During last night’s interview on 60 Minutes, one thing was clear: President Obama and Hillary Clinton wanted everyone to know that they were still best friends – even though she was leaving the administration.
As the Daily Beast’s Lauren Ashburn writes, “The lovey-dovey duo smiled, joshed, and giggled for nearly 20 minutes before a commercial break and a more serious discussion about what happened in Benghazi.”
From the interview:
Obama: I just wanted to have a chance to publicly say thank you, because I think Hillary will go down as one of the finest secretary of states we’ve had. It has been a great collaboration over the last four years. I’m going to miss her. Wish she was sticking around.
…Clinton: But you know, this has been just the most extraordinary honor. And, yes, I mean, a few years ago it would have been seen as improbable because we had that very long, hard primary campaign.
…Clinton: This has been just an extraordinary opportunity to work with him as a partner and friend, to do our very best on behalf of this country we both love. And it’s something I’m going to miss a great deal.
…Obama: Well, I was a big admirer of Hillary’s before our primary battles and the general election. You know, her discipline, her stamina, her thoughtfulness, her ability to project, I think, and make clear issues that are important to the American people, I thought made her an extraordinary talent.
…Obama: I felt very confident and comfortable in our working relationship. I think what did evolve was a friendship as opposed to just a professional relationship. It be–friendships involve a sense of trust and being in the foxhole together. And that emerged during the course of months when we were making some very tough decisions.
…
Obama: I consider Hillary a strong friend.
Clinton: I mean, very warm, close. I think there’s a sense of understanding that, you know, sometimes doesn’t even take words because we have similar views. We have similar experiences that I think provide a bond that may seem unlikely to some, but has been really at a core of our relationship over the last four years.
