Clinton: Rahm Emanuel Good Choice For Chief Of Staff

NEW YORK — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, in her first public appearance since former rival Barack Obama was elected president, praised his choice for White House chief of staff, a former top aide to her husband.

"President-elect Obama made an excellent choice," she said of Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, adding that he "understands both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue."

"He gets things done," she said at a news conference Thursday night before she and former President Clinton were honored at a gala at the newly refurbished Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. "Rahm is determined and effective."

She also called on Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, the Senate's longest-serving Republican, to resign after he was convicted of corruption charges.

The event at which the Clintons spoke kicked off the opening weekend of the Intrepid after a nearly two-year restoration. President Bush next week will deliver a Veterans Day address on the famous World War II aircraft carrier.

Clinton, a New York Democrat, said she talked with Obama after his historic victory, which made the Illinois senator the first African-American elected to the White House, and promised to work with him as he faces challenging times taking office.

"I want to be a good partner with him in the Senate," said Clinton, his former rival for their party's presidential nomination. "The Senate is going to be the place that determines whether his agenda is successful. We are going to work together. We are going to work across the aisle."

Clinton said that Obama has to move quickly on national security and the economy. He was wise to begin preparing for his transition into the White House, she said.

"I give him credit for being ahead of the curve," she said. "I think he'll put together a good team."

Asked whether she would join an Obama administration, Clinton said: "I want to be the best senator I can be from New York."

Stevens, who has secured billions of dollars in federal funds for his state, was clinging to a narrow lead in a re-election bid after being found guilty of lying on Senate records to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars in home renovations and gifts he received from a millionaire businessman. He is appealing and told voters he's not a convicted felon _ at least not until the appeal process is over.

But Stevens, Clinton said, has to go.

"I think that he should step down, and I think that we may actually win that seat still," she said.

An exit poll and incomplete ballot results had Stevens, a 40-year incumbent, with a very slight lead over Democratic rival Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage. More than 60,000 absentee and questioned ballots remained to be counted Thursday, so the outcome may be days in coming.

Comments

[NevaforLeadership]

She called on Alaska Ted Stevens to step down.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!!

Why do we keep having to drag this scandalous woman up? It's bad enough that she is in the Senate.

Personally, I would like to see Bill and Hillary sail into the sunset privately, never to be seen in public again.

[fayemac]

They wont sail into the sunset because OBAMA keeps calling them for advice like a novice should.

[fayemac]

GEEZ. Lets see Bill & Hillary wins Florida, Penn for Obama and you still cant stop blathering about the primaries. My God people, get off hillarys website if you dont like her;. While your on some other web page maybe you can look up the word "graditude" By the way YOU LOOK STUNNING HILLARY!

[partyofone]

dillusional.

Obama won the presidency by beating the Clintons. twice. They did nothing but bask in his spolight. Hillary's website? This is a comment section on a webpage about Hillary on Huffpo. It isn't her personal fan site.

[fayemac]

Take a look at all the negative posts on all these websites about Hillary and Ill show you a dillusional, non educated, political idiot who is an Obama FAN. He beat her twice? What the hell are you talking about. All HE DID was bask in thier glow in Florida and Penn. Thats how he won there, OBAMA FAN. Didnt you notice he only went to both places only once? If you say Obama didnt need the Clintons, then why did he send them to the places that he REALLY, REALLY needed the votes, Nev, Florida, Penn. Next time you should do your homework OBAMA FAN, and stay off the web until you know what your talking about.

[partyofone]

The nation and the world celebrate Obama's magnificent victory and look forward to inspired leadership in these tough times.

Obama's meteoric rise has been accompanied by the equally rapid fall of the once might Clintons. Hillary begain two years ago with advantages never seen before for a presidential candidate -- a seasoned political machine, hand picked dream team staff, huge backroll, former president as a full time campaigner, and an air (heir?) of inevitability. But she proved to be unqualified, a terrible leader who drove her campaign into a ditch, whose campaign fell into chaos and debt, whose Bush-Rove style attack politics back-fired, whose secret-weapon (Bill) back-fired., and whose arrongance and mean-spirited tactics turned off many former suppporters.

Bill and Hillary's whisper campaign, even after Obama was nominated, was "he can never beat the /GOP," only Hilary knows how to do that.

At every step, the Clintons were wrong. Their policial judgments and strategies dated, and their win by division approach rejected by voters at every turn.

As a result, the Clintons are now history. No one really believes or cares what they say.

[NevaforLeadership]

Let us never, never forget that it was Hillary Clinton that started the vicious, ugly untrue smears about Barack Obama, taken up so vigorously by Sarah Palin.

Of all the qualified women in the United States why did we have to contend with these two losers in the campaign?

[fayemac]

READ THE POST ABOVE. THIS APLIES TO YOU TOO.

[sykadelic chic]

I'd love Hillary in the Supreme Court but I think she's needed in the Senate.
As for the pick of Rahm, I think it's brilliant. I think people are too used to the currant administration where it seems almost everyone claims more power than their positions actually allow. *gasp* Obama's administration might actually just -do their jobs-! How novel!

Rahm's job isn't to create or dictate policy, and Obama isn't a pushover, either. This proves to me that he's serious about getting things done, and Rahm is a man that -gets things done-.

[partyofone]

Hillary would NEVER be confirmed for the Supreme Court, and she should enjoy her last 4 years in the Senate,, or move to Arkansas. She will NEVER be re-elected from NY.

The Clintons did themselves great harm in the way they conducted her primary campaign, and many former suppoters with NEVER forget it. They did everything they could to prevent and Obama presidency, and failed. Enough of the Clintons.

[NevaforLeadership]

As I mentioned in another post, Hillary Clinton was fired from her position on the Watergate Judicial Committee for being a dishonest, unethical lawyer and a liar. That little episode, along with all her other scandalous moments, should disqualify her from ever being considered for the Supreme Court.

Since then, what has her legal exerpience been? Whitewater, property speculation and cattle futures -- or was the latter just payola? -- that about sums it up.

[SEQUOIABISON]

Personally I think Obama will not include Hillary in his administration unless he appoints her as an interim Secretary until a Supreme Court vacancy, which I doubt.

Hillary has already served in the executive and legislative branches of government and now belongs in the Judicial branch, she deserves to be recommended for a seat on the Supreme Court, she is eminently qualified and would make a great Justice.

[partyofone]

I can' tstop laughing. If Obama were foolish enough (and he does not seem to be ) to nominate her, she would never be confirmed. Get real.

[Bettysdad]

What ever happened to the millions of PUMAs?

[Yman]

The PUMAs? Same thing that happened to all the "true progressives that called 0b@ma a Repuglican and then ended up supporting him.

Oh wait ........... that was you.

[Ajegunle]

Make her Attorney General.

That would scare the crap out of Rush Limbaugh Cheese.

[btdenver]

They should make her majority whip. It would drive the Fauxnuts insane.

[partyofone]

Hillary is hugely divisive. She cannot have a leadership role, if Democrats really want to accomplish big things with bipartisan support.

[Independent voter]

I have to say that Hillary really surprised me and turned into a real warrior for Obama. I hope that she will be rewarded in some appropriate way

[strifeknot]

She's only trying to rehabilitate her image. It's all self-serving.

[antaeus]

Her image is fine. The only ones carping are hysterics who were too stupid during the primary to realize she was making O a better candidate for having to actually get fired up.

[NevaforLeadership]

Exactly.

[NevaforLeadership]

Best post for her -- one for which she has lots of experience -- would be ambassador to Bosnia.

[kylennblack]

Obama needs someone in this position he knows and trusts and who is highly effective and will play bad cop to Obama's good cop. Rahm is a great choice. And for all the repubs' whining that he's too partisan, did they really think Obama (or any democrat who would have won) wasn't going to appoint at least a few ultra-democrats? There needs to be a full range, not just pliable centrists.

Aside: Yeah, Hillary's new haircut looks great!

[guajiro]

Holy smoke!!!! I've never seen Hillary look so dang GORGEOUS !!! Where in the world has she been hiding herself?? Geeez ! I feel relieved to see her give her opinions for Barack so effortlessly. It restores my faith in her. Country first, the hell with losses.

[Ljeff79]

Hillary looks awesome. Love the new hair!

[Bettysdad]

She's getting better looking as she gets older.

[Bilboo]

Chelsea's mom has got it going on.

[NevaforLeadership]

Take a look at the lead in close-up photo.

Hillary Clinton is not aging well.

[partyofone]

the Hillary proganda machine works overtime.

[NotMcCain]

I've always thought Hillary was far more attractive than Palin, but it really shows here.

Her intelligence plus, as we saw in the g.e., integrity. are very attractive. And she looks absolutely beautiful in this dress.

Even in the most expensive clothes, Palin still has that "one part high school bitchy" quality that just won't go away, no matter -how- they do her hair and makeup.

I'm happy for Hillary. And I think if you can't be President, Senator is the best job going.

[sklfcats]

That should have been you going into office in January Hillary
Not 'that one'

[VOTER]

Go Away.

[sklfcats]

No you go away!!

[DosaHut]

Dare I say this hairstyle suits Hillary quite a lot? And so does the rich blue color of that dress!

That said, why is she not on the shortlist of any major post?

[engineer68]

She is needed in the U.S. Senate, and as a New Yorker she is needed here!

[partyofone]

Very clever and funny post.

[robynr]

think supreme court.

[guajiro]

WOW !!!!!! Supreme Court?? Love it. She would make an awesome Supreme Court of the United States Justice.

[partyofone]

supreme court? do you really thing Obama would want to bog the Senate down in a Rose LAw Firm investigation during a hugely heated and diviisive confrimation hearing. Obama owes Hillary NOTHING. If he is as wise as he seems, he would never risk distracting his presidency by trying to push "Harriet Myers Clinton" Supreme Court nomination.

[dct1999]

because of her husband

[NevaforLeadership]

Because every public project she has taken up -- all two of them -- her healthcare fiasco and her campaign have been incompetently run and total failures, not to forget her appalling behaviour as leader of both.