Updated: Madam Secretary?
It’s been reported (first by Andrea Mitchell of NBC News) that Barack Obama is considering Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State. Since Senator Max Baucus seems to be taking the lead on health care — something I’d have thought Hillary would want — Hillary needs something to do.
It would be quite an interesting choice, very shrewd politically. The Clinton name is known all over the world. It would help keep Bill out of trouble, too. It gives Hillary something real to do (as opposed to being vice president). It’s a senior position with real, constitutionally enumerated duties. Since Obama seems to be inviting opposing points of view — a “Team of Rivals, (unlike his immediate predecessor), this would be an inspired choice.
Let’s hope it’s not just another trial balloon and is something real. Let’s hope Obama makes an offer and Hillary accepts. It really is an inspired choice.
UPDATE: According to HuffPost, Obama has offered Hillary the position of Secretary of State. Clinton has asked for some time to consider the offer.
I’m not so sure about this. I think it’s just a rumor. HRC and Obama differed the most on foreign policy and HRC was his harshest critic on that, too. I don’t know if the two could agree on the difficult issues.
Also, I don’t think he’ll hire someone that he can’t fire. That never works out well for anyone. As the chief executive, Obama will need to be able to fire his cabinet members. I don’t think he could fire HRC, even if she deserved it or if a scandal or something broke out.
I’d bet on Richardson taking the position.
You could be right. But why are they not denying it, like they did with the running mate issue?
I think this is a rumor also. I don’t think Hillary would want this job though, she seems like she wants to be the new Ted Kennedy of the senate, and she cant go away from the senate, become secretary of state, and then expect to come back to the senate with a lot of power.
Richardson is the best guess right now. I would love to see a republican particular Lugar as secretary of state, for some reason I like him. Also if were talking about team of rivals then Chuck Hagel definitely need to be given some job in the Obama administration. Personally I was hoping Obama would be out of the box and pick Hagel as his VP, but thats just wishful thinking that a lot independents probably wish would happen at some point.’