promises State Department employees a 'new era', welcomes debate

[The Straight Story]

Clinton promises State Department employees a 'new era'
By Anne Flaherty, Associated Press January 22, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton took charge of the State Department on Thursday, proclaiming the start of a new era of robust U.S. diplomacy to tackle the world's crises and improve America's standing abroad.

Before a raucous, cheering crowd of about 1,000 people, the nation's 67th secretary of state pledged to boost the morale and resources of the diplomatic corps and promised them a difficult but exciting road ahead.

"I believe with all of my heart that this is a new era for America," she said to loud applause in the main lobby of the department's headquarters, which President Barack Obama will visit later Thursday to underscore his administration's commitment to diplomacy and announce the appointment of special envoys to the Middle East and South Asia.

"This is going to be a challenging time and it will require 21st Century tools and solutions to meet our problems and seize our opportunities," Clinton said. "I'm going to be asking a lot of you. I want you to think outside the proverbial box. I want you to give me the best advice you can."

"I want you to understand there is nothing that I welcome more than a good debate and the kind of dialogue that will make us better," she said. "We cannot be our best if we don't demand that from ourselves and each other."

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=41853&dcn=todaysnews

[LakeSamish706]

1. There were some pretty happy faces there today, and her encouragement that...

she was open to any and all advice from the staff was a great uplift for them as well.

[DCKit]

2. The career employees go to State to practice diplomacy in defense of the U.S..

There has been no diplomacy for eight years.

Like every other department or agency, they just want to get back to work and fix this mess.