Hillary Clinton’s popularity soars even as she places women’s rights at the center of US foreign policy

 Secretary Clinton meets with Belarusian and Belarusian-American human rights activists including "We Remember" President Irina Krasovskaya and Belarus Free Theater co-founder Natalya Kolyada to discuss recent events in Belarus. State Department Photo by Michael Gross

In her recently published must-read article in the Guardian, Madeleine Bunting marvels that Hillary Clinton’s popularity continues to soar as she places women’s rights at the center of US foreign policy.

Bunting writes:

Many of her statements can be routed back to the idealistic internationalism of 70s feminism. Astonishingly, she has managed to bring the feminism for which she was loathed in the early 90s (as the first lady who didn't stay home and bake cookies) into the heart of the state department and foreign policy, and is still clocking high opinion poll ratings.

From the start Clinton left no one in any doubt where she stood: women's rights are "the signature issue" of this administration's foreign policy, she said. She mentioned women 450 times in speeches in the first five months in office. "Transformation of the role of women is the last great impediment to universal progress," she declared, and began to develop what is her standard line: women's issues are integral to the achievement of every goal of US foreign policy.

Or put more simply: the empowerment, participation and protection of women and girls is vital to the long-term security of the US. Last month this rhetoric was translated into policy in the long awaited Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, which aimed to redefine US foreign policy around civilian power. "We are integrating women and girls into everything we do… in all our diplomacy with other governments… in our work on conflict and crisis," said the state department's briefing.

Read more:

Two years later and oh, how America loves the Clintons

Amazing. Flashback to the 08 primary when the Journolisting media were busily smearing Bill and Hillary Clinton as racists; the smug Bob Schieffer was speculating on the air that Bill was deliberately trying to undercut Hillary's campaign; and "liberal" pundits, Dionne, Rich, Herbert, Robinson, et al, were accusing Hillary of harboring death wishes for Obama.

Lately, wherever you scan online news coverage, there's Bill Clinton's smiling face being lauded with yet another honor. If he isn't on demand at the White House to assist President Obama, he's making headlines for his newly adopted vegan diet. Politico has it:

Sarah Palin may have riled People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) this year with her televised animal slaughter, but at least one politico has earned the organization’s praise. President Bill Clinton has been named PETA’s 2010 Person of the Year, the animal rights organization announced Monday.

And in case you've missed it, Hillary, the woman labeled "too polarizing" for the Dems to nominate in 08, was voted on October 7, 2010 the most popular political figure in the nation, receiving a favorable rating of 64 percent in a Bloomberg National Poll.

Michelle Obama came in second, and President Obama lagged behind in third place.