The irony of Hillary as Sec. of State (updated)

[ProSense]

The irony of Hillary as Sec. of State

Posted: Friday, November 14, 2008 9:59 AM by Mark Murray

If Obama selects Hillary Clinton to be his Secretary of State, it would be an ironic pick -- given that Team Obama downplayed her foreign-policy credentials (especially as first lady) during the Democratic primary season.

Remember this December 2007 New York Times piece, which Obama supporters grabbed on to in the build-up to Iowa? "(D)uring those two terms in the White House, Mrs. Clinton did not hold a security clearance. She did not attend National Security Council meetings. She was not given a copy of the president's daily intelligence briefing. She did not assert herself on the crises in Somalia, Haiti and Rwanda. And during one of President Bill Clinton's major tests on terrorism, whether to bomb Afghanistan and Sudan in 1998, Mrs. Clinton was barely speaking to her husband, let alone advising him, as the Lewinsky scandal sizzled."

There was also the Bosnia sniper-fire story. "It's part of a troubling pattern of Sen. Clinton inflating her foreign policy experience," an Obama campaign spokesman said at the time.

Updated to add:

Hillary to State: Sensible or Senseless?

It seems fruitless to resist the raging river of speculation about whether Hillary Clinton will get an offer to be secretary of state from Obama. Stories are here and here.

As we noted last night, Obama built the very foundation of his campaign on the argument that Hillary's vote on Iraq revealed badly flawed judgment and an incorrect world view typical of the Washington establishment. Hillary demeaned him as unready to be president, and he demeaned her claimed foreign policy experience during her eight years as First Lady as little more than a glorified international tea party.

So, if Obama now names her to State, the inescapable conclusion will be that either he was just spewing bull and didn't mean what he said during the campaign, or that he doesn't consider actual foreign policy expertise to be a prerequisite for running the State Department.

It is, of course, a big organization. Theoretically, he might view her as skilled at running big organizations. Witness how well she did running the health care reform effort. And the presidential campaign that ran out of money and decided not to compete in small caucus states.

Also, he passed her over as vice-president, in part because he didn't want the baggage of Bill Clinton and his international business dealings, which could be a problem for a secretary of state, too.

more

[Buzz Clik]

1. Think of the irony if he picked Osama bin Laden or Bozo the Clown or Ann Coulter.

jeebus.

[ProSense]

8. Obama may well select Hillary, but the irony wouldn't be lost.

There was also her saber rattling on Iran and opposition to Cuba. Sure she would be representing Obama, but without the diplomatic experience and some real differences in her belief about where US policy should be heading.

The reporting around this leak is bizarre.

Then there is Bill Clinton. Does anyone know what the implications are with regard to his foundation? There are issues directly related to his activities, for example with Colombia, China and Kazakhstan.

[Buzz Clik]

18. "Leak"? How about "speculation without foundation"?

[Captain Hilts]

2. Prez's wives NEVER have to undergo a security clearance procedure.

Eleanor Roosevelt got the daily military briefing and had access to the Map Room - all TOP secret and never had a clearance either. Hell, FDR never had a clearance.

[denem]

3. Put it this way , Hillary would be the first SoS who could discuss it all with her spouse

a man with National Security Clearance, unrivaled personal experience, contacts, and world wide respect. The Clintons would need no introduction and the Obama Administration hits the ground running. And may have to.

[TwilightGardener]

4. I have no idea why she's being considered. She didn't display much aptitude on foreign policy.

She doesn't sit on the SFRC, wasn't a diplomat, just a former First Lady--that's pretty much it. Dumb idea, Obama.

[BootinUp]

5. The fun will be watching heads explode on DU, lol. nt

[blm]

6. Maybe he wants Hillary to go through the vetting process so he can know what Bill's been up to

since he left office. Like, how on earth will it go over that SoS HRClinton's husband banked 20 million a year ago from the same Dubai money sources that staked BCCI and who Bush was going to turn over ports, a deal Mr. Clinton pushed for, as well?

Would that pass vetting for SoS when Bill's dealings kept HRC from even being considered for VP earlier this year?

[mtnsnake]

11. "Bill's dealings kept HRC from even being considered for VP earlier this year"

Would that pass vetting for SoS when Bill's dealings kept HRC from even being considered for VP earlier this year?

How do you know, blm? Were you in Obama's office when he was discussing who his choices of VP might be?

[blm]

13. Haven't read the How he did it stories, yet, snake?

Though some of us DID hear back during the primary that no way would HRC be tapped for VP - gee....hmmm.....I do believe it was shortly after Super Tuesday when realists knew there was no way Clinton could win unless Obama was assassinated or his campaign imploded somehow.

[mtnsnake]

14. blm

would you consider changing the "a" word to something else? It really makes me nervous when I see that word in the same sentence with Obama. Just asking... :)

[blm]

17. Made US nervous during the primary since SOME Dems apparently believed the spectre

of it gave them reason to continue a race that was mathematically over onSuoer Tuesday.

It should have made you nervous back then, snake.

anyway....editing time expired.

[Skwmom]

15. I'm so tired of corrupt politicians. I thought we were turning a page...

[Buzz Clik]

22. Exactly who are you calling corrupt?

[ericgtr]

7. It was a campaign, Biden said some unsavory things about Oabma as well, so what

That is just what they do in campaigns. MSNBC must really be out of interesting things to report on.

[ProSense]

10. It was a campaign,

but other countries don't care.

[TheWraith]

12. Nothing even close to the trashing Hillary gave. nt

[Mass]

9. Is she really considered. It is clear that she met Obama, a courtesy he is extending

to McCain and Lindsay Graham, probably to talk about agenda and may be who he is considering appointing.

But we have no real lead on whether she is considered or not, except for a few media people and a couple unnamed Democrats.

[MyNameGoesHere]

16. Irony would be an Anti-Clinton poster saying positive things about

President Obama's judgment.

[ProSense]

19. "extensive foreign policy experience, having travelled widely "

Clinton, 61, has extensive foreign policy experience, having travelled widely when her husband Bill was president from 1993 and 2001, and from her time in the Senate, where she serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

link

That's hilarious.

[PretzelWarrior]

20. let it go.

lololol. I have wanted to say that for some time.

[ProSense]

21. No. I find it interesting. Media speculation gone wild

Clinton Top Contender for Secretary of State