Ironically, Hillary Clinton's appointment in 2008 as secretary of state was forced on Obama by her presidential campaign supporters, who insisted she play a major role in the then-new Democratic administration after a bruising primary fight.

John Kerry is going to have a rough tenure as secretary of state. But let's face it: whoever came after Hillary Clinton was going to have to deal with a foreign affairs press corps that has been sleeping for four years. From the moment Hillary entered Foggy Bottom, political reporters have treated their beloved secretary of state with kid gloves.

The mainstream media decided long ago that Hillary Clinton was going to be a fabulous global leader regardless of how she performed.

Foreign aid, though less than 1% of the annual federal budget, is often a hard case to make to constituents who are rightfully worried about domestic and economic issues.

U.S. foreign aid must be used more strategically to achieve our national security goals.

Foreign aid should not be automatic. Countries should have to make their case every year, and American officials should openly decide what, if anything, to fund.

U.S. academics and Upper East Side New Yorkers like to think of the United Nations as a place where foreign ambassadors have intellectual discussions about power and world peace.

Many people vote a straight party line from the president down to city council. Hollywood publicists need to think long and hard about who they are putting forward to lead their awards season campaigns.

While some entertainment executives understand the power of having someone else speak for you, most Hollywood publicists don't.

Obama has created a new world where countries ignore the U.S. without consequence. It's so bad that Saudi Arabia doesn't even want to serve on the Security Council with the U.S. because it might ruin their reputation.

When it comes to Iran, we must not accept Obama's inconsistencies and weakness.

When foreigners struggle for their freedoms, they've long expected the U.S. government to be the first to stand with them.

The Left sees no place for differing opinions.

The Obama Doctrine is to ignore an international crisis or go to war. There is no in between.

California is a great place to live.

Most Republicans in California are tired of fighting the one-party rule from the Left and have given up on state politics.

In order to get re-elected, Obama told us Al Qaeda was on the run and all but defeated.

Diplomacy and coalition-building are hard work and not easy for any president.

The money from wealthy nations to confront some very real global poverty and economic issues is largely given out of guilt.

Overstating America's issues doesn't make us relatable; it makes others' issues easily dismissable.

The Washington media crowd, including conservative media, preaches to the choir of news junkies.

Millions of people walk into the voting booth and vote for someone they like.

While migration is inevitable, the fact remains that most people leave their homes to escape violence and the certain persecution that comes from it.

The U.N. and other international bodies, along with wealthier nations, could manage the unavoidable migration from poorer countries if there were greater focus on stopping the larger chaos created by leaders who finance and support terrorism in the name of Islam.

Consistent conservatives should frame their views in accordance with the fundamental belief that individuals, not governments, have the right to determine the course of their own lives.

Fellow conservatives, particularly within the Republican Party, typically do a good job arguing against totalitarian, one-size-fits-all approaches to policy. What works for a family in New York City might not work in Jenison, Michigan, or Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Parents, not governments, should decide what is best for their family.

Consistent conservatives believe people should keep more of the money they work so hard to earn - not because the vulnerable don't deserve assistance, but because individuals can and will make better and more effective financial and charitable choices with their money than government bureaucrats.

Politically motivated lawsuits and prosecutions cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

Activists create nonprofits for the sole purpose of suing their enemies, collecting a settlement check, and paying lawyers to find the next frivolous lawsuit.

Attorneys general, district attorneys, and federal prosecutors have a responsibility to separate their politics from their law enforcement powers.

If you don't want war, then you had better be an advocate for diplomacy with muscle.

Biden's support for Mubarak in the face of his falling regime sends a powerful and unfortunate message to the Arab world that their freedoms are negotiable.

The big-ego temper tantrums of Wall Street's titans must be a concern for everyone on Wall Street. Bad behavior and manipulation of the markets must be called out by those in the industry concerned for its future.

Despite the debt, the traffic, the one-party rule, the taxes, and the eagerness of politicians to overwhelm small businesses and large corporate job producers with red tape and unnecessary regulations, the Golden State is still the most beautiful place to live and work in the United States.

I'm passionate about politics.

While religious institutions should be able to pick and choose which unions they bless, civil governments should issue marriage licenses to all couples.

For decades, the liberal media eviscerated the Religious Right and other conservatives for their own attacks against liberal social causes. Over time, the media labeled anyone who didn't agree with the Left's world view as intolerant.

Tough decisions are never popular to make and even less popular to force upon the U.N.

Altruism, especially involving basic freedoms, can be what shareholders value most.

Between 1961 and 1982, 'The Catcher in the Rye' was the most censored book in high schools and libraries in the United States. But all the talk about banning it made me rush out to find it.

The Obama Doctrine is the first presidential strategy in history that is exclusively about communicating - not implementing - policy. The Obama Doctrine seems to be 'tweet with overwhelming force.'

Equal rights should not be a partisan political issue - so why are all gay leaders in one political party?

California Democrats are out to kill the American dream by ridiculing the commitment to hard work.

Cancer taught my family that my mom is much stronger than we ever thought. Faced with a devastating diagnosis, she just kept going and living - never complaining.

Presidents and cabinet officials could send a strong message of accountability if they held senior appointees responsible for their performance.

Journalists undoubtedly have a duty to push, cajole, and aggressively maneuver around campaign handlers in order for the public to see a candidate unscripted.

From the moments Obama took office, he has downplayed the threats from radical Islamists.

Imagine what Nigeria could do for Africa if it was also free of Boko Haram's violence.

While supporting human rights in another country is important, fighting for our own safety is crucial.