Secretary of State: Job Description
Editorial, The Boston Globe | November 21, 2008
Speculation is rife as to who will be the next Secretary of State. ++ Many have forgotten the more important question: What does America need from that post? ++ First, the "complete confidence of the president" is a prerequisite; second, they must be a dealmaker - diplomacy is a "political art;" third, they need to tackle all the issues of the Middle East as if they’re interrelated; last, the foreign service needs a new, dynamic manager. ++ The ideal candidate must “inspire confidence” yet be “tough enough to elicit needed compromises.”
