COMPATIBILITY NEWS - AT 7:43 P.M. ET:  Many observers are starting to notice this.  From Fox:

When the president travels out of country, his secretary of state customarily follows.

Not so with Hillary Clinton.

More and more, President Obama is ditching his top diplomat when he travels abroad. By the time Obama returns from Ghana on Sunday, the last stop on his latest three-country tour, he will have visited nine countries without Clinton.

That's highly unusual for a new secretary of state. Though Clinton has accompanied Obama on several key international visits this year, including Egypt and Trinidad and Tobago, Obama has spent far more time than his predecessors without his foreign policy point person.

Some analysts say this could be a product of Obama's acute interest in diplomacy and international affairs, or perhaps his wariness to promote on the world stage a former rival whose star power could detract from his.

COMMENT:  There'd be a good office pool in just how long Hillary will last.  We speculated early in her term - and it's pure speculation - that she might find it in her interest, especially if Obama fades in the polls, to resign after a year.  Maybe she could say she wants to spend more time with Bill. No, that would never work.  Well, maybe she could hint at policy differences.  That would work, and possibly set her up for some other political office.

The whole relationship seems weird.  The real odd couple.  Maybe Hillary hoped to win a Nobel Peace Prize if something went right.  But she's delusional to think the Norwegians would favor her over Obama. 

Stay tuned.  The soap opera is just starting.

July 9, 2009