Schwarzenegger: Clinton "Could Be A Great Move" For Secretary Of State

Last week I reported that Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., was in the running to become Obama's secretary of state. Today we learned that the President-elect and his former rival met privately yesterday to discuss the position.

This afternoon I asked California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger what he thought of a possible Secretary Clinton. "I think she is a very very bright woman and very experienced. I think this could be a great move."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[KickerBoard]

Unless it's to announce Total Recall 2 or T4, I'll keep Arnie on mute for the moment.

[RobertAndropolis]

Big Mouth realized he disqualified himself from any bipartisan state dinner's at the Obama White House with his really insulting alpha-male statements. Now this guy sounds like a caricature of himself. Check out Stephanie Miller's Air America morning radio program for a hilarious send-up of Schwarzenegger by Chris LaVoie. The humor is he doesn't have to exaggerate his impression.

[RobertAndropolis]

Schwarzenegger early in his film career was on the Tonight Show with Johnnie Carson. After the interview and after Schwarzenegger exited, Carson commented to Ed McMahon that he now understood what it was about Arnold that made him so successful: it's that he's a likeable guy. Charming and self-effacing. This character trait has allowed him inroads into serious state politics. His story is intriguing and his lifetime history of high-achievement drive/motivation epitomizes the can-do American cultural mythos.

While his ascendancy is impressive, none of this qualifies him as a reputable spokesperson for who should or should not occupy the most important foreign affairs cabinet position in our government. He is welcome to his opinion, but considering his dearth of foreign relations education or experience--besides growing up in Austria--I should think he would utilize his intelligence and qualify his opinion as simply that, and not present it as something that is up for serious debate.

[jalapeno]

Body builders are just like Brain Surgeons sometimes !! Jeez!!!

[CaliBorn20C]

I voted against recalling Grey Davis in the first place, but Arnold has done ok with what he had to work with. I know he cut lots of stuff but he really had no choice. When times are better, money will be restored to the system in the areas from where it was taken. There is no Utopia in government. The state and country has been in shambles for almost a decade, and some social programs for several decades. As a registered and proud Independent, I was impressed to see support of Prop. 8 from our Gov. He is not as far right as the comments here suggest! He IS married to a Kennedy, after all! He strikes me as more likely to work like a Democrat than she is to register as a Republican.

With all due respect to free speech, before we are so quick to bash the politicians we elected through democracy, we may try to understand how difficult their job is with what they have to work. In fact, being a part of the solution, a part of what any politician is doing right, is what the founders of our country planned for us. I, too, am bitter and tainted by some of the actions of our country's representatives but we must keep our heads about us, looking at the reality of their choices and decisions. Ignorance of reality creates non-progressive circles of fear and anger, as it did in the passage of Prop. 8.

[nvr2late]

Where are all the millions of dollars brought in by the CA lottery? CA should be a rich state; not close to bankruptcy.

[Chlowina]

Who really gives a sh*t what he or anyone else that voted against Barack thinks.

I feel that when changes are made for the American people, that the ones who voted for McCain should be exempt from receiving any kind of perks.

[BushSunkOurShip]

I believe Obama is going to far to the right to make republicans love him and really they do not care one bit...But they love being put in high places to main control and stop any process of the democrats like Reid's friend Lieberman does....
Looks like a one term presidency for Obama...
Did Obama get it straight when the Americans citizens voted the republicans out of office , or have the republicans with their propaganda convince him it meant something else..
Remember On Hardball , Chris Matthews urged Barack Obama to be bold in his policy choices. When a Republican strategist disagreed, Chris told him he spoke with a "forked tongue."

[Berliner2]

How do you know he really voted against Obama?

[Chlowina]

You're right. I'm not God. Just a longshot guess.

[Robfsumcc]

Yes because we don't live in a country where everyone has a right to make up their own minds. Your comment seems a far cry from Obama's message of unity. He wants to be a president for everyone, not just those who voted for him.

[Chlowina]

Just being a bit selfish because of the screw job we poor folk got in the last 8 years.

[BigHeadTodd]

Well, that seals the deal. If a B-actor who has zero political cojones on a national level says Clinton is a good idea, then we should all listen to him, by all means.

Take care of your OWN state, Ahnold. If you haven't noticed, it's literally ON FIRE and at least 49 percent of the population there are ticked off that you allowed an out-of-state entity to manhandle your Prop 8 with fear, money and lobbying.

[Choicelady]

What Arnold thinks is utterly irrelevant to good policy. He has been the shining example of what is wrong with political illiteracy - the 'citizen governor' is absurd in a world as complicated as this. Couple ignorance with hubris, and you have a recipe for disaster. His horrid record in California should make interviews with him on policy completely irresponsible journalism. He is first, last, and always a celebrity, not a statesman. Put him on the entertainment pages and move on.

[Pippilangstrumpf]

Very well said.

[Yasmine]

SHWARZENEGGER should not be listened to................if he was correct his wife would be a Republican now.
The reason he says Hillary would be a good move is because Hillary voted for the war and is a HAWCK
THE CLINTONS ARE GREAT , but not now for this job because of his dealings.
she can decline politely.
Now Hillary is very popular and should keep her popularity.

[weatherwaxx]

So ... are the Republicans trying to torpedo Clinton by having Ahnold say nice things about her, or is this just a bad sign? Twisty buggers.

[springsm]

Are we supposed to care what Arnie thinks? Thi guy is an opportunist of the largest magnitute there is.

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

I think Mr. Universe needs to focus on the crisis in his own state before sticking his nose into World Affairs. Southern California is burning. What's he doing about it?

[StillIRise]

I've noticed that a lot of the Repubs are praising Clinton for the SOS. This in itself should give Obama pause in considering her.

The Republicans have been pushing for Hillary since this election started, yet they've also been the most vitriolic critics of the Clintons for the last sixteen years. They wanted her to win the nomination so they could bring her down (and they have the ammunition to do it). If she'd won the presidency, they wouldn't have let up on her, and they know that as SOS, she'd be Obama's downfall. They hate Obama and they hate Bill and Hillary Clinton, and they want Hillary in the cabinet so they can kill three birds with one stone.

[janeInCA]

Very wise analysis.

[tydicea]

A lot of people may be suffering high anxiety prematurely about this possible position for SOS. First, I would consider Hilary's visit to Chicago a job interview, since there are other candidates being considered, Richardson, Kerry and Hagel, among them. Second, the post presidency activities of her husband is likely a sizable obstacle for her in the vetting process.

[Yasmine]

I HOPE YOU ARE RIGHT.
There has been too much influence peddling by BILL and Chelsea works for a Hedge fund.
HILLARY has become so popular that she should not try this SOS post now.
if Richardson gets it , the dems lose a Governor..........if Kerry is chosen, will a Democrat take his place ? YES
GATES is ok and is a republican.
POOR Dems ! even when they win a mandate, they are expected to give several Posts to Republicans???!!!
POOR Dems..............i feel sorry for them.

[DaOne]

Arnie F U

[Bullwinkie]

I second that motion

[janeInCA]

OK, this is what's going to happen. HRC will refuse the offer and BO/JB team will officially announce Bill Richardson is the one. Thanks but no thanks for your thought, Arnold.

[roshni]

I hope you are correct.

[janeInCA]

Think so. HRC is a very smart lady and she will decline if she thinks she can't excel in that position.

[fightorleave2]

Schwarenegger should shut the hell up. I can't understand how Californians could fall for this guy. Clinton is a terrible choice for Barack's Sec of State.

[getoffmedz]

CA was duped and reacted out of anger for the ENRON bogus "Energy Crisis." Just like the US was duped by another Republican over 9/11, Iraq and WMDs.

The Republican motto has been "WE BENEFIT FROM YOUR MISFORTUNE America" for over a decade.

This bull $hit must end.