WASHINGTON // Hillary Clinton's nomination for secretary of state is expected to survive a confirmation hearing tomorrow before her US Senate colleagues, but the proceedings may not be without a few uncomfortable moments. During her testimony before the Senate foreign relations committee, Mrs Clinton may face tough questions about the philanthropic and business dealings of her husband, Bill Clinton, whose foundation has accepted tens of millions of dollars in donations from foreign governments and businesses. She will also likely be grilled on an array of foreign policy issues including Israel's offensive in Gaza, which her new boss, Barack Obama, has so far declined to discuss in any detail. Analysts do not expect Mrs Clinton's confirmation to be blocked by the bipartisan panel - she is considered highly qualified and will bring instant heft to US diplomatic efforts at a time when the country seeks to repair its damaged image around the world. The secretary of state serves as the face of US foreign policy and many view Mrs Clinton, who is already a known quantity, as a good fit for the job. "She is an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who knows many of the world's leaders, who will command respect in every capital and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world," Mr Obama said last month when he introduced his national security team. Still, some of the most influential members on the foreign relations committee, including its top Republican, have indicated they will press Mrs Clinton on the potential conflicts of interest involving her husband's activities. "I'm not alone in suggesting there will be questions raised and they're probably legitimate questions," Richard Lugar, who has nevertheless pledged to support Mrs Clinton's nomination, said in November when the president-elect's pick for secretary of state became clear. "Given all of the ties, all of the influence that [Mr Clinton] has ? he is a major player in foreign policy. Now Mrs Clinton is going to be secretary of state. They are married. They are a team." At issue are almost a decade's worth of donations to Mr Clinton's charitable foundation, which financed the construction of his presidential library and is involved in a global effort to combat poverty and fight HIV/Aids. Among the foundation's more than 200,000 donors is the Saudi government, which gave between US$10 million (Dh36.7m) and $25m, the government of Norway, which gave between $5m and $10m, and an exclusive list of businessmen, celebrities and charities from around the world. The Zayed family and the Dubai Foundation each donated between $1 million and $5 million. Some worry that the former president, with his various financial allegiances, may seek to influence his wife, who would become the country's top diplomat. Even the appearance of impropriety, some fear, may be enough to stir controversy. Some names on the donor list have already demonstrated how easily the appearance of conflict can arise. At least $5m came from Haim Saban, a billionaire media magnate in Los Angeles who is known for his hawkish support of Israel. In a 2006 interview with an Israeli newspaper, Mr Saban compared the Iranian president to Adolf Hitler. A further $1m to $5m was donated by Amar Singh, an Indian politician who met Mrs Clinton in September to lobby for a Indo-US nuclear accord. And, according to a recent report in The New York Times, a businessman who donated $100,000 to Mr Clinton's foundation secured millions of dollars in federal assistance for a mall project because of legislation that Mrs Clinton backed. Mrs Clinton denied any connection between the donation and her support for the legislation. The donor list was revealed in November as part of an agreement with Mr Obama's transition team to provide more transparency. Mr Clinton's foundation also agreed to disclose the identity of future donors - though he is not required to do so by law - and to stop accepting money from foreign governments. The new conditions have hushed much of the scepticism about Mrs Clinton's nomination. But that is likely to change tomorrow as her interviewers - particularly Republicans - will want her to assuage concerns anew. "It's an unprecedented set of circumstances that should be explored in detail," said Terry Holt, a top Republican strategist and a former spokesman for George W Bush's 2004 presidential campaign. "Is he going to peddle influence? Has he already peddled influence? What parameters is she going to set around that issue?" Mr Holt said the amount of pushback from the panel depends on how much "fight" there is in the Republicans on the committee. But he noted that they may show some restraint because Mrs Clinton, who supported the US-led invasion of Iraq, is seen as more "hawkish" on foreign policy than Mr Obama. There is another reason why they may take it easy on Mrs Clinton: she is one of them. "Historically when the Senate is asked to confirm for a cabinet position somebody who is a senator ? there is quite a bit if deference," said Nancy Kassop, a political-science professor at the State University of New York at New Paltz. "The Senate is a very exclusive club, so the likelihood that they would rough her up and give her a hard time is not great." As a junior senator from New York, Mrs Clinton has developed a reputation for working well with members of both parties. And in the weeks since her nomination, Mrs Clinton has reportedly reached out to members of the committee, including holding an hour-long sit-down last month with Mr Lugar. Still, even after she clears questions about her husband's global ties, Mrs Clinton will face tough ones on foreign affairs. Some analysts predict she will be asked to comment on the bloodshed in Gaza and shed light on what many believe will be an aggressive - and perhaps different - diplomatic approach to the region. Burdett Loomis, an expert on Congress at the University of Kansas, said he does not expect Mrs Clinton to get into specifics. "I can't imagine she would give very much away," he said. "She is not going to start making policy at a confirmation hearing." sstanek@thenational.ae
