Senator Hillary Clinton seems very happy and relaxed these days. On Sunday afternoon at the Irish brunch hosted in downtown Manhattan by Declan Kelly of FTI in her honor, she looked a far cry from the last time I saw her, shortly before her New York primary victory. Back then she looked pale and wan, was battling a bad head cold and the tough reality that defeat was staring her in the face in her historic run for the presidency. Not for the first time it was a tough time to be Hillary Clinton. But the woman is nothing if not indomitable, and she has come back from that huge setback of losing the Democratic presidential nomination to stand on the threshold of history once again. Watching her on Sunday it was clear that President-elect Barack Obama has picked the all-important secretary of state position well. It is an enormous tribute to the incoming president that he reached beyond personality concerns to pick the best person for the job. His quiet self-assurance and confidence means he is not threatened by other superstars in his administration. At a time of great economic turbulence such leadership has never been more needed. Clinton seems reborn by the offer of the job. Nowadays the blues of the final weeks of her campaign have gone, to be replaced with that irrepressible air of confidence and optimism that both she and her husband invariably radiate in public. While she didn't win the big prize, there is no doubt that secretary of state fits her like a glove and represents a valuable silver medal. As first lady, as she pointed out at the Kelly brunch, she traveled to over 80 countries. Her outspoken speech in China on behalf of women's rights, her extraordinary visit to Bangladesh where she drew incredible crowds, and her many visits to Ireland were among the highlights. Her book "It Takes a Village," once reviled on the right, may suddenly find itself back in vogue with its call for communities to take responsibility. Few will disagree with that that after the horrific impact of the go it alone, no rules for us cowboy capitalism we've been enduring. What we need now is government, leaders and communities who can work together for the common good. Clinton's work on Northern Ireland will also stand her in good stead. As someone who was involved in the American role in the peace process I can say without fear of contradiction that she played a major role in helping that process across the line. Her work with working class women leaders in both communities helped bridge a gap of suspicion and mistrust at a time of great peril in that process. She helped in a major way just by having the first lady of the United States show an interest. More than that the world, not just Ireland, embraced her, even more so after her husband's affair with Monica Lewinsky became public and she showed real class in dealing with it. Hillary Clinton will not start her new career as some unknown quantity. At a time when America desperately needs all the goodwill it can get worldwide, Obama has chosen the one person who represents an era when a sense of feel good permeated America's foreign relations. As she pointed out last Sunday, the tide of anti-Americanism worldwide must be replaced with a new respect for this country and all that it can achieve. She will be spearheading that effort, and there seems little doubt that part of her job description will be to turn back that tide of anti-American global sentiment. For America to accomplish much in this brave and frightening new world, the image of the ugly American will have to be removed. Clinton seems uniquely qualified to do that. Though it is not apparent in much of the coverage of her and her husband in American media, there is no one couple with such international goodwill and recognition as the Clintons. Her new job will also be very good for Ireland and its interests. There will now truly be a friend of Ireland at the very heart of the Obama Cabinet. As she made clear on Sunday, the success of the Irish peace process, especially the use of special envoys, will be an accomplishment she will hope to help achieve in many other trouble spots around the globe. Even in the midst of these gloomy times there is a wellspring of hope building behind this new Obama administration. The fact that Hillary Clinton is a part of it makes it even more hopeful.