Obama leaving Clinton behind on travels?

Barack Obama, June 11, 2009 | MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images   Obama is in Ghana today — without Clinton. In his first foreign trip as president, he went to Canada — without Clinton. In April, he went to Turkey — without Clinton. That same month, he went to Mexico — without Clinton. Last month, he visited Saudi Arabia, Germany, and France ...

583756_090710_ObamaPlane2.jpg
583756_090710_ObamaPlane2.jpg

 

Barack Obama, June 11, 2009 | MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Barack Obama, June 11, 2009 | MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
 

Obama is in Ghana today — without Clinton. In his first foreign trip as president, he went to Canada — without Clinton. In April, he went to Turkey — without Clinton. That same month, he went to Mexico — without Clinton. Last month, he visited Saudi Arabia, Germany, and France — without Clinton. 

When it comes to foreign trips, President Obama is “making a habit” of not taking Secretary Clinton along, asserts an Asian News International article ahead of Clinton’s trip to India next week. The article says that “according to Fox News,” it’s customary for the secretary of state to accompany the U.S. president when he travels overseas. Apparently, however, Obama has spent far more time traveling without his secretary of state than George W. Bush and Bill Clinton did at the same points in their four terms.

In all fairness, Clinton’s broken elbow kept her from traveling to Russia with Obama. But, could there be other factors at play? The article cites analysts who say Obama might be concerned that his former rival’s “star power” could turn the spotlight away from him. It also quotes an unnamed high-level State Department official from the Bush administration as saying, “It seems that (Clinton has) had a bit lower profile over the past couple months as opposed to when she entered office.” He also said Clinton began her job with the “widest public recognition” of any secretary of state, but has since faded into the shadows.

Perhaps Obama just has a different style when it comes to traveling overseas (he’s all about “change,” isn’t he?). Plus, Clinton has taken her own solo trips (such as when she went to China and Haiti, for example).

But it’s hard to ignore all the talk that Clinton is “in the shadows.” Conservative commentator William Kristol recently wrote, “Hillary Clinton — remember her? Barack Obama’s increasingly marginalized secretary of state … .”

I guess all this talk is part of the reason why Clinton’s giving her major foreign-policy speech next week.

Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009 to 2016 and was an FP assistant editor from 2007 to 2009. Twitter: @pjaroonFP

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