I started parsing this and looking for the weight behind the words:
Mr. Ahern said Mrs. Clinton had been “hugely helpful” in the peace process, but he stopped short of crediting her with a central role in the negotiations.
“She was the first lady of the United States, not a party leader in Northern Ireland,” Mr. Ahern, who has been in office since June 1997, told The Scranton Times-Tribune. “No one would expect her to get into the nitty-gritty of the process.” But, he added, “any fair observer would find that both Hillary and Bill Clinton made peace in Ireland a priority while they were in the White House and after.”
Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, was one of several members of Congress who tried to encourage the peace talks. Mr. King described Mrs. Clinton as “definitely a player and not just along for the ride.” He said it would be accurate to describe her as “a knowledgeable and very effective go-between” whom he recalled often seeing “huddled off to the side at receptions,” talking with the Irish parties to the peace negotiations, “trying to break down as many barriers as possible.”
"Hugely helpful" is a nice way of saying a big thank you but it strikes me as purposefully vague. She wasn't in the "nitty-gritty" where truly "instrumental" players must be (unless they have their own bully pulpit that impacts separate talks). Anyone can claim something is a "priority" with little actual investment of time and effort. She attended receptions with Irish politicians, no surprise, and she was with Bill at a conversation with Gerry Adams on one key issue.
Just doesn't add up to a whole lot for me. |
