Thoughts on Sen Clinton as Secretary of State

November 17, 2008
Folks' thoughts on Senator Clinton as Secretary of State (long post)

(AFP) BILL CLINTON: If Obama did decide and they do decide to do it together, I think she'd be really great at being secretary of state. Whatever happens or doesn't happen is between Obama and her. She worked very hard for his election after the primary fight with him, and so did I, and we were very glad that he won and we have a lot of confidence that he can do a good job. But she didn't do what she did with the hope or expectation of getting any kind of job offer, much less having this discussed.

(Bloomberg)
HENRY KISSINGER: She is a lady of great intelligence, demonstrated enormous determination and would be an outstanding appointment. If it is true, it will show a couple of things. It shows great courage on the part of the president-elect to appoint a very strong personality, who has an independent constituency, into a cabinet position. It also shows willingness on the part of Clinton to subordinate herself to someone whom she lost out to.

Sen JON KYL (AZ-R): It seems to me she's got the experience, she's got the temperament for It. She would be well-received around the world. So my own initial reaction is it would be a very good selection.

Sen BYRON DORGAN (ND-D): I don't think she would have difficulty in the Senate. She's worked across the aisle, has good bipartisan relationship. In the role of chief U.S. diplomat, Clinton "would have instant credibility around the world...The U.S. has a lot of relationships to repair and a lot of work to do, so I think she'd be a fine choice.

(CNN) STEVEN HAYES: Think, too, about -- you know, think about how obsessed we were, everybody was, all the media was for so long through their primary and then afterwards about the relationship, about how powerful she was. I mean, is that the kind of thing that Barack Obama would have to be dealing with or want to be dealing with on a daily basis or even a weekly basis during his presidency? It would really surprise me.

Politico's MIKE ALLEN: During the general election, she campaigned tirelessly on his behalf throughout the country....But some Obama advisers argue that her celebrity and credibility would be a huge asset in his goal of reengaging the United States with allies. You can send John Kerry or Chuck Hagel," said one adviser, mentioning some other candidates for secretary of state, "or you can send Hillary Clinton. That's totally different.

Clinton Sr Adviser PHILIPPE REINES: Any speculation about cabinet or other administration appointments is really for President-Elect Obama's transition team to address.

Salon's WALTER SHAPIRO
STEVER CLEMENS, who directs the American strategy program at the New American Foundation, says there are hints that Clinton may be under consideration for the secretary of state post, stressing that she certainly passes the experience threshold. "It would be an unbelievably brilliant move by Obama if she would do it.

Huffington Post: According to two members of the Clinton inner circle who spoke to the Huffington Post. "She has a passionate network of supporters who are devoted to her. Is she going to shut all of that off? Because once you become a Secretary of State, you don't fundraise," one former aide to Clinton's presidential campaign said. "What happens with your political staff? You're really kind of upending a lot of stuff. It's a huge life change."

"Cabinet members serve at the pleasure of the president," the aide said. "Does she want to go from being a First Lady to a major Senator and someone with a big presidential candidacy to someone who could just be fired one day? I don't know."

A different longtime assistant to Sen. Clinton: "She is a beloved figure around the world. She has visited over 80 countries, as first lady and senator together," the assistant said. Noting in particular the fact that she learned as first lady how to be effective as a "backdoor diplomat," the former White House assistant said Sen. Clinton actually mastered "a lot of the intricacies of these issues before ever joining the Senate's Armed Services committee. She's tough; she had meetings with some Prime Ministers and Presidents where she had to deliver some blunt messages for us. He would be choosing a very high ranking woman to be one of the faces of this country all over the world. This is the first woman's name that has come up, by the way, for one of the top four cabinet posts. So she gives him this great political asset. And she and Biden are really tight. So I wouldn't be at all surprised if Obama offered it to her."

Arnold Schwartzenegger.

When did Senator Clinton become all this? Since she was stumping for barry? All it proves is that she was by far the superior candidate - the proobama media bias helped him win - and she lost to an inexperienced man because he was 1) a man and 2) a black man.

Face it folks. It's coming straight out of your own gobs. If nothing happens or she refuses - these discussions have proven her worth and have been documented to compare with their previous words. Game, set and match.