MSNBC: "Obama can't pull the offer (even if he hasn't officially made it) at this point, right? "

[ProSense]

*** Bill Clinton's vetting day: With fresh sound of Bill Clinton, combined with the New York Times and Washington Post coverage of the vetting process, it looks like there's plenty of fodder to keep the Hillary-for-secretary-of-state story alive for another day. The New York Times gets into some of the international issues Bill Clinton has delved into, which could cause conflict with his wife should she get the job. Just askin,' but how galling is it for the 42nd president that the idea he can't vet could somehow torpedo his wife's appointment? It's probably making him a little nuts that all of these questions about his post-presidency lifestyle are going to be brought up into the public arena yet again. Also just askin,’ but how big of a story would Bill’s conflicts of interest have been if Hillary had won the Democratic nomination -- and what kind of problem would that have presented the Democrats? Has the momentum for a Hillary appointment gotten to the point where the only way this doesn't happen is if Clinton says no? Obama can't pull the offer (even if he hasn't officially made it) at this point, right?

link

Wow, just wow!

See where these Hillary SoS rumors are heading

From the other side, a Democratic source tells me that Clinton herself is conflicted about taking the job.

more

So she's conflicted about a job even as Bill is being vetted?

On edit, Bill Clinton's recent comments were not only inappropriate, they were tacky:

"If he (Obama) decided to ask her and they did it together, I think she'll be really great as a secretary of state," Clinton told an economic conference in Kuwait hosted by the National Bank of Kuwait.

"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," Clinton said.

link

Why on earth is he mentioning how much they campaigned for Obama in the same breathe as a position?

[Renew Deal]

1. I still don't understand why she would want it.

Senate is a pretty prestigious job and she would be her own boss. SoS is OK for her if she plans on this being her last political job. At her age, it may be (if she takes it).

[DrToast]

4. I think SoS is far more prestigious than being the junior senator from NY. n/t

[beachmom]

11. She is low in seniority. I agree Senator can be a better job, if you

are a higher ranked Senator. But she was only elected in 2000. 8 years is nothing in Senate years.

[jobycom]

16. I can think of a couple of reasons, but I'm still not sure why she'd want it.

Her two biggest issues throughout her life have been women's rights and children. Maybe she wants to influence these issues in other nations, and sees SoS as a chance for that. Otherwise, maybe she's just tired of politics but still wants the chance to affect world issues. Or maybe she's trying to get closer to the presidency out of lingering lust for the job. Maybe she's just trying to prove to whomever will listen that she is equal to Bill, that she can get a job without his help. Too many people (Chris Matthews for one) still claim she won her Senate seat because of Bill, so maybe this would be an office she won on her own (getting psychological for a moment).

Still, it puts her career in the hands of Obama, and I'm not sure why she'd want to do that; not because it's Obama, but because she will have enough power as one of most high-profile senators.

If anything, I'd think she'd be most qualified for Attorney General. She's been a powerful lawyer, and much of her work in Bill's administration and in the Senate has involved legal issues, from her attempts to regulate corporate contracts involving Iraq (which she got NO credit for) to her work on children's issues. Seems like Attorney General would be perfect for her.

[Cosmic Charlie]

2. she's conflicted because she knows she is not going to get it

They just can't take the vetting. She is giving herself an out by confessing doubts.

Obama made no offer.
The 'leakers' did.

"Obama can't pull the offer (even if he hasn't officially made it) at this point, right? "

This was the exact goal of the leak, the creation of a narrative and the build up of public expectations.

Too bad for them that Obama is immune to this type of extortion.

[political_Dem]

6. This sounds more and more like extortion than a good faith effort.

[Metric System]

8. Nope, your argument still doesn't make sense.

[Cosmic Charlie]

14. it will make more sense as it comes to pass

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

17. !

:spray:

[jobycom]

21. I hope Obama has a more realistic image of his "immunity" than some of his supporters.

No offense, I can see why people think he's invincible. But he isn't, and the quickest way to bring someone down is to let them believe they can't be. Greek drama and Shakespeare are full of such tales. This is no time for Obama to be thinking he'll be the first Democrat immune from the media's bias. Reagan and W may have gotten that type of treatment from the media, but Obama never will.

As for what's going on with the Clinton SoS story, none of us really know what's going on. Maybe Obama is considering her. Maybe this is a leak from a third party just trying to undermine him and play up the Obama/Clinton split like they did during the primaries. Neither would surprise me greatly. But Obama is not immune from the political fallout. He'll have to handle this well, no matter what he's thinking.

The real issue here is that, no matter which angle is true, someone is still trying to split the party between Obama and Clinton, and anyone arguing that one side doesn't deserve the other is not on either's side.

I'm confused by your post. You say first that Clinton can't take the vetting so she's looking for an out. Then you say Obama made no offer. Why would she need an out if he made no offer? Why would he be vetting if he made no offer? I don't see an offer or an escape attempt in any of this. I just see a rumor, and one that both sides seem happy to let run, for whatever reasons they have.

[Cosmic Charlie]

26. there was no offer. 'leakers' only made it appear that way.

Hillary and Obama met to discuss whether she would like to be considered and vetted for a position in the Cabinet (not necessarily SOS).

'Leakers' immediately went public making it appear that it was a done deal for SOS creating a Media Frenzy.

That has proven to be absolutely false.
No offer was made, and it is definitely not a done deal.

Hillary knows that the vetting will probably not happen, so she confesses doubts so that she can get out of this without it appearing to have been due to the vetting.

[jobycom]

27. Wouldn't it be more likely she'd just give the obligatory

"I'm honored and flattered, but I plan to honor my commitment to the voters of New York" response?

[Cosmic Charlie]

28. sure, publically, but leaking 'doubts' gives further cover

[jobycom]

30. How?

Giving a standardized rejection does everything she needs. It turns the job down, it gives people lots to speculate about but still says nothing. That's why it's so often used. How does playing sour grapes help her? I don't buy it, or you need more explanation to sell it.

[Cosmic Charlie]

33. i'm not really selling anything, per se. just discussing...

I can just see where the standard 'Serving the People of New York' rejection may not be satisfactory to Hillary.

Whenever that technique has been used before by others, everyone always knows that is just an excuse to begin with (usually to keep something from Public scrutiny).
And since vetting seems to be the big holdup with Hillary, she may not want that being seen as the reason she rejected the offer.

Perhaps, she would rather have it thought that she had her own personal reasons for not taking the position.
I can see how that might make her appear stronger rather than weaker.

But I admit that we are getting into psychological speculation here. So there is really no right answer.

[ErinBerin84]

3. why the fuck

does the media keep insisting that now is no time to turn back, the momentum is so great that Obama HAS to offer it to Hillary . The momentum is caused by the media....Hillary might not even want it, and it is plausible that Obama could vet Hillary and still ultimately go with someone else, for reasons that have nothing to do with the donors.

[AtomicKitten]

5. Clinton Fuddism: "Just give her the job and nobody gets hurt."

[BattyDem]

7. So they think he's been outmaneuvered? Sorry MSM ... Obama don't play dat!

He's never allowed anyone to manipulate him or back him into a corner. He won't start now. These decisions are too important and he won't begin his presidency by allowing someone else to pressure him into making choices he doesn't want to make.

[beachmom]

9. Despite what the traditional media say, this is not a done deal.

It still could happen. But really we know nothing.

[yourguide]

10. He is the president elect and the new leader of the Dem party

it no longer belongs to the Clinton's any more. Obama can certainly offer it to someone else.

[Lex]

12. *IF* Obama talked with her about the SOS position, he also told her others

were in consideration too.

[CoffeeCat]

13. Obama is leaking out the...

..."Oh dear, Bill Clinton is a problem" meme--because he'll eventually need a reason to
pick someone else as SOS.

Watch. Sometime this week, Obama will be talking with the SOS candidates that he is
truly considering.

Possibly Richardson or Kerry will be meeting with Obama in Chicago.

[jenmito]

18. Richardson already met with Obama on Friday-the day AFTER he supposedly offered Hillary the job

if she wanted it.

[CoffeeCat]

20. I didn't know that....

...and that gives even greater clarity on Hillary's behavior.

The comments about Hillary having accessibility to Rahm Emanuel, and
Richardson being interviewed for a cabinet position--caused the
Clinton camp to launch this very public Hillary-as-SOS media campaign.

We barely heard anything about the Richardson meeting. No big media
stories, no leaking of what was said or what was offered. No big
personalities--like Kissinger or others--came forward on the Sunday
talk shows to endorse Richardson and lobby for him getting a cabinet
position.

That's truly amazing.

[jenmito]

32. Yes. It was reported ON Friday that Richardson met with Obama that day, and Candy Crowley

claimed that she "heard" that Richardson is "back-up" in case Hillary doesn't want the job. She also said he was under the impression that no decision/offer had been made when he met with Obama. Nice knowing Richardson was second choice, huh?! I don't know WHAT to believe.

[Sensitivity]

15. Obama team has NEVER CONFIRMED SoS offer. Only discussion of position in Admin

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

19. Please Please PLEASE Let Her Be Picked. PLEASE!!!!!

She'd do an awesome job and I'd love to see her get it!

I'm keepin my fingers crossed!

:bounce:

[spiritual_gunfighter]

22. I really hope he goes with Richardson or Kerry

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

24. Ehhhhh, Fuck Richardson. GO HILLARY!!!!!!

Please please please please please please please

:bounce:

[wisteria]

34. Count me in with you. No Clinton. n/t

[Just-plain-Kathy]

23. PE Obama should allow her to say she doesn't want the position.

...In my opinion, if Hillary doesn't get a cabinet position, I'm pretty sure she will be voted out of politics.

She's my senator and I would vote for anyone who would challenge her in a primary. It sickened me during the NY presidential primaries when it was reported on election night that not one person in 80 NY districts voted for Obama, not even in Harlem. It bothered me to think the Clintons may have stolen that election, but it bothered me more thinking the Clintons are connected to the same criminals who gave Bush our White House.

I fought tooth and nail defending Bill Clinton all through the '00 and '04 elections. It wasn't until I started looking into why our media is the way it is. Thank Bill for his Telecommunications Act, it led to a huge consolidation of the ownership of our media. We had over 80 media moguls providing us our news. Now we have a handful of owners of defense/energy/investment companies controlling our air waves.

Bill's Iraqi Liberation Act, called for the oust of Saddam. He started bombing Iraq long before Jr did. The Clintons were the "past administration" who advised our reps on their IWR vote.

Concerned (and I mean that in its true meaning, not the sarcastic way many here use it to stop any descent), ...Concerned democrats have to try their best to squeeze the Clintons out of American politics. I hope when PE Obama gets into office, he communicates to other nations to go to other drug salesmen for their needs.

The very least we could do is go to PE Obama's website and tell him if we wanted Hillary to be in our White House, we would have voted for her.

[LostinVA]

31. Why in the world so you want an effective Dem Senator out of politics???

Especially one that votes the way she should?

I don't care for either Kerry or Obama in many ways, but I certainly didn't want the former to leave the Senate, and I certainly wouldn't have wanted the latter to if Clinton had won the nomination and the election.

Everything you complained about in your post Had to do with BILL CLINTON. Nor Senator Clinton. And, if the Clinton's had the hacking abilities to steal the election, then they would have stolen the election. Or are you accusing Harlem precinct workers of doing it?

And I thought this place couldn't get any nuttier than during the Primaries. I have never seen so many sore winners in my life.

[Phx_Dem]

25. Silly MSNBC. Obama is the President-elect; he can do whatever he wants.

I think he probably will offer it to Hillary, but he is not obligated to do so because of a leak. Sure Hillary's supporters would be upset, but they'd get over it. Or not. That's their problem. Obama is going to do what he thinks is right, not what Hillary's supporters think is right.

[ProSense]

29. Marc Ambinder

On Wednesday, the call came in from Chicago: President-elect Obama wanted to meet with Sen. Clinton, in private, the next day.

According to Democratic sources, Clinton disclosed the information to only three people and swore them to secrecy.

Clinton's team went to extreme lengths to keep the trip a secret. When Clinton arrived at La Guardia airport in New York for the Delta flight, she was the last person to board the plane. In Chicago, she was the first person to disembark.

The subterfuge did not work -- Clinton was spotted as she boarded the plane in New York. It wasn't until later that day, when a pool reporter noticed a second motorcade of black SUVs leaving the underground garage of the Chicago federal building where Obama is holding court, that journalists began to ask whether Clinton had just taken a private meeting with Obama.

link

How ironic.

[SoCalDem]

35. Damn.. I was so hoping she would run for Gov of NY..n/t

[BlooInBloo]

36. Most sentences beginning with "Obama can't..." are dumb. This is an example.

[moondust]

37. Ha ha! The MSM really, really want more Clinton drama!

The Clintons are always good for several hours of airtime a day! It's a symbiotic relationship. :puke:

[ErinBerin84]

38. so Andrea Mitchell the town gossip

said this morning on Morning Joe that the "Hillary as SOS thing as being overwritten, but of course he has to want her because otherwise he would not have met with her!" Overwritten, Andrea? Thanks for telling us now. And it mistifies me that she keeps using the "She would not have gotten on the plane and he would not have invited her!" as evidence...what a drama queen.