From a June 2000 NYT mini-profile of the man tapped to become Hillary's deputy at State:
--To outsiders, he gives the impression of being a friendly, relaxed sort, but associates know, and occasionally fear, his intensity. His temper has scared away potential colleagues and shortened the tenures of several assistants.
--Mr. Steinberg cut his teeth on local politics in Boston, where he grew up. His father was a jeweler; his mother a homemaker. He received his law degree from Yale and worked for Mayor Kevin White of Boston in the 1970's and on the Congressional campaigns of the Rev. Robert F. Drinan. He has also worked on the staff of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, on the 1988 presidential campaign of Michael S. Dukakis and for the Rand Corporation.
--Mr. Steinberg identified the agony of the Balkans and the evolution of relations between the United States and China as the two areas that have engaged him most over the past seven years. He was one of the architects of Mr. Clinton's decision in 1994 to sever the link between human rights and trade with China.
For more, check out this post I did last month on recent things Steinberg has said about America's role in the world, which features thrilling video from a globalization conference!
--Michael Crowley