Hillary Clinton Beats Obama In Job Approval Ratings

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oi-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 16:25

After finishing 100 days in the office, US Secretary of state Hilary Clinton has trumped President Barack Obama in job approval ratings. A recent polls shows Clinton having an approval rating of 71 percent, while the the President has a 65 percent approval rating. "She's acting like a statesman and diplomat and representing her President instead of herself. She hasn't gone off on her own as many predicted. It's been very rehabilitating for her image," said a prominent Democrat on the former presidential candidate.

The Daily News quotes experts as saying that her former president husband, Bill Clinton, has helped in revamping her image. Hillary also has labored to smooth over lingering rifts from the campaign with Obama and his inner circle, most notably First Lady Michelle Obama.

Declaring a truce at Foggy Bottom in March, Obama joked about her refusal during the campaign to mention Clinton's name, calling her 'the other candidate'. With a grin, Obama said, "Let me thank Secretary Clinton - I love saying that!"

Former National Security Council member Elliott Abrams opines that Obama has absorbed much of the foreign policy flak that would have gone Clinton's way. Obama has piled the diplomatic plate high for Clinton, tasking her with risky openings to Iran and Cuba, while getting North Korea to disarm, putting down the Taliban threat in Pakistan and bringing the Israelis and Palestinians back to negotiations.

Clinton said she would give priority to 'acknowledging our own errors where we have made them, which will serve as an example to others to do the same.' “Clinton is using her political talents in the building. Morale is good. And unlike former Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld, who was barely civil to Bush Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, she's playing well with others.," said Abrams.

Even Republicans are lauding the new and improved Hilary Clinton. "It's nice to see the relationship the two of them have built, and I'm very pleased with what they're doing," Senator George Voinovich told Clinton and Gates.

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