Hillary to State?
Submitted by Dan Besse on Wed, 11/19/2008 - 4:18pm
Should Hillary Clinton stay in the U.S. Senate or take Secretary of State in the Obama Administration?
I'm curious regarding the opinions of other users of BlueNC.
My personal opinion: Clinton would do a good job at State, and enjoy it. On the other hand, I'd say the same about Bill Richardson, who I believe will be named if Clinton says no. Plus, he brings fewer outside complications (e.g., Bill Clinton's ongoing personal international work), and is more closely attuned to Obama's personal philosophy. However, I am not one of those who fear that Hillary Clinton would undermine the Obama efforts, or refuse to be a "team player". I think that she understands how to work with a team, even when she is not the ultimate leader.
For me, the decisive consideration is this: I think she's more valuable in the Senate than in the Cabinet. I think that her demonstrated political and legislative skills could be important to passage of a strong health care program, and potentially in other areas as well. If she asked me, I'd say, stay and work in the Senate.
What do you think?
I am not as sure as you are that she can be an effective team
member, especially if a former rival is the captain of that team. She had too many faux pas during the primary - and she flat out lied about being "under fire" when she was first lady. She not only disagreed with Obama about foreign policy, she implied that his approach - opening talks with enemies - was naive. I think that history could hamstring her efforts if she were in the State Department.
I also think that she would be more effective in the Senate. She has been a strong advocate for not only health care, but other important issues such as child care and education in general. With some of the lions of the Senate aging and becoming ill (like Kennedy), we will need a strong voice in the Senate for these causes. I think in time she would become the strongest Senator we've seen. It's a good fit for her.
I would prefer Bill Richardson because I think he has a better temperament and more experience doing that kind of job. He seems much more even-tempered and diplomatic, which, when you come down to it would be is needed in this position.
That said, I do want to see women in the Cabinet. Suggestions? I don't have many - I'd would have liked to see Kathleen Sibelius over Health and Human services, but I think Daschle is an excellent choice, too.
As the world turns...
Wasn't that an old soap title?
It's true that both Clintons seem to carry their personal soap opera with them through life. Boring, they're not. If they weren't also extraordinarily capable and determined, they'd have been retired to an old actors' home. But I've never been a fan of boring for the most part...
Dan Besse
Dan Besse
As the World Turns, CBS, weekdays, 2pm
I don't want to see Clinton as Sec of State. You should tune in to As the World Turns sometime. It's fun!
Leigh
A Smut-Filled Tome
Leigh
A Smut-Filled Tome
I would rather Sen Clinton stay just that, Sen. Clinton
Linda said it well. Skeletons rattling in the Clintons' closets would be a distraction. Let her be a good team player by helping push some good legislation through the senate.
Person County Democrats
Environmental Defense Fund
Cell phones will be to the 21st century what tobacco was to the 20th.
This makes me happy!
The same article says that Penny Pritzker, who headed up Obama's fundraising team is being vetted for Commerce Secretary. Interesting.
I'm glad to see some strong women being considered.
Wow!
Makes me happy too! Specially since she's one of my heroes!
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Mine too...
...and I got to meet her at your house. How cool is that?
I heard on NPR just now that it's been confirmed, she is his nominee for Homeland Security. :-D
I would completely agree with Linda on Hillary.....
However, my pick would be Richard Holbrooke, who brokered that Dayton accord with Milosevic of Bosnia fame. But I guess he's such a 'no-holds-barred type, like Carter's guy, Brezinski(?), they probably want more finesse. But he has always been a diplomat, versus the politician, like Hillary or Richardson. But all are very talented, and would probably fill the bill.
Holbrooke
was far too equivocal on aggression in Bosnia. The Milosevic-inspired radical Serb nationalists were clearly the genocidal aggressors in Bosnia, and were permitted to rampage unchecked for far too long. I saw that situation first-hand, and it was beyond outrageous. I would not support Holbrooke.
Dan Besse
Dan Besse
In all fairness, I don't believe you can lay that on Holbrooke..
I do remember the media of the world trying to get Clinton to go for an invasion by our troops. But I always give Clinton credit for not getting into that trap, while the rest of the world refused to do anything. Through Wes Clark's plan, we bombed their infrastructure, and brought the pressure for them to negotiate. Compare that to numb-nuts Bush, who goes for the unilateral invasion of Iraq, while the rest of the world smiled at our stupidity, but said 'go for it'.
Kosovo
I think you're getting Kosovo mixed up with Bosnia. In Bosnia, NATO and the U.S. failed for years to take tough steps to stop the genocide. Holbrooke was one of those diplomats responsible for that failure--certainly not a unique distinction, but a tough one to forgive. By the later Kosovo crisis, a chastened West had learned its lesson, and applied it effectively.
Unfortunately, Bush was never one of those with the intelligence or moral sense to learn the difference between legitimate intervention to stop real atrocities, and a handy excuse to go after oil resources. Completely distinct situations.
Dan Besse
Dan Besse
to my untrained eyes
I see Obama removing many Senators and encouraging their replacements with younger people loyal to him and his ideals. I wondered why he would pick Hillary for SOS and what he had in mind for Richardson.
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
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