Rice, Clinton dine on sea bass, American diplomacy

[December 10, 2008]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and designated successor Hillary Rodham Clinton have met and broken bread for the first time since the former first lady was tapped to become America's next top diplomat.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says Rice and Clinton enjoyed a private two-hour catered meal of sea bass, wild rice, mushroom soup and fruit at Rice's apartment in Washington's exclusive Watergate complex on Monday night. Aside from the food, he says they chewed over foreign policy issues and challenges that will face the new Barack Obama administration.

Rice and Clinton -- who will be country's third female secretary of state after she is confirmed by the Senate -- first met in the 1990s when Mrs. Clinton brought her daughter, Chelsea, for a visit to Stanford University, where Rice was the provost. The pair have had a cordial relationship since, and Rice has said she believes Clinton will make a great secretary of state.

[Associated Press; By MATTHEW LEE]

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