Secretary of State Hillary Clinton?

I thought Daschle was being considered for Sec. of Health? I think both Clintons will be valuable advisors to Obama over the next four years, but I'm just not sure either is best served by serving in his administration. I can't imagine Hillary agreeing to work under Obama and particularly in a position that will probably be heavily influenced on a daily basis by Biden (considering his foreign relations committee experience). But if Clinton says no, then she could be seen as not a team player. This reminds me of when JFK approached LBJ to be his VP candidate.

I think Lugar would be a good choice for State.

It is interesting that Obama's transition team has a heavy dose of the Clinton White House and that as the campaign developed Obama moved a bit toward the center (the Clinton zone) with some of his stances on issues. Interesting, but not too suprising. I think the Democratic party (and perhaps many others) look back on the Clinton years as halcyon (sp?) days and they want to relive those. They basically wanted Clinton back in office, they just didn't want Hillary. So now Obama is basically the next Clinton, the next Bill Clinton. Which, while hardly a move toward "change", I think is probably the right move.

I thought Daschle was being considered for Sec. of Health? I think both Clintons will be valuable advisors to Obama over the next four years, but I'm just not sure either is best served by serving in his administration. I can't imagine Hillary agreeing to work under Obama and particularly in a position that will probably be heavily influenced on a daily basis by Biden (considering his foreign relations committee experience). But if Clinton says no, then she could be seen as not a team player. This reminds me of when JFK approached LBJ to be his VP candidate.

I think Lugar would be a good choice for State.

It is interesting that Obama's transition team has a heavy dose of the Clinton White House and that as the campaign developed Obama moved a bit toward the center (the Clinton zone) with some of his stances on issues. Interesting, but not too suprising. I think the Democratic party (and perhaps many others) look back on the Clinton years as halcyon (sp?) days and they want to relive those. They basically wanted Clinton back in office, they just didn't want Hillary. So now Obama is basically the next Clinton, the next Bill Clinton. Which, while hardly a move toward "change", I think is probably the right move.
I think your totally wrong and the Clinton's will not be of much any help. I think the only way Hillary would take the job is if she thinks it will help her politically. He could barely get Bill to campain for him when Hillary was out of the race. I also think Bill does not want Obama's legacy to out do his and we know Clinton has a big ego.

Although Clinton may not be a figure that bodes well with all of the American public I don't see how she would be terrible for the sec of state.

I thought Daschle was being considered for Sec. of Health? I think both Clintons will be valuable advisors to Obama over the next four years, but I'm just not sure either is best served by serving in his administration. I can't imagine Hillary agreeing to work under Obama and particularly in a position that will probably be heavily influenced on a daily basis by Biden (considering his foreign relations committee experience). But if Clinton says no, then she could be seen as not a team player. This reminds me of when JFK approached LBJ to be his VP candidate.

I think Lugar would be a good choice for State.

It is interesting that Obama's transition team has a heavy dose of the Clinton White House and that as the campaign developed Obama moved a bit toward the center (the Clinton zone) with some of his stances on issues. Interesting, but not too suprising. I think the Democratic party (and perhaps many others) look back on the Clinton years as halcyon (sp?) days and they want to relive those. They basically wanted Clinton back in office, they just didn't want Hillary. So now Obama is basically the next Clinton, the next Bill Clinton. Which, while hardly a move toward "change", I think is probably the right move.


I agree with a lot of what you've said. Particularly the heavy dose of Clintononian presence in his Administration up to this point. It does make me cringe just a little. But while I expect Obama to move center, we are dealing with an entirely different host of issues as a nation that no President in recent history has ever faced. So some of Bill Clinton's approaches will work for Barack and some will require a lot of team work, and frankly, some imagination. We're in unchattered waters with all that's going on right now.

I like the Lugar choice, but I expect for him and Barack to work closely regardless of who he picks.

I think your totally wrong and the Clinton's will not be of much any help. I think the only way Hillary would take the job is if she thinks it will help her politically. He could barely get Bill to campain for him when Hillary was out of the race. I also think Bill does not want Obama's legacy to out do his and we know Clinton has a big ego.

First, this is besides the point. Who cares if Bill didn't campaign for Barack in the beginning. I think this was something the media was more fascinated with than anyone else. Bottom line, when it counted Bill said and did what was required of him. I'd be a little ill, too, if my wife just got beat by some junior Senator with a funny name. But who in they're right mind doesn't think Hillary Clinton want's something out of this? She would be a fool not to. This woman was a whisker away from becoming the Dem nominee, perhaps President. Barack understands that. I'm sure both sides are looking at how this is polling as we type back and forth too. This leak was no accident.

We're talking about a women that garnered nearly 18 million votes during the primary, is still hugely popular within the party and you don't think she can help this Administration?

As to your earlier question about why I think she'd make a good State. I just think she understands the issues. Here and abroad. The combination of her White House years, being a member of the Senate, and campaigning for nearly two years have served her well.

we are so doomed i cant even begin to fathom what went wrong with bush everything he touched or did had the stench of corruption.Look at what he did to the economy the national debt the war how could anybody be so inept and dishonest.Now obama is the next president way to go george!

I have to say again that I think Secretary of State is an outmoded job. It doesn't mean anything now. Real decisions are made in the basement of the White House with the NSC. The Secretary of State shakes hands and follows protocol and dodges bullets from a large workforce that thinks it still matters. If Hillary takes this job, she is resigning from puiblic life. Unless she has some grandiose plan to turn the aparatus back on Obama in a way that no one could expect.

That's interesting man. She could get in there and do an Iran deal that catches him short and totally rejuvenates the very position itself. I'd pay to see that. Maybe Russia. Maybe he's the one who should be careful. Bill has strong business ties with some of the breakaway Republics. Maybe she thinks she can be a Jefferson type figure. I have to say that my admiration for her has grown. He should be very careful. If she gets the job she may be beyond his control. She would be like a free agent. Everyone assumes she would have to follow his lead but if she went off the reservation the press would eat it up because it hasn't happened in so long. Very interesting.

I have to say again that I think Secretary of State is an outmoded job. It doesn't mean anything now. Real decisions are made in the basement of the White House with the NSC. The Secretary of State shakes hands and follows protocol and dodges bullets from a large workforce that thinks it still matters. If Hillary takes this job, she is resigning from puiblic life. Unless she has some grandiose plan to turn the aparatus back on Obama in a way that no one could expect.

That's interesting man. She could get in there and do an Iran deal that catches him short and totally rejuvenates the very position itself. I'd pay to see that. Maybe Russia. Maybe he's the one who should be careful. Bill has strong business ties with some of the breakaway Republics. Maybe she thinks she can be a Jefferson type figure. I have to say that my admiration for her has grown. He should be very careful. If she gets the job she may be beyond his control. She would be like a free agent. Everyone assumes she would have to follow his lead but if she went off the reservation the press would eat it up because it hasn't happened in so long. Very interesting.

So with all that's going on globally, you think Sec. of State is an "outmoded" job? Okay, I guess the same could be said of Vice President and a few other cabinet posts as well. Hell, why even have the position at all? Just appoint a team of ambassadors to be the face of diplomacy for the United States. Why not.

I think more than ever, this cabinet position is critical to how we deal with and negotiate foreign affairs. With two wars going on, Bin Laden still on the loose, and a host of other regimes forming, for the life of me I don't see how this is an irrelevant position. Not to mention that Obama will be utterly consumed with our domestic economy, he'll need someone who has the balls (sorry Hill) to wander off the ranch every now and then.

Actually, 70, I think you should fill out that 63 question application and apply for the position yourself.

Critical decisions and policy are ultimately made by the President (one would hope at least) much in the same way all critical business decisions in a company are made by its CEO. That doesn't mean the President or a CEO has no use for knowledgeable people whose brains he can pick and implement his vision.

A good manager informs his employees what the end result should be and leaves them alone. You want the secretary of state to be a competent and capable employee. Able to execute on their own with little guidance beyond what the end result should be.

No man is wise enough by himself.

-Titus Maccius Plautus

So with all that's going on globally, you think Sec. of State is an "outmoded" job? Okay, I guess the same could be said of Vice President and a few other cabinet posts as well. Hell, why even have the position at all? Just appoint a team of ambassadors to be the face of diplomacy for the United States. Why not.

I think more than ever, this cabinet position is critical to how we deal with and negotiate foreign affairs. With two wars going on, Bin Laden still on the loose, and a host of other regimes forming, for the life of me I don't see how this is an irrelevant position. Not to mention that Obama will be utterly consumed with our domestic economy, he'll need someone who has the balls (sorry Hill) to wander off the ranch every now and then.

Actually, 70, I think you should fill out that 63 question application and apply for the position yourself.


It could be critical if the President wants it to be. If not, he has other options. Richard Nixon opened China, made detente with The Soviets, prevented war between India and Pakistan, got rid of Pinochet, and stoped shipping gold to Europe. Do you know off the top of your head who his Secretary of State was? All the power in the executive branch rests with The President. If he wants to allow her to have power he might, but he doesn't necessarily have to.

BTW, his name was William Rogers.

Furthermore, Obama's peronality strikes me as one who woud prefer to keep decision making as close to himself as possible, especially as it relates to the State Department. The State Department is like this:

1. They move slowly. When the President makes a decision he wants it to be executed. He doesn't want round after round of introspection and meetings. If know one has told him this already, he'll figure it out pretty quickly.

2. They leak. If they don't like a policy direction, they run to the press and try to derail it.

3. They're naive. They seem to believe everything and anything that their foreign counterparts tell them. They are still in search of that elusive "Iranian Moderate" that's always just out of reach, as an example.