The motto of the Clinton Foundation is “We’re all in this together.” It’s a simple statement of unity in a world full of division. As I’ve discovered, it’s also an apt description of what it takes to write a book. I’m indebted to everyone who helped me through four years at the State Department and more than a year of writing and editing. And the easiest choice I made was to ask Dan Schwerin, Ethan Gelber, and Ted Widmer to become my book team. I could not have been more fortunate as we labored day and night.
Dan Schwerin started with me in the Senate and came to State as one of my speechwriters. He’s been my essential partner, toiling with me over phrases and pages, capturing my thoughts and helping me wrestle them into coherence. He’s not only a talented writer, but also a wonderful colleague. Ethan Gelber is the “indispensable man” who managed a sprawling writing and editing process, making sense of my scribbles, clarifying my memories, and keeping me sane as the drafts piled up. I never could have done it without him. Ted Widmer, an accomplished historian and valued collaborator, offered context and perspective and a much-needed dose of humor and humanity.
Huma Abedin, Cheryl Mills, Philippe Reines, and Jake Sullivan, who gave so much to me and to our country during our years at the State Department, were essential advisors, inspirers, and willing fact-checkers throughout the process. I also relied on the assistance and counsel of Kurt Campbell, Lissa Muscatine, and Megan Rooney, who generously read drafts and offered advice.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster, especially Chief Executive Officer Carolyn Reidy and my publisher and editor, Jonathan Karp. I’ve now done five books with Carolyn, and it was once again a delight. Jonathan, who provided the right combination of encouragement and criticism, has a well-deserved reputation as a caring and constructive editor. I also appreciate the entire team: Irene Kheradi, Jonathan Evans, Lisa Erwin, Pat Glynn, Gina DiMascia, Ffej Caplan, Inge Maas, Judith Hoover, Philip Bashe, Joy O’Meara, Jackie Seow, Laura Wyss, Nicholas Greene, Michael Selleck, Liz Perl, Gary Urda, Colin Shields, Paula Amendolara, Seth Russo, Lance Fitzgerald, Marie Florio, Christopher Lynch, David Hillman, Ellie Hirschhorn, Adrian Norman, Sue Fleming, Adam Rothberg, Jeff Wilson, Elina Vaysbeyn, Cary Goldstein, Julia Prosser, and Richard Rhorer.
Once again, I’m grateful to the incomparable Bob Barnett, my attorney and guide through the publishing world, who was ably assisted by contract attorney Michael O’Connor.
One of the best parts of writing this book was the chance to reconnect and reminisce with friends and colleagues. My thanks to everyone who shared memories, notes, and perspectives, including Caroline Adler, Dan Baer, Kris Balderston, De’Ara Balenger, Jeremy Bash, Dan Benaim, Dan Benjamin, Jarrett Blanc, Johnnie Carson, Sarah Davey, Alex Djerassi, Bob Einhorn, Dan Feldman, Jeff Feltman, David Hale, Amos Hochstein, Fred Hof, Sarah Hurwitz, Jim Kennedy, Caitlin Klevorick, Ben Kobren, Harold Koh, Dan Kurtz-Phelan, Capricia Marshall, Mike McFaul, Judith McHale, George Mitchell, Dick Morningstar, Carlos Pascual, Nirav Patel, John Podesta, Mike Posner, Ben Rhodes, Alec Ross, Dennis Ross, Frank Ruggiero, Heather Samuelson, Tom Shannon, Andrew Shapiro, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Todd Stern, Puneet Talwar, Tomicah Tilleman, Melanne Verveer, Matthew Walsh, and Ashley Woolheater. Also to Clarence Finney and his industrious archivists, and John Hackett, Chuck Daris, Alden Fahy, Behar Godani, Paul Hilburn, Chaniqua Nelson, and the careful reviewers at the State Department and the National Security Council.
I was fortunate to serve alongside a committed senior team: Deputy Secretaries of State Bill Burns, Jack Lew, Tom Nides, and Jim Steinberg, Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice, USAID Administrator Raj Shah, Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby, MCC CEO Daniel Yohannes, and OPIC President and CEO Elizabeth Littlefield.
I will always have a special place in my heart for the entire “S Family,” pictured in photo 10, the dedicated Foreign Service officers and civil servants who take such great care of Secretaries, including Nima Abbaszadeh, Daniella Ballou-Aares, Courtney Beale, Christopher Bishop, Claire Coleman, Jen Davis, Linda Dewan, Sheila Dyson, Dan Fogarty, Lauren Jiloty, Brock Johnson, Neal Larkins, Joanne Laszczych, Laura Lucas, Joe Macmanus, Lori McLean, Bernadette Meehan, Lawrence Randolph, Maria Sand, Jeannemarie Smith, Zia Syed, Nora Toiv, and Alice Wells, as well as the Executive Secretariat and the incredible Line team.
Thanks to the senior leadership of the State Department, USAID, PEPFAR, and MCC, including Dave Adams, Tom Adams, Elizabeth Bagley, Joyce Barr, Rick Barton, John Bass, Bob Blake, Eric Boswell, Esther Brimmer, Bill Brownfield, Susan Burk, Piper Campbell, Philip Carter, Maura Connelly, Michael Corbin, Tom Countryman, Heidi Crebo-Rediker, PJ Crowley, Lou CdeBaca, Ivo Daalder, Josh Daniel, Glyn Davies, Eileen Donahoe-Chamberlain, Jose Fernandez, Alonzo Fulgham, Phil Goldberg, David Goldwyn, Phil Gordon, Rose Gottemoeller, Marc Grossman, Michael Hammer, Lorraine Hariton, Judy Heumann, Christopher Hill, Bob Hormats, Rashad Hussain, Janice Jacobs, Roberta Jacobson, Bonnie Jenkins, Suzan Johnson Cook, Kerri-Ann Jones, Beth Jones, Paul Jones, Declan Kelly, Ian Kelly, Laura Kennedy, Pat Kennedy, Robert King, Reta Jo Lewis, Carmen Lomellin, Princeton Lyman, Dawn McCall, Ken Merten, Steve Mull, Toria Nuland, Maria Otero, Farah Pandith, Nancy Powell, Lois Quam, Stephen Rapp, Julissa Reynoso, Anne Richard, John Robinson, Miguel Rodriguez, Hannah Rosenthal, Eric Schwartz, Barbara Shailor, Wendy Sherman, Dan Smith, Tara Sonenshine, Don Steinberg, Karen Stewart, Ann Stock, Ellen Tauscher, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Arturo Valenzuela, Rich Verma, Phil Verveer, Jake Walles, Pamela White, and Paul Wohlers.
I want especially to single out the brave and dedicated Diplomatic Security officers who kept me and our people safe around the world. During my tenure, my DS teams were led by Fred Ketchum and Kurt Olsson.
Throughout this journey, a committed band of tireless aides and advisors has supported the book and all the rest of my work while I raced to finish. Thanks to Monique Aiken, Brynne Craig, Katie Dowd, Oscar Flores, Monica Hanley, Jen Klein, Madhuri Kommareddi, Yerka Jo, Marisa McAuliffe, Terri McCullough, Nick Merrill, Patti Miller, Thomas Moran, Ann O’Leary, Maura Pally, Shilpa Pesaru, Robert Russo, Marina Santos, Lona Valmoro, and Rachel Vogelstein.
Thanks again to President Obama for putting his trust in me and giving me the chance to represent our country, and to Vice President Biden and the National Security Council staff for their partnership.
Finally, thanks, as always, to Bill and Chelsea for a year’s worth of patient listening and careful reading of draft after draft, helping me distill and explain four jam-packed years. Once again, they gave me the invaluable gifts of their support and love.