U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's staff reminded her Monday that Washington is like American football - a contact sport - as they presented her with a football helmet,
jersey and "lots of good padding."
On her first day back at work after recovering from a stomach virus, a fall and a blood clot in her head, Clinton received a standing ovation from about 75 people when she strode into the
department staff meeting wearing a brilliant pink jacket, her spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, said.
Nuland said Clinton loved the gifts. Clinton suffered a concussion
when she fell and struck her head last month while at home recovering from a stomach virus.
Nuland said the jersey bore her name and the number 112 to
symbolize the number of countries that she's visited as secretary of state.
Clinton thanked staff members for the gifts, "but then, being Hillary Clinton, she wanted to get right to business," Nuland said, adding that judging by her workload, she seemed to be fully
recovered.
When reporters asked whether Clinton put on the helmet, Nuland said she didn't, possibly because her hair "looked fabulous."
"I'm not sure I would have challenged my hair with the helmet
either," Nuland quipped.
