“Hillary Clinton plans to accept the job of secretary of state offered by Barack Obama, who is reaching out to former rivals to build a broad coalition administration, the Guardian has learned.
Obama’s advisers have begun looking into Bill Clinton’s foundation, which distributes millions of dollars to Africa to help with development, to ensure that there is no conflict of interest. But Democrats do not believe that the vetting is likely to be a problem.
Clinton would be well placed to become the country’s dominant voice in foreign affairs, replacing Condoleezza Rice. Since being elected senator for New York, she has specialised in foreign affairs and defence. Although she supported the war in Iraq, she and Obama basically agree on a withdrawal of American troops.
Clinton, who still harbours hopes of a future presidential run, had to weigh up whether she would be better placed by staying in the Senate, which offers a platform for life, or making the more uncertain career move to the secretary of state job.”
Well, it would be a dangerous job fer sure:
This is good news though for Madeleine Not-So-Bright Albright, who until Hillary screws it up, was the worse Secretary of State in History.
UPDATE: Apparently my view isn’t shared. Goldfarb at The Standard:
“There appears to be little angst among conservatives at the prospect of Hillary Clinton joining the Obama administration as Secretary of State. The idea was warmly embraced by Henry Kissinger, who our President-elect seems to hold in high-esteem, Governor Schwarzenegger, who likely has no more sway on Obama than the proverbial guy in the neighborhood, and Jon Kyl — surely Senator McCain put in a good word today as well. The love affair that was sparked last spring between Clinton and the Obama-fearing right continues to smolder, surely a surprise to those who suspected that such an unholy alliance couldn’t last beyond the convention. Whether Clinton would accept the job, or why she would want it, is not clear, but the right would be happy enough to have her.
On the issues, Clinton’s a hawk. Not only did she vote to authorize the war in Iraq, she delivered her vote in style — her floor speech on October 10, 2002, went so far as to connect Saddam to al Qaeda:
In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. [emphasis mine]Clinton flipped on the war, but as the nomination slipped out of her reach last spring she spoke of the threats this country faces, and of the prescriptions offered by Obama, in language that would warm the hearts of neoconservatives (if we had them). She threatened to “obliterate” Iran in response to unprovoked aggression against Israel, she spoke of unconditional meetings with the leaders of rogue states as “irresponsible and, frankly, naive,” and she castigated Obama’s transparent saber-rattling on Pakistan (“last summer [Obama] basically threatened to bomb Pakistan, which I don’t think was a particularly wise position to take.”). On matters of diplomacy, Clinton’s views are not so different from those held by John McCain and most Republicans — and they are certainly well to the right of Obama.”
Hillary a “hawk”? Maybe it’s just me, but I think McCain must have been serving up some pretty good joy juice on the “Straight Talk Express”
Sheesh!
2 Responses
retire05
November 17th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
1Let’s see; Bill Clinton has been stumping in nations that don’t seem to like the U.S. very much and has garnered millions for a) his foundation b) his library and c) his joint checking account with Hillary, and vetting is no problem? Hell no, not for Obama. He will have all the goods on Bill, along with a handy resignation letter typed up for Hillary. And the man who build a whole campaign around not revealing any secrets (his personal past) will not think twice about letting them slip to an all to friendly media if he needs to. This is a great way to control Hillary. Not to mention put no only an end to any presidential aspirations she might retain, but her senate career as well. And in a couple of years, when that pain in the ass that she will give him finally gets too much, he just whips out the old resignation letter with all the dirt on Bill locked up safely in his desk.
But what if Bill is just too hot to handle and Obama withdraws the offer to Hillary and closes the door on her once again? He can scratch every Hillary supporter in ’12. And that was 18 million voters.
Obama is on the bar here. Appointing her SOS could be a move that would remove one thorn from his side, but if he messes up, finds she is too risky and pulls the plug, he will look like he did it for just revenge.
I heard tonight that out of the 46 appointments already made by Obama to positions in his administration, 31 are Clinton administration retreads.
Change we can count on, right?
movie fan
November 20th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
2if Hillary becomes the Sec. State, hopefully she will not be excessively distracted by outside drama or career plans, etc.
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