In New Role, Clinton's Former Experience Won't Help Much

Clinton Faces Challenges

Trimble, however, remembered Clinton mainly as a "cheerleader" and not a "principal player."

The incident for which Clinton took the most flack during the campaign was her much ballyhooed claim to have taken cover from sniper fire while visiting Bosnia in 1996.

When photos of Clinton's arrival in Sarajevo showed her with her daughter, Chelsea, and embracing a young Bosnian girl, Clinton stepped back from her earlier comments, calling them "misstatements."

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Despite the barbs they lobbed at each other throughout the campaign, in nominating her Monday, Obama called her "an American of tremendous stature ... who will command respect in every capital."

"Hillary's appointment is a sign to friend and foe of the seriousness of my commitment to renew American diplomacy and restore our alliances," he said.

"During campaigns or during the course of election season, differences get magnified," he said. "I did not ask for assurances from these individuals that they would agree with me at all times. I think they understand and would not be joining this team unless they understood and were prepared to carry out the decisions that have been made by me after full discussion."

Stephen Biddle, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said, "The campaign revealed just how thin some of her first lady experience really was.

"Far more valuable was her time in the Senate on the Armed Services Committee. She was given access to what was taking place in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."

But, Biddle said, neither in her capacity as first lady nor in her role as senator has Clinton ever had to run anything, let alone a bureaucracy as geographically widespread as the State Department.

"She has no managerial experience, nor for that matter does President-elect Obama," he said. "She's a quick study and a fast learner, but there will be immediate challenges when it comes to running a large executive branch."