Picking Hillary for SOS is a brilliant move by the Pres-Elect

[realitythink]

I know many of you think that this is not going to happen and it's the MSM trying to reopen wounds barely healed but I think it's a very smart and tactical move by Obama. The problems that are facing this administration are huge and have to be dealt with now, right now. By putting Clinton at the State Department he is sending a positive message to the world. She is extremely popular and knows her stuff and many of the players involved, she will not have to introduce herself to the world.

This gives Obama the opportunity to stay focused on our incredible domestic problems for the first couple of years while Hillary deals with our international problems (probably with the down low help of her husband which he will love doing).
It also will keep the Clintons from, in any way, secretly sabotaging Obama's domestic agenda or setting up an opposition team within the party.

Obama is doing exactly what he said he would do during the campaign which is bringing people in that he may not always agree with and who are the smartest people around. I think it's a brilliant move.

[NC_Nurse]

1. I think she would be better left in the Senate. She is more adept at domestic

policy, IMO, and we need her votes and influence there.

[trueblue2007]

17. Don't do it Hillary!!! Stay in the Senate!!

[Phred42]

2. She spent a lot of time demeaning and contridicting Obamas foreign Policies

during the Primaries. People are looking too hard to find a consolation Prize for her.

He can't trust her at his back.

How about the Supreme Court where she can drive the Reich out of their little minds for the rest of her life?

[shadowknows69]

3. There are simply better choices IMO

I have no problem with Senator Clinton being in an Obama administration but I believed her when she said she was excited about remaining a Senator. If her focus has been secretly to lobby for this job instead, then it doesn't help alleviate me of any of the questions I had about her character.

[ramapo]

4. Kerry will have hurt feelings

Doesn't he think that he should be Sos? I'm fine either way but I do think Kerry has more experience but Hillary certainly would do a fine job. I hate to lose either from the Senate but the positive spin is we'd get some new democratic blood.

[realitythink]

5. Bobby Kennedy Jr. is the likely replacement in NY.

I'd rather see him in the Senate than in the cabinet. Massachusetts needs Kerry in the Senate right now. Unfortunately Senator Kennedy is likely to be gone even if he does survive in the next few years. He's up for reelection in 2 years (I think) and is not likely to run again.

[iamahaingttta]

6. I think it's a horrible idea...

...and anything BUT brilliant.

See? It takes all kinds to make a world!

[realitythink]

7. Why?

[iamahaingttta]

10. Why does it take all kinds to make a world?

Because if we were all alike it would be a boring place!

[gristy]

8. Rumors. Hasn't happened. Almost certainly won't.

All that present tense in your OP makes it look like it happened.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/11/the-note-clinto.html

[ProfessorGAC]

9. She'd Have More Clout As A Senator From A Huge State

I think she would be best for the country if she stayed as big heat in the Senate. I honestly don't think she'd want SoS. I would surmise she thinks she'd have more impact where she's at, too.
The Professor

[HamdenRice]

11. There are positives and negatives, but my worry is she doesn't know international law

That should be the primary qualification of an SoS -- absolute expertise and mastery of international law. I agree Hillary's best quality is that she already knows so many foreign leaders. On the other hand, many of the leaders of the 90s the Clintons dealt with have moved on -- Kohl, Blair, Yeltsin, Zhang Zemin, etc.

I think her greatest benefit would be in helping craft universal health care.

I agree also though, maybe Don Corleone's advice on how to "neutralize" the Clintons -- keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Overall, though, I kind of wish the Clintons would just fade into the background. I'd rather she continue being a workhorse of the Senate, a job I've read she adores.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. Yeah, But Neither Did The Last Two SoS

One can have advisors for that sort of expertise, no?

Now, i'm not for this idea. I think she'd be best where she is, now that there is dem prez, and a dem dominated Senate, she will be big heat in the seat in which she aleady sits.
The Professor

[HamdenRice]

14. Maybe I should have said international law or international relations

Both were pretty bad anyway for not paying more attention to international law.

One factor of Powell's career that is often over looked is the time he spent at NATO. Because he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs during Gulf War I, he tends to be thought of as this combat overseer, when in fact, most of his career he was groomed for military diplomacy -- especially his time in NATO.

Rice's specialty was international relations with a focus on Russia, but in a way that was frozen in time in the cold war.

I would prefer an international law expert. Someone with an IR background would be OK. But Hillary is neither.

I see SoS as being both the government's diplomat and international lawyer -- often the guy who says "no" or that we have to go to the UN and why. Powell played that role, but then rolled over. Rice has been a catastrophe. Having the SoS as the actual "Dr. No" is better than having an SoS who is advised by a "Dr. No." Too bad there is no Cyrus Vance around.

But I agree Hillary is best on domestic policy and deal making in the Senate.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Then We Agree

Nice chatting with you, Hamden
GAC

[HamdenRice]

19. Pleasures mine!

Today I'm reading that Hillary has no interest in the SoS job, but that the leak was somehow to prevent either Bill Richardson or John Kerry from getting the job. Not sure how that works, but go figure.

[ProfessorGAC]

21. See Hamden, I Was Right!

And here, you thought i was an idiot! :evilgrin:


That's exactly what i said. I think she knows she will be the biggest heat she can be by being the Senator from NY.

She's smart enough to know that nothing she does, other than Obama's job, will make her bigger heat than she is right now.

See ya later, Hamden.
GAC

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. It won't happen for the same reason she wasn't VP.

I believe it will be Kerry.

[bdamomma]

15. No decision has been yet for SOS has it?

three good men and a woman are up for it Kerry, Richardson, Daschle was mentioned too.

Whoever it is they would be alot better than Condi.

[Winterblues]

18. It would appear Obama is assembling a "Dream Team"

It couldn't happen to soon for me..

[TexasObserver]

20. Well said, and accurate. Obama is being Obama.

This is how he thinks, so people better get used to it. He's going to be naming some people to his Cabinet that many Democrats will not like. He's going to name some Republicans to his Cabinet, as in more than one.

We could see Lugar, Hagel, Snowe and Collins all appear in the new Obama Cabinet.

We likely will see Hillary in a top role.

He'll have Emanuel to steer things through the House, and Biden to steer things through the senate.

This guy is on top of his game, and he knows a lot more than his critics.