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All evidence up until now indicated that Sen. Hillary Clinton would zip through her hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and subsequently be confirmed by the full Senate as the next U.S. Secretary of State.

With the hearings yesterday, expectations of Clinton's smooth sailing proved well-founded.

As anticipated, the central questions around Clinton's nomination concern her husband's foundation, which has sought a number of foreign donors over the years. Committee ranking member Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana praised Clinton in his opening remarks, but subsequently voiced his concerns:

Ranking member Richard Lugar (Ind.) said he does not intend to hold up Clinton’s nomination, but he issued a stern warning that links to the Clinton foundation carry "risks.