If you had told me at the beginning of this year that as the year drew to a close, I would be warming to the idea of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, I would have laughed in your face. But, now that President-elect Barack Obama has been floating the idea, well, I kind of like it.
It’s not that I think she’ll be a diplomat of the caliber of the greatest and most successful Secretary of State in the past quarter-century, George P. Shultz. But, she would certainly be a better choice than most of the mediocrities and incompetents who followed the man who helped the Gipper win the Cold War.
HIllary has a keener intellect and shown more flexibility in thought than her husband’s two choices for that position (the incompetents identified above). During the Democratic primaries, she demonstrated an understanding of the threats facing our nation. She may well be the best we could get from her rival for her party’s nomination.
To be sure, I would prefer John Bolton as our nation’s chief diplomat. But, there’s no chance the president-elect would appoint that good man. And Hillary would be a much better choice than the Democrat campaigning the most aggressively for the post.
Listened to Rush this morning. Although Hillary may be a good choice for us and for Obama, is this a good choice for Hillary? She is rising in the senate, with Obama, Biden and soon Kennedy out, she is rising in the ranks. She can spend the rest of her career doing a good job in the senate.
Being Sec of State is at most a 4 year stint, and she will be under Obama’s thumb. We are already seeing that Obama likes to control everything. I doubt she would have much wiggle room.
It’ll be interesting to see the outcome – I will respect her either way she chooses. (If Obama actually offers her the position, it’s not definite that he has done so.) I’m leaning towards her staying in the Senate, I’d rather have her in oposition to obama – not in his back pocket.
#1 – Leah, check out Dick Morris’ analysis of the Hillary-as-Secretary-of-State argument. He makes some really good points on it.
Regards,
Peter H.
Bqarack better be careful where he puts Hiullary.
The Hillary-in-012 conpiracy theorists say that Obama wants her in the administration so she won’t run in 012, and that is why the Hill Dog is reluctant to take the offer.
I mean, can you imagine Hillary vs Palin in 2012. That would be funny.
Obama should appoint Hillary to be the Bailout Czar. In that position, Hillary could serve as Obama’s gatekeeper to Treasury checks greater than $1Billion. The transaction fees alone should be more than enough to satisfy the Clintons.
Rob Reiner has no particular background for the Secretary of State job which makes him a perfect choice for Obama. He can wear an ear piece and take instructions and gaffes from Joe Biden.
But will Kucinich get the Secretary of Transition from Capitalism nod? And will Whoopi land the Arbitration Chief for the Fairness Doctrine post?
After the election, I remarked to my mother who is no fan of Hillary (and that’s an understatement!) that I bet 15 or even 8 years ago, she never imagined she would wish that Hillary was the president-elect instead. She agreed with me. We’d both feel better if Hillary were going to be our next president. So the thought of Hillary as Secretary of State isn’t all that bad. At least, as you say, she’s a huge improvement over John Kerry.
I kinda like Hillary for SoS, but like Bill Richardson a lot better. I figure if Hillary is asked, and takes the job, then she is still going to run for President if the future. The SoS job would be great on her resume, and she would only give up the chance to be a senior, powerful Senator for the chance at a higher office. Frankly, a Senator with a committee chair can get things done as well, if not better, than a President, and I think Hillary knows that. If she is offered and refuses the SoS, then I think New York is going to have her as their Senator for a long, long time.
Anyone but Kerry!
How about Hillary AND Sarah in 2012?
Thank about it.
If HRC takes the SoS position, I’d be afraid of BHO firing her after a few months. This would put her out of the Senate and out of government.
I suppose that with Hillary at State, Obama won’t have to worry about Bill undermining his foreign policy. However, I will really be surprised if Obama can keep his cabinet either awake or in line. He is likely to try the “collegial” approach of organization at first and then switch to cabinet meetings by YouTube.
#7, The difference: Hillary is the Devil that we know.
So she’d be SOL.
One thing I will say for Obama, at least he isn’t quite as insufferable as John Kerry. Please! Appoint Kerry to HUD or Education, or ambassador to Botswana! something where we never have to see or hear him again!
When you look over Comrade Obama’s appointment lists, one has to notice the ship of the damned he could put together. Talk about a laundry list of failure. Why not throw in Bob Shrum, Bernie Sanders and the cast of Err America (they need jobs)?
#15
I’m sure John F.You Kerry, who served in Vietnam (seems you’ve forgotten), would be very keen on telling the president what he ought to do, despite the fact that it’s already being done.
Think Kerry would demand Comrade Obama do something (like talk to the Saudis about high oil prices) and then bitch about it when he does so?
BTW, where’s Torricelli on Comrade Obama’s lists? Why not make it real interesting and add Paul Wellstone and Mel Carnahan? They could probably do a better job than that other Chicago THUG politician.
I’m starting to think that Comrade Obama’s going to surround himself with failure so that he has plenty of scapegoats to point the finger.
Many are wondering why Republicans were defeated so resoundingly. These warm, sympathetic comments for Mrs. Bill Clinton are certainly one indicator.
Considering he has Madeline Albright (major failure) involved in his presidential transition I don’t think Hillary will take the bait.
Hillary has already said she would not accept a Supreme Court nod…..why would she step in as Secretary of State.
Dead End Job!
Jeb n Tex
If Hillary ever hopes to be POTUS, she would be a damn fool to take SOS. I don’t see her being the one to carry the water on what will be a lot of foreign policy disasters under the Marxist in Chief. I laugh at all the MSM who think she is a dead duck because she will go no where in the Senate because without a Committee Chair you are nothing..duh, she is a powerful force of one on her own. If she ever hopes to run for President, be SOS is not the way to go for her to be saddled with the Marxist in Chief’s failures around her neck and right up to her neck.
Nobama wants her muzzled and this is the best way of doing that. I don’t see Biden being too happy either if Hillary takes SOS since that will take all the reasoning out of his being VP (since it was implied he had the foreign policy experience and would be in charge of it due to Nobama’s inexperience in that area.)
On a different note, what happened to the “Change You Can Believe In”…..the Nobama transition team in the Third Term of the Clinton Administration, with nearly all of them Lobbyists that Nobama said would never be in his Administration.
When the MSM is for Hillary to be SOS, then you know something smells..they want her out of the way so there is no criticism of the Messiah….I sure hope Hillary doesn’t do it…..I might add she really has no foreign policy experience, plus, can’t run administrative duties (she ran an unorganized campaign) so how is going to run the Dept of State?
Plus, I do not want to Hillary to take it so Nobama has at least someone in the Democratic Party to try and keep him in check. With Hillary gone there is no one on the Left to keep the Chosen One in any possible check.
Well, G.W. Bush had to deal with the curse of a SecState who thought that American foreign policy emerged from Foggy Bottom and not the Oval Office… why shouldn’t Barack?
Ignatius wins the Ironic Comment of the Day Award.
First, I reluctantly agree with everything Dan said in the original post. Astounding. But if the alternative is John Kerry, I’d take Hillary any day.
However, I DO have to take exception with the glowing praise of George Schulz, Dan. That has me mystified.
My favorite Secretary of State of all time: Ben Franklin — before there was even a SoS job!
11 — LOL. I hadn’t thought of that…but you are so right. Upside for Hillary being dumped by Prez Barack — she could run against him as a “Washington outsider” *chokes*
I think Sen. Clinton would actually be the most respectable choice of SoS likely to be chosen. I’m not fan of her, but I do think she would be able to do a much more commendable job than other likely possibilities.
The cynical Republican in me wants Sen. Kerry to get the job. I think he’d be an embarrassment to the Obama administration. Once he’d be done as SoS, I’m not sure where he’d go next. Once he’s out of the Senate, I’m not sure anyone would be clamoring for him to come back to elected office. (Am I wrong?) He could then retire and leave the rest of us alone.
However, I am an American first and do want Pres. Obama to succeed. Therefore, I think we are better off with Sen. Clinton getting picked over Sen. Kerry.
DaveP: 😉
this is a test post to see why my earlier post never appeared
Barack Obama’s decision to offer Hillary Clinton the Secretary of State post could well turn out to be his first major blunder, for these obvious reasons:
First, there’s the inseparable bond with her husband Bill. Given the duo’s unquenchable thirst for power, they would not be content to play second fiddle. From day one they would be scheming to usurp control of the White House. Once they get a foothold, Obama would be hard-pressed to rein them in.
Then, there’s the Clintons’ long history of corruption, deception and sleaze—Whitewatergate, Pardongate, Cattle-futuresgate, Chinagate, Filegate, Fellatiogate, the impeachment and near conviction, the punitive IRS audits, the violent deaths of potentially incriminating witness. This alone would provide Obama’s enemies with all the grime they needed to smear his presidency.
Consider further that unlike a Condoleezza Rice or a Madelaine Albright—not to mention bona fide statesmen like Henry Kissinger, Dean Rusk and John Foster Dulles–Hillary Clinton lacks the educational and cultural gravitas to represent our nation abroad. Her lawyering in Arkansas and stint in Congress doesn’t quite cut it. She did get 18 million votes in the Democratic primaries, probably more than Obama, but a large proportion of those votes were cast by diehard feminists and the less educated, hardly the constituency whose support lends credibility to a Secretary of State.
Barack Obama should recall the reasons why he didn’t choose Hillary as his VP running mate. For his and the nation’s sake, let us hope that she doesn’t accept his Secretary of State offer.