I hope Barack Obama asks Hillary Clinton to join his cabinet as Secretary of State, and she accepts.
There are lots of people with excellent foreign policy credentials, who have been loyal and vigorous supporters of Obama, who would make fine Secretaries of State. John Kerry and Bill Richardson are certainly at the top of this list.
Hillary Clinton, of course, vigorously opposed Obama in the Democratic primaries.
But because of the race she ran, and the 18 million votes she attracted, Hillary Clinton has something which no other possible Secretary of State has - she was a major part of the revolution in American democracy that elected Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Indeed, the only two people who are more a part of this revolution than Hillary, who are more its leaders, would be Obama and Biden. And, in terms of the results of the primaries, the millions of people Hillary Clinton inspired, she is arguable more important to this revolution than even Biden.
Hillary Clinton therefore deserves to be part of the leading edge of Obama's administration, if she wants that. Secretary of State is the most important position in the Cabinet. Her participation in Obama's administration at such an prominent and distinguished level would further cement the Democratic revolution that Obama, Biden, and Hillary Clinton, more than any other three people, made possible.
10 comments:
Kucinich for SOS.
While I certainly think Hillary deserves the job, I think she would be committing polictical suicide if she accepted it. After being Secretary of State, she would be left with only a couple of options: One, running for President again or Two, holding another cabinet post in a future administration. The chances of her running for President in 2012 against Obama are slim, especially if she holds a post in his cabinet, so she wouldn't be in the running again until 2016. If she runs in 2016 and LOSES, then she's left with only the possibility of another cabinet position or a Vice-Presidential role-she certainly can't step down and go back to the Senate. I think polically, she she keep her job in the Senate for now, where she certainly has the opportunity to move up the ranks and play inportant roles in various commitees. From there she could either oppose Barak in 2012 or wait until 2016 and run for President again. Just my 2 cents.
Interesting analysis - though I can't see any Democrat opposing Obama in 2012.
True, I can't see anyone opposing him either-good point!
I don't see Sen. Clinton as having a good temperament for SOS, plus there will still be the perpetual looming presence of her husband, which will only serve to distract from focusin the public on Obama's agenda. I think this floating of her name on the short-list is more or less a way to make it LOOK like the Obama/Clinton rift has been healed, when in fact both parties know that Sen. Clinton would rather lurk in the background, biding her time and hoping to swoop in in 2012 if Obama's presidency doesn't go so well. (Funny that more than one has commented here they can see anyone running against Obama in 2012. Why not? He hasn't done anything yet on which to judge his presidency, so we can say nothing about the readiness of his competitors to challenge him four years hence.)
anon: I haven't said that I can't see "anyone" opposing Obama in 2012 - I said, and auntvonna agreed, that I can't see any Democrat opposing Obama in 2012.
If you find that "funny" (as in odd), tell me, when was the last time a President running for a second term received any really serious competition from a member of his own party?
Paul: I agree. Regardless of how the Obama 2008 presidency goes NO DEMOCRAT WILL OPPOSE OBAMA IN 2012 ... end of story.
Obama is a principled politician but a pragmatist at heart. Barack flip-flopped on accepting federal campaign funds in order to leverage his legion of individual contributors. As it turned out he needed the vast financial resources to even the playing field during the general election; it was game changer for the Obama campaign. For his VP selection Obama selected a political rival. Barack needed Biden's foreign policy cred and working-class roots on the campaign trail. So I'm not surprised that Barack would float Hillary's name for this important cabinet appointment. Obama's presidential legacy will be measured by how he balances his idealism with the political, economic, and social realities of an America that is teetering on the precipice of monumental decline.
Why would Hillary Clinton consider the SOS post? I think she is pigeon-holed in the Senate. She doesn't have the seniority to leapfrog more seasoned Democrats in the selection process for the plum Senate committee chairmanships. Hillary sought a Senate seat not as an end in itself but as a stepping stone to the White House in 2008/2012. Obama has closed that career option. Is it realistic for Hillary to stay in the Senate for another 8 years and then run in 2016. At that point she will be approaching her McCain years.
/jimy_max
The NYTimes has an interactive cabinet selector. You can choose from people or write someone in:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/11/us/politics/20081111_CABINET_PICKER.html
To be honest, as much as I was for Obama at the early stages, as soon as Biden got selected for the VP position I knew that it was going to be the old DC politics again.
So adding Sen. Clinton to that picture in any shape or form will just make ANY REAL CHANGES impossible. It will also be a way for Bill to partake in the game.
After all, most of the financial mess we are in today is a product of the "Clinton revolution" and I just don't see how will all of the old DC players be able to fix it.
if Hillary becomes the Sec. State, hopefully she will not be excessively distracted by outside drama or personal career plans, etc.
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