http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/21/793232.aspxA word of caution
Posted: Friday, March 21, 2008 11:23 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: 2008, Obama
From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
In the story about passport breach, here's a word of caution before leaping to conclusions about the official in charge of management and consular affairs -- Maura Harty -- who had been appointed by Bill Clinton as ambassador to Paraguay.
Harty actually started out in the Reagan Administration and rose to become a special assistant to former Secretary of State George Shultz.
In addition, Undersecretary of State Patrick Kennedy started in 1973 during the Nixon Adminstration - when Henry Kissinger was Secretary of State.
They both rose through the ranks under both Republican and Democratic presidents.
I'd caution against assuming any particular connection to the Clintons unless we can establish that. They are not known to be particularly political. They will surely have to answer questions about management and competence, however.