All Blog Posts from Political Hotsheet

This post was written by CBS News State Department Reporter Charles Wolfson.

Condoleezza Rice has been telling people for months that the Bush administration would sprint to the finish – and she kept her word.

Rice spent part of her last day as America's chief diplomat meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and talking about ways to arrange a cease fire in Gaza. The two colleagues, who are also friends, then signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to prevent Hamas from being rearmed.

Rice then made her final public appearance as America's chief diplomat, speaking to about a thousand State Department employees gathered to hear her farewell remarks. The secretary of state was greeted enthusiastically as she recalled her brief stint as an intern in the building several decades ago.

For the most part, her remarks were serious and optimistic, in keeping with her basic worldview.

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By CBS News State Department reporter Charles Wolfson

It was standing room only for the confirmation hearing of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, President-elect Barack Obama’s expected secretary of state.

More than a hundred spectators lined up early and many had to wait their turn to enter the hearing room in the Senate’s Hart Office Building.

Inside it was clear this was no ordinary hearing. Seats were reserved for diplomats from a number of interested countries including Egypt and Iraq. The French Ambassador, Pierre Vimont, arrived early and chatted with journalists and committee staff members.

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