Rice, Clinton discuss job over dinner

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had a sit-down with her likely successor, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., during dinner at her home in Washington.

The dinner Monday night was at Rice's invitation, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday. He said that Clinton spent about two hours with Rice.

"They talked just very generally about policy -- the challenges, the opportunities -- talked a little bit about the job of secretary of state, talked about the 'building,' managing a big operation," McCormack said.

Madeline Albright, who served as secretary of state during the administration of President Bill Clinton, told CNN that such dinners have become something of a tradition. She said that she invited Colin Powell for a similar meeting during the transition in 2000.

Albright said that Rice and Clinton probably spent some time socializing but that much of the meeting would have involved discussions of policy.

"It's just a matter of really turning over the most important job in the world on foreign policy," she added.

Earlier Monday, Clinton met with members of President-elect Barack Obama's transition team.