CNN’s Richard Quest: Hillary Clinton is an ‘International Superstar’

During Friday’s Situation Room, CNN correspondent Richard Quest predicted that the international community would react favorably if Hillary Clinton would become the next Secretary of State: "Absolutely amazed, outstanding reaction -- I’ve little doubt. Remember, Hillary Clinton is an international superstar, known around the world. There would be some reservations, bearing in mind everyone saw the bruising Democratic primary....But no question, the gravitas -- the authority that she would bring would be welcomed around the world." He later made a bizarre analogy about European reaction to the election of Barack Obama: "You’re talking about people who have been like starving men, who have suddenly been given a food [sic] and a meal and it tastes brilliant to them."

Host Wolf Blitzer first asked the CNN correspondent, "...[L]et’s talk about world reaction -- you’re based in London -- what would be the reaction to a Secretary of State Hillary Clinton?" Quest who was in Washington for the emergency G20 economic summit, then gave his "international superstar" answer about Senator Clinton. Blitzer then followed-up by commenting about how "her husband’s [Bill Clinton] still admired around the world." Quest replied, "And she’s an internationalist. She would be -- she knows her way around. She knows the people involved."

The CNN host then asked Quest about how the world was reacting to the election of Obama: "...[I]n Europe, how are they reacting? How are they feeling, now that they’ve had a chance to absorb this historic moment?" The correspondent promptly answered, and included his "starving" analogy: "Giddy -- they’re still giddy with excitement about it. I was in London just this weekend. They can’t believe their luck, Wolf. You know, you’re talking about people who have been like starving men, who have suddenly been given a food [sic] and a meal and it tastes brilliant to them." Blitzer, who seemed surprised by this answer, replied, "That much?" Quest responded by giving his commentary on this apparently "giddy" reaction from Europeans: "Absolutely -- no question. The expectations are unreasonable. They’re way out of the ballpark."

Blitzer asked one more follow-up question about this reaction to Obama before moving on to the issue of the upcoming summit: "Well, is it because they really admire and appreciate Barack Obama and what he stands for, or they don't like the incumbent president, George W. Bush?" Quest replied, "A lot of the second and a bit of the first is the best way to put it. They believe he can solve most of the problems, or at least, they have a better chance of getting it from him than anyone else."