Hillary Clinton: Secretary of State - Duties and Job Description

Upon hearing the news that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton had accepted Barack Obama's offer to be the next Secretary of State, I got to wondering exactly what is a Secretary of State anyway? I mean, hey now, I know it's an important role, but what does this "Secretary of State" really do?

I thought of a few scenarios based on the title "Secretary of State" - just a few things that I thought Hillary may have to do in her new role...like....

Answering the phone calls for all of the states. She will be the major switchboard operator, sort of like the switchboard operators we used to see on Lassie, with multiple phone lines going on all at once....

Schwarzenegger calling from California....asking Hillary questions like: Hilluuureee.... (can you hear the accent?) Can you please have Mr. Biiidun call me as soon as he gets a chance to look at my latest script?

And then the other governors and mayors...blowing up her phone...Hillary juggling to be secretary to all the states...staplers flying...post-it notes all over the walls...memos scattered all over her desk from all the other secretaries in all the other states...

OR

?????

So yes as you can tell I certainly wasn't a government and/or history buff in school as I certainly don't know my Secretary of States role from a hole in the ground - but being the inquisitive soul that I am - I certainly think it's NEVER to late to learn something new...so in the quest for the truth of Mrs. Clinton's new role - my curiosity was certainly piqued... and with a little research I was able to come up with the duties that Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton will be facing as the next Secretary of State (this is not by any means all of the duties but the main ones are listed below)

Her main "job description" is here:

Under the Constitution, the President of the United States determines U.S. foreign policy. The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department and the Foreign Service of the United States.

And more in detail duties below:

• Serves as the President’s principal adviser on U.S. foreign policy;
• Conducts negotiations relating to U.S. foreign affairs;
• Grants and issues passports to American citizens and exequaturs to foreign consuls in the United States;
• Advises the President on the appointment of U.S. ambassadors, ministers, consuls, and other diplomatic representatives;
• Advises the President regarding the acceptance, recall, and dismissal of the representatives of foreign governments;
• Personally participates in or directs U.S. representatives to international conferences, organizations, and agencies;
• Negotiates, interprets, and terminates treaties and agreements;
• Ensures the protection of the U.S. Government to American citizens, property, and interests in foreign countries;
• Supervises the administration of U.S. immigration laws abroad;
• Provides information to American citizens regarding the political, economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian conditions in foreign countries;
• Informs the Congress and American citizens on the conduct of U.S. foreign relations;
• Promotes beneficial economic intercourse between the United States and other countries;
• Administers the Department of State;
• Supervises the Foreign Service of the United States.

So wow after reading up on the Secretary of States duties I was quite impressed. Not at all as I had envisioned, with some mad woman as a switchboard operator handling multiple calls for all the states... Instead Clinton will be handling a lot of the delicate foreign relations duties for the United States of America - quite an impressive role.

I have to admit, before I became an Obama supporter, I was a Hillary Clinton supporter - and have always been a big fan of her calm and quiet reserve. Her tenacity to get a job done and to stand by her man through thick and thin has made me respect her more and more over the years.... so Hillary, congratulations on your new role as Secretary of State...I think you are one awesome woman, and one awesome leader...and Hillary?

When you give up your switchboard job can you send me an application please?

(Dorsi Diaz is a freelance writer and publisher on the web)