'HRC': What does the new Hillary Clinton bio reveal?
In the 2008 Democratic presidential primary, a junior senator from Illinois, a young nobody with minimal experience and a name no one had heard of, crushed Hillary Clinton, the known quantity, the experienced candidate, the better half of the nation鈥檚 most famous political power couple.
That resounding defeat was supposed to have finished her career.
But it didn鈥檛. Clinton became one of the president鈥檚 most high-ranking cabinet officials; a steel-willed stateswoman; an admired, influential, and authoritative figure. And she just might be our president in 2016.
It is, arguably, one of the greatest political comebacks in recent history and it鈥檚 recounted in 鈥淗RC: State Secrets and the Rebirth of Hillary Clinton,鈥� the hot new political book by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes.
鈥淗RC,鈥� which Crown Press released Tuesday, draws on more than two hundred interviews Allen, formerly of Politico, and Parnes, of The Hill, conduct with Clinton鈥檚 colleagues, backers, and enemies. The result, according to reviews, is a thoroughly reported and well-written chronicle of Clinton鈥檚 comeback and her tenure at the State Department, albeit one that discloses few real revelations or raw personality.
The book opens with a classic scene of Washington vengeance, in Clinton鈥檚 empty campaign headquarters after her demoralizing primary loss to Obama in 2008. A pair of campaign staffers compile an Excel spreadsheet of Clinton鈥檚 supporters and betrayers, assigning them gradations of loyalty and disloyalty on a scale of one 鈥� for ultimate loyalty 鈥� to seven 鈥� for unforgivable treachery.
Then-Senator John Kerry and late Senator Ted Kennedy earn sevens. 鈥淐laire McCaskill 鈥� well, let鈥檚 just say that there is a special seat by hell鈥檚 fire reserved for the Missouri senator, who broke down in penitential weeping after she commented, on national television, that she would not want her daughter near Bill Clinton,鈥� the writes in its review of 鈥淗RC.鈥� 鈥淏ut her greater sin was being the first female senator to endorse Obama.鈥�
That scene underscores a major theme of 鈥淗RC,鈥� the book and the woman: loyalty. Perhaps ironically, given President Clinton鈥檚 personal indiscretions, political loyalty is paramount in Hillaryland, the book鈥檚 authors contend.
As the UK鈥檚 said in its review, 鈥淭hat one aide is quoted as saying 'the Clintons are into loyalty' is a bit like acknowledging that Bill enjoyed side-dishes.鈥�
Loyalty is also the reason Clinton finally, after scores of refusals, relented to accept her position at State, according to the authors. In a blushingly flattering scene they describe a selfless Clinton as 鈥渟o reluctant to take the job that Mr. Obama had to beg to get her to accept,鈥� reports the .
鈥淗illary鈥檚 deference won out,鈥� the authors write. 鈥淭he new President asked her to serve her country and she couldn鈥檛 turn him down.鈥澛�
Besides her painful primary loss and painstaking comeback, the book narrates Clinton鈥檚 time at the State Department, a tenure that wasn鈥檛 particularly glamorous or extraordinary but that was conducted in an industrious manner to restore both the position of the State Department in the administration and the position of the US in the world.
Allen and Parnes describe Clinton鈥檚 steady, steely performance at State as a 鈥渨orkmanlike enhancement of diplomacy and development鈥� with real, if understated 鈥渄eliverables.鈥� There was, for example, no 鈥渕arquee peace deal.鈥�
Though it deals little with Hillary Clinton鈥檚 reaction to and decision to remain with President Clinton after the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke, the book hits shelves at the same time as the diary of Diane Blair, a political science professor and late friend of Hilary Clinton鈥檚, is made public. In the papers, the late Blair presents insight into Mrs. Clinton鈥檚 thoughts at the time the scandal occurred, based on conversations the Clinton confidante had with the first lady.聽
And in that regard, the papers have something 鈥淗RC鈥� does not, some reviews have suggested: the emergence of Clinton鈥檚 own personality and character, still largely unknown to the public despite her celebrity.
That, as well as a dearth of new revelations, may be due to a lack of access. 鈥淗RC鈥� is comprised largely of previously reported old news, reviews have suggested.
鈥淭here is some new reporting,鈥� writes the Journal, 鈥渂ut it's buried in mixed metaphors and clich茅-ridden praise of Mrs. Clinton's brilliance.鈥澛�
The review continues: 鈥淢r. Allen and Ms. Parnes appear to have fallen in love with their subject. 鈥楬illary knows one gear: overdrive,鈥� they write, adding that she is 鈥榣ike a veteran hitter who remains even-keeled under pressure, her steadiness is born of her experience.鈥� She is 鈥榓 woman who got up every time the world knocked her down鈥� and is 鈥榰nwavering in her support of the 21st century statecraft concept.鈥� This is the kind of stuff that would make Mrs. Clinton's image mavens blush.鈥�
Still, 鈥淗RC鈥� presents intelligent analysis, and a highly readable account with some gems, like this description, from an unnamed insider, of working with Clinton, dubbed ascending the 鈥渟tages of Hillary:鈥�
鈥淵ou know, you first dread the prospect of working with her, then you sort of begrudgingly begin to respect her, then you outright respect her and her incredible work ethic. You know, she鈥檚 inexhaustible, she鈥檚 tough-minded, and then you come to actually start to like her, and you just can鈥檛 believe it, but you actually like this person, and she鈥檚 charming and she鈥檚 funny and she鈥檚 interesting and she鈥檚 inquisitive and she鈥檚 engaging.鈥澛�
鈥淭his,鈥� writes the , 鈥渁lso happens to be a pretty good description of the arc of 'HRC.'鈥�
Fortunately, those eager for more insight don鈥檛 have long to wait: the former first lady is publishing her own account of her time at the State Department later this year.
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.
