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Academics, big names from the media, global business people, Washington's foreign policy elite -- all had been invited to hear the secretary of state speak. The front seats, however, were reserved for the top diplomats and special envoys, people who are officially her subordinates. However in recent months they have outshone their boss. Richard Holbrooke, for example, the special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, is a giant of a man with an ego to match. And yet on Wednesday he sat obediently watching Clinton like a schoolboy. When asked whether some of her co-workers wanted to ask questions, Clinton laughed and said: "You better not."

Today it was "Madame Secretary's" turn to speak. This was not to be any ordinary speech. It was the speech. After all, Clinton has been...