One thing we’ve learned about Hillary Clinton is she’s not scared to tell you whose boss or what’s on her mind, whether it was as First Lady with her push for healthcare reform, her time as New York State Senator, on the Presidential campaign trail with her emotional pleas and certainly not as Secretary of State.  On Monday, Mrs. Clinton did just that when asked a question by a university student at an open forum in Kinshasa during her tour of Africa.      

Visibly uncomfortable with his mastery of the english language, the student took the microphone and asked about the multibillion-dollar Chinese to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“What does Mr. Clinton think about it?” he said to the amazment of those who understood in the crowd. 

 After a breif pause and realizing that Asthon Kutcher wasn’t going to run out from a side room the Secretary of State responded very curtfully.

“You want me to tell you what my husband thinks?” she asked incredulously.”If you want my opinion, I will tell you my opinion,.  My husband is not secretary of state, I am. I am not going to be channelling my husband.”

Realizing a horrible mistake had been made, the moderator quickly moved on.  I’ve often said that we as Americans have often been too quick to base the opinions or actions of our international brethern on our own western customs. Not everything fully translates as was perhaps the case here.

After the meeting, the student reportedly approached Mrs Clinton afterward and told her he had meant to ask what Mr Obama, not Bill Clinton, thought about the Chinese loan.

The problem occured when the French-speaking student had his question translated into English.  It was an honest mistake and I’m not going to critisize Secratary Clinton for her sharp response.  But I would hope as the top U.S. diplomat that she would be prepared for these type of “lost in translation” moments.  Zack (Highbrid Nation Since 2008) examines the public relations approach Mrs. Clinton and the Department of State should take regarding the incident.