I sure wish that President Elect Obama could pick his own damn SOS!

[FrenchieCat]

I'm tired of the game playing and speculating and people getting mad and shit.......based on this Secretary of State position that hasn't even been decided yet!

I wish that our new President Elect could pick his own cabinet member without all of the maneuvering going on around him.

Guess we haven't switched from election/candidate mode, and so now we think we have a vote on this decision, which we don't.

I didn't think much of any of this jokeying bullshit until the Guardian decided to print an article that stated that Hillary Clinton would accept the position......a position that has not yet been offered to her. I know it hasn't been offered to her, because the Obama Transition team has not said that it has.

So on the one hand, we understand that this new incoming President is intelligent as hell.
Yet on the other hand, many don't even trust him to make the right decision, and just about as many of us are ready to be pissed off no matter what he does.

I hate this shit.

We really need to allow this man to make his own decision on his cabinet if nothing else, and we need to tell the press to kiss our collective asses. They are no longer allowed to play kingmaker...not even for one little bit. I don't want the media to have any say so on who will be in the cabinet, because they don't make good decisions, for the most part.

[dkf]

1. I do think that the Clinton team is forcing his hand.

Its making me really mad.

[FrenchieCat]

2. What I do know, is that someone's gonna end up getting embarassed

if this keeps up, and it won't be Barack Obama.

He didn't come all of this way to have others pressure him in to making important decisions.

I hate all of this drama, and you can bet that Barack doesn't care for it either.

[backscatter712]

19. Exactly. Hillary can howl and screech all she wants, but Obama doesn't have to do jack shit.

He's the President Elect, and the position of Secretary of State is his choice, and his alone. He doesn't have to answer to her, to the media or anyone but the voters.

Maybe he'll choose her, maybe he won't. If she doesn't like who he picks, she can suck it.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

75. Is Hillary howling and screeching? ... or is it the DU

drama queens making all the noise??

[TriMetFan]

80. Bingo!

Well said.

[AllentownJake]

41. Really?

They couldn't force his hand with the VP thing when they had the political capital of the votes she recieved in the primaries...and now you think they have sudden power for cabinet post?

[dkf]

51. She has already announced her presumptuous acceptance.

Now the assumption is that if she isn't picked there is something very fishy with their $. He now accepts her or brands her in a very negative way.

[leftynyc]

57. I missed that announcement

Do you have a link for it?

[AllentownJake]

60. Missed that news conference

Oh I get it...a paper in England says she has so you automatically think its true.

Maybe you should wait till Obama introduces his SOS or Hillary herself says something about it before trashing her.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

76. Link, please ... other than a foreign newspaper

[CTyankee]

56. Seriously! I can't understand why folks here can't give Obama a little credit for

having reasons to make his own decision for his SOS! They are entitled to their opinion, of course, but they're not extending to him much consideration for his judgment and that's why they voted for him in the GE, right? Didn't we want him in office to call the shots?

Not that any of this matters...

[AllentownJake]

61. Yes it is quite odd

He beat the odds and defeated the Clinton machine in the primary. Denied her even vetting or the dignity of real consideration when it came to VP selection, but when it comes to SOS the President Elect after a landslide victory must bow to the Clinton will? Some people need a reality check.

[sufrommich]

65. Well put. The contortions some will go through to paint Hillary

as Dr. Evil are laughable.

[AllentownJake]

66. Some of us supported Barack Obama during the primary

and some of us were against Hillary Clinton.

The distinction is clearly made who was in what category now.

[sufrommich]

69. Yep. nt

[CTyankee]

78. I voted for Hillary in our Super Tuesday primary (Edwards, my then-favorite, had dropped out)

but I was very happy to support Obama in the GE. In fact, every woman and man that I know who supported HRC in the primary felt the same way. This whole PUMA thing is crazy, IMHO...

[AllentownJake]

83. This isn't about PUMA

this is about Obama supporters refusing to let go of animosity from June

[CTyankee]

84. OK, I mean the talk about PUMAs, which I don't think ever really existed.

I know, I'm in the People's Republic of New Haven, but I don't see any of this dissension amid our very liberal folk. My feminist husband was a very strong supporter of Hillary and he works at City Hall which was very much pro-Obama. Nobody is ragging on him. My former coworkers at Planned Parenthood who voted for Hillary and the ones who voted for Obama are not tearing each other apart. We're just all so glad that we have the White House again! In my own family, we have Hillary voters and Obama voters, again no problem...

[sufrommich]

48. Do you think Obama is that weak ? Seriously, there was a lot

of media speculation and pressure after the primaries to pick her as his running mate. Did he do it? Some of the posts here by so called Obama supporters are downright insulting to him.

[dkf]

50. He won't do it because of her actions, but

he will suffer consequences because if he does turn her down, he publically states something is wrong with her.

[sufrommich]

63. What consequences would he suffer??

He's never publicly stated that she is his pick and guess what? neither has she.Just because it gets posited over and over again on DU does not make it relevant in the real world.

[Arkansas Granny]

64. What consequences did he suffer when he didn't choose her for VP?

I don't see anyone clamoring for her to be appointed. I just see a bunch of people who are howling and screeching because they think she might get it. We need to just chill out and let Obama make his choice. He doesn't apear to be the type of person who will cave under pressure.

[firedupdem]

3. The media is in divide and conquer mode...everything I've read

lately leads me to believe that. Gays are mad at blacks, Latino's are mad at Barack, Richardson is mad at Hillary etc. I'm trying to ignore it all until I hear directly from the President Elect as to who will be in his administration.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Yep....that's it!

The media is filled with a bunch of unpatriotic traitors!

That piece of shit Andrea Mitchell needs to go and find her husband's hiding place (after all of the fucking up he did) and stay there.

[firedupdem]

7. So True! n/t

[bdamomma]

53. I do not trust Andrea Mitchell

and the media for the most part. They are obsessed with Hillary, I would like to see her take over Harry Reid's position, but for SOS I don't know. I would go with Richardson cause he has that diplomatic experience. But this is Pres Elect Obama's decision. Hell, I would even go with Senator Hagel.

[Window]

67. Thank for you expressing exactly what I was thinking.

Not only is it insulting to President-Elect Obama, but to those that voted for him also.

I refuse to look at any news, and cannot spend too much time here.

[Jamastiene]

85. I must have missed something.

Why are the Latinos mad at him, if you don't mind me asking?

[Sensitivity]

4. Choice of Treasury Sec and econ team was planned to come first. Current SoS hype is suspicious

quite frankly, because that decison was down the road. Someone is manipulating things here.

[FrenchieCat]

6. It doesn't smell good.....

and it won't work. It will only leave certain people pissed off, but Obama ain't choosing who Andrea Mitchell is recommending just cause.

[dkf]

9. Yes, we should have been emphasizing the economy.

Now we're wrapped up in this drama because some people are leaking like a sieve.

[FrenchieCat]

12. A drama that doesn't help the American people one bit.

Which on its own is a fucking shame.

Here our economy is about to fall apart, and guess who is all up inside of the news! :eyes:

[dkf]

17. And we are taking attention away from all those slimy last minute

regulations the Bush Administration is trying to sneak in.

I was wondering why Bush was AWOL on the economy. Then driving home NPR started talking about how they are giving away valuable leases, allowing the burning of toxic materials and all this other crap. Now I know what is keeping those asses busy.

But what are we talking about instead of this stuff? THE CLINTONS and the SOS. ARGH.

[onehandle]

8. Do you really think he is that weak?

I have faith that he has a plan and will stick with it.

[FrenchieCat]

10. No I don't think he is weak....

and that's what other folks are about to find out.

My point is that he ain't picking anyone based on popular affirmation of news reporters are certain husbands and newspapers out of the country.

[onehandle]

16. You have to admit that this is all pretty much how Rahm was rolled out.

I think there is an offer on the table.

[dkf]

20. Do you know how many people were considered for COS?

I only know of one. But for SOS, we seem to have at least 3, maybe 4 with Holbrooke.

This looks different.

[Bobbieo]

13. Obama will come out on top. That is why we elected him!!!!

[Skwmom]

11. Well, I think the outrage displayed on the net may keep Obama from having his hand forced,

or from making a major mistake. I do not see Bill Clinton as a man who will forgive and forget over the "transformation" comment or on losing this election.

They are promoting Hillary as the MOST QUALIFIED politician who has ever walked the planet. I think the Clintons would like nothing more than to be in the foreign policy arena while our economy and financial system collapses (a collapse which they played a part in unlike Obama who is NOT to blame at all). I think we are going to go through a very difficult time and I don't think they will have Obama's back and I think they will use it to their political advantage.

[FrenchieCat]

14. All I know is that I'm currently getting an education,

and I would guess, so is Barack!

[onehandle]

21. You think people sniping on blogs and little boards will affect policy and positions?

Ha ha. That's rich!

[dkf]

25. Its beyond that for the Latinos supporting Richardson.

And the old time Obama supporters do not appreciate having his hand forced.

[Skwmom]

26. Well during the primary, like clockwork, ANYTIME the board would get outraged at the latest Clinton

antic, certain posters would work overtime trying to get us off the boards or convince us that we were wasting our time. So yeah, I think it does matter.

And reading boards, people can be moved to action.

[Lilith Velkor]

87. Worked like a charm on Lieberman, didn't it?

:eyes:

[Blue_In_AK]

15. You're correct.

I would assume that all of these Democratic leaders we're talking about -- Sen. Clinton, Gov. Richardson, whomever else -- are adults and realize that picking a cabinet is Mr. Obama's decision to make. By the time his final choices are made, I'm sure everyone involved will understand why -- or at least they'll defer to his authority as president. I trust they all want what's best for the country and will work together as a team, no matter who has what position.

I like Barack Obama. I think I'll trust his instincts for now.

[toshiba783]

18. When will we know?

When will we know for sure who Obama has chosen as Secretary of State? In other words, when is the time period that this position is usually filled?

[firedupdem]

22. I think it really depends on the president. I've heard of some doing

it just before inauguration and others earlier.

[FrenchieCat]

23. We'll know when they announce it....and not when the Guardian says so.

The elections are over. There are no more votes to be counted to determine a winner. Someone needs to get that memo out.....cause it appears that some folks believe that they are still running for office.

[rpannier]

32. I read in several places that it will be announced after Thanksgiving

My guess is, it will be the first week in December.

But...whenever he chooses any and all are fine with me.

[toshiba783]

24. This is off topic, but what about Axelrod?

Has David Axelrod been rumored to be included in Obama's White House team? I sure hope so, that man is brilliant.

[FrenchieCat]

28. Yes, he will be his Senior Adviser......

[liberalmuse]

27. I'm not seeing drama from the Clintons...

so much as I'm seeing it at DU. The very mention of the name, 'Clinton' has a similar effect as shouting, 'Fire!' in a crowded theater. People just go fucking nuts.

[Skwmom]

29. Who do you think is feeding all the garbage to the press?

One thing I'm sure of is that Obama is NOT pushing the following:

He approached Clinton b/c he was not satisfied with Richardson and Kerry.
He thinks she is the MOST qualified.
He only spoke to Richardson so he can have a backup if Hillary declines.

Give me a break. The Clintons could star in their own reality soap opera.

[AllentownJake]

42. ummm

I'm sorry this isn't the Clinton's fault.

Guess what all of Hillary's top people are overseas and I'm guessing that Obama wants a face to face with Bill to agree on ground rules for his behavior before she's formally offered the job. Obama and his transistion team already knew about Bill's dealings since leaving the whitehouse. Not details but an overall picture. This drama isn't about the past but about the future or the topic would have never been brought up.

The fault here lies with the media because there is nothing to report. When there is nothing going on they create stories. There is no drama other than on this message board.

[FrenchieCat]

30. The Obama team didn't leak the information to the press.....

and they didn't make Bill Clinton say what he said while in a foreign country....
and I'm sure that they didn't call the Guardian with a scoop.

What is sad is that Barack will just let folks hang themselves. He's not about to cede his foreign policy to the Clintons. Hillary was ridiculed for that Bosnia Tamarc lie that she told. You think that's what Barack wants to start off with internationally? That doesn't even make sense!

[Window]

74. I don't find this sad at all FrencyCat:

"What is sad is that Barack will just let folks hang themselves."

It's a lesson they need to learn the hard way apparently. LOL!


Peace:thumbsup:

[rpannier]

31. My feeling is...

He needs to make the decision it doesn't have to be today, tomorrow or even next week.

People need to calm down and stop having their little fits over who he may or may not pick.

If he chooses Sen Clinton - good.
If he doesn't - good.

He needs to decide who HE thinks will be the best fit for his Administration.

The people here, and others around the country, need to stop making it about THEM.

If they want to have a say in a President's Cabinet - run for the office.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hekate]

34. He will, and for his own reasons. I trust him to do that. nt

[donheld]

35. If DU has to pick Barack's cabinet for him shouldn't DU get paid for it?

What should our asking price be?

[vanderBeth]

36. 20,000 rubles

[TexasObserver]

If DU picked Obama's Cabinet:

State - Russ Finegold
Defense - Wes Clark
AG - John Edwards
HHS - Dennis Kucinich
Commerce - Tommy Chong
Treasury - Paul Krugman
Labor - Sally Field (for her Norma Rae performance)
HUD - Paul Newman
Ambassador to the UN - Cindy Sheehan
Press Secretary - Jon Stewart
National Security Adviser - Stephen Colbert

[AllentownJake]

43. Well DU appointed a dead guy to HUD than

[TexasObserver]

44. Yeah, that's exactly the point.

Are you aware Paul Newman starred in movie called HUD?

I put that in there to see who had any idea why Paul Newman might be the HUD secretary.

You apparently aren't aware of his film history, and therefore missed the connection.

Yes, I know he's dead.

[mtnester]

37. I am certain he is n/t

[TexasObserver]

38. He is. There's simply no reason to believe otherwise.

[JVS]

39. Damned jerks trying to horn in on his adminstrative racket!

[AllentownJake]

40. None of us know shit about anything

If you think Obama can be pressured into taking Hillary at State when he held up to even more pressure to make her the VP nominee I feel sorry for you.

I know alot of you find this insane but the animosity there is between Barack and Hillary is probably 1%-5% of what the animosity is between their supporters.

From the sounds of it she was summoned to Chicago. Like it or not Barack Obama respects Hillary Clinton because she nearly beat him for the nomination.

[TexasObserver]

45. I think Obama will choose Hillary because he wants to choose her.

I think Obama will choose Hillary because he wants to choose her.

[AllentownJake]

46. The response is to the OP

Which bemoans that the evil Hillary showed up and demanded to be SOS when all evidence is to the contrary.

Its kind of weird I'm arguing with alot of people I got along with in the primaries right now because they need to let go of the freaking primaries.

The only people who know what went on between the meeting of Barack and Hillary are Barack and Hillary and they aren't doing much talking about the subject.

[TexasObserver]

47. I agree with your disagreement with the OP.

It is a ridiculous premise: that Hillary is going to make Obama do anything he doesn't want to do.

He's not that weak. He's fully capable of running the show, and those who think he can't are really showing a lack of faith in Obama.

[JoFerret]

49. Minor point - but this is not logical:

"I know it hasn't been offered to her, because the Obama Transition team has not said that it has."

I agree with your basic premise however.

[City Lights]

52. WGN News here in Chicago just reported that, according to the Guardian, HRC accepted SOS.

The TeeVee is on in the other room and I was :wow: when I heard it.

I wonder how many other TeeVee news organizations are reporting this as fact and then citing that article as the source.

[bdamomma]

54. Well, the media will run with this story

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/17/hillary-clinton-secretary-of-state

This is crazy, this is Obama's decision, and what I heard on 60 Minutes the other night when Steve Croft was interviewing him was that Obama talked to her as an Adviser, did he say anything about her being his SOS, nothing was mentioned. The media is the culprit in this speculation.

[City Lights]

58. WGN just interviewed Rick Pearson of the Chi-Trib...

I only caught part of the interview, but in the part I saw he cited Obama's lack of experience as a reason Obama is looking to HRC for SOS, and actually said it'll be a twofer. Bill and Hill will be SOS as long as Bill stays on script.

[karynnj]

71. The fact is that JOE BIDEN has forgotten more on foreign policy

than HRC ever learned. Don't you see that what you wrote is exactly why this is an awful idea? It has the effect of saying Obama is weak, but the Clintons will be the ones really doing foreign policy.

Time for the biggest Sister Souljah of all! Obama standing up to the Clintons and saying that he is President.

[City Lights]

77. You'll get no argument from me...

I was just sharing what I heard from the TeeVee. I'm appalled by the idea of a "twofer" as Secretary(ies) of State. In addition to the reasons you stated, I think it makes Hillary look weak. Either she's qualified to do the job on her own, or she isn't. If I were in her shoes, I'd be insulted by the media pushing this as some sort of a shared job between her and BC. Consulting with your spouse is one thing; job sharing is quite another.

[JoFerret]

55. Classic DU at its worst - all drama and

spleen.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

59. Although I don't want Hillary as SOS, if she is selcted by Obama, I certainly

hope that this is his choice. It would be disturbing to find out that he was weak.

[high density]

62. Obama chose his own VP

I think he will do the same for SOS.

[Bunny]

68. Oh jesus christ on a cracker.

"I know it hasn't been offered to her, because the Obama Transition team has not said that it has."

I hate to tell you this, but *you* don't "know' anything. Has it occurred to you that perhaps the Obama team has no intentions of announcing anything, except who has been appointed the new SOS? Why would they make an announcement regarding who they've offered the position to? They aren't going to do any such thing - they will wait until the person THEY'VE CHOSEN has accepted the position before they make any type of announcement.

[Jennicut]

70. Let the man pick his SoS already. If he wants Hillary its for a reason.

He picked Biden despite being "rivals" with him and Biden said similar things about his lack of experience. Its called a campaign. Hillary does not force his hand on anything-perhaps he actually wants her to be SoS, he did meet with her didn't he? Maybe he wants Kerry to remain on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as the head as its a very important posistion. Maybe he has some problems with Richardson, who knows? Why are we all acting so much smarter then him? We can criticize but can the guy even get a transition honey moon let alone when he becomes president? I need a freakin drink. One week of bliss and then back to the infighting of the primaries. :banghead:

[Arkansas Granny]

72. I sure wish that people would trust Obama to pick his own SOS.

Seriously, ever since the rumor surfaced that he might be considering Hillary for SOS, this place has been a mess. If Hillary couldn't "force" Obama to pick her for his running mate, it seems highly unlikely to me that she can "force" him to give her the SOS appointment. If Obama wants her in that position and feels that she would help to advance his policies, he should offer it to her. Otherwise, he should offer it to the person who he feels would be the best for his administration.

If he does choose Hillary, I can only hope that everyone can accept his decision and support him in the difficult job he has ahead of him.

[npincus]

73. What makes you think he's not?

Maybe he WANTS HRC, and believes in her skills as a negotiater, her tireless work ethic and her intelligence. He was in the Senate with her, and knew her as a colleague before he knew her as an opponent. She was reputed to be the unltimate team-player, and won the respect of Repulbicans as well. Why would you second-guess Obama now? Respectfully, he knows what he's doing- more than you or I.

I didn't support HRC, was always behind Obama. But, I am not going to second-guess the wisdom of his judgement regarding who he wants on his team.

[windbreeze]

79. AMEN!!

I agree...wb

[LynneSin]

81. What if he is

:shrug:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

82. He Did. He Picked Hillary. Get Over It.

Soon enough, it will be announced and official. Great choice!

GOBAMA!!

[Jamastiene]

86. Whoever he picks, he picks.

I hardly think all this hand wringing some people are doing is going to change his decision. Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Seems to me, he's just doing what we hired him to do; lead.