McCain Staffer Crows At Idea Of Clinton In Cabinet

Over at the Weekly Standard, McCain campaign blogger Michael Goldfarb explains why Republicans should be cheered by the prospect of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

Clinton flipped on the war, but as the nomination slipped out of her reach last spring she spoke of the threats this country faces, and of the prescriptions offered by Obama, in language that would warm the hearts of neoconservatives (if we had them). She threatened to "obliterate" Iran in response to unprovoked aggression against Israel, she spoke of unconditional meetings with the leaders of rogue states as "irresponsible and, frankly, naive," and she castigated Obama's transparent saber-rattling on Pakistan ("last summer [Obama] basically threatened to bomb Pakistan, which I don't think was a particularly wise position to take."). On matters of diplomacy, Clinton's views are not so different from those held by John McCain and most Republicans -- and they are certainly well to the right of Obama.

Of course, if Clinton takes the job one expects she'll be loyal to her new boss. Though it would be extremely entertaining, we probably wouldn't see Madame Secretary working to undermine an Obama administration with recalcitrance and rogue diplomacy. But then Colin Powell was a dutiful soldier while inside the Bush administration and that still didn't prevent him from becoming a foil for the administration's opponents. It's not difficult to imagine Clinton performing a similar service for Republicans. She could be held up as the very model of a responsible Democrat, forced against her better judgment to partake in a series of reckless diplomatic escapades pursued by a more ideological president.

Clinton would be a fine Secretary of State, and she is likely to be a nuisance to Obama whether she is inside or outside of his administration, but as our top diplomat she could reprise a role that made Powell a kingmaker in this year's election. And perhaps she could even present the case for war with Iran to an insubordinate United Nations in the event that Obama's personal diplomacy somehow fails to deter the mullahs from their present course.

Read more about Hillary Clinton's Secretary of State prospects.

Comments

[DeaH]

Please, please, please, just name her Ambassador to the Court of St. James. The English love the Clintons, and, unless Bill starts schtupping the Queen, herself, neither can do any real harm. And it's a very prestigious job.

Why on earth would we want a person running State who has shown no talent for running things? Is the world in such great shape now that we can afford to have the State Department administration break down even further?

[larazon]

Romney's campaign manager said that Republicans are for Hllary because they would rather have Hillary's world view in State than a Nancy Pelosi's world view in State? Say whaaat? I guess this is because Hillary voted for the war and would "obliterate" Iran and has shown that when it comes to foreign policy she moves right of centre. This is undeniable and she has proven it one too many times. She is also too cozy with aipec.

We need a dramatic change in foreign policy. We need to purge all the neo-con toxic policies, put the brakes on escalation, start talking to the enemy and do a whole host of thing that she is totally reluctant to do.

I am completely against this choice and I feel completely betrayed since I was looking for dramatic change from Obama on foreign policy.

She is not the right person for this job, especially if more Republicans are applauding this choice every day.

[diahni]

The McCain staff is responsible for the near-calamity of Vice President Sarah Palin. Does anybody really care what these guys think about Hilary Clinton?

[Bushwillresign]

Who is a worse loser than McCain? His staff.
Who is a worse loser than Bu$H? the 12% that think he did 1 thing right in 8 years of doing everything wrong.

[ProudAgain]

I think that Obama said it best on 60 minutes: Hillary is one of the most thoughtful public servants that we have. She works tirelessly and I think that we should give Obama the benefit of the doubt in regards to his cabinet decisions. We gave his predecessor the same benefit for 8 years. He just got done running a practically flawless and the most brilliant campaign in our lifetime. He has proven time and again that he doesn't make any decisions lightly. People complain that he isn't experienced; he may not have a lot of executive experience but he does have a skill set that is unmatched. Bottom line is that he's VERY VERY SMART and smart people make smart decisions. Perhaps it would be better to say that wise people make wise decisions. So all of you nay sayers can continue to declare failure before he has even started his first term but it will only reflect badly on you. Obama is way out of your league when it comes to making wise decisions.

[KeepMeLearning]

Well said--I couldn't agree more.

[teamrn]

FROM THE ARTICLE: "she could reprise a role that made Powell a kingmaker in this year's election..." A KINGMAKER.? KINGMAKER? I wouldn't give Colin Powel that much credit. He was a GREAT general, but I don't think Barack Obama won the election because of an endorsement by Colin Powell, no longer in active military.

FROM ANOTHER POST: "..."It really bothers me that those who did not vote for Obama cannot bring themselves to at least give him a chance" I voted for McCain and I don't know of many/if any McCain supporters who are not giving Barack Obama a chance to prove himself as qualified to do the job. Our country has some serious divisions and wounds to heal and we MUST come together.

Though not a member, "Divided we Fail..." Or "A House Divided...Cannot Stand"

[NationalTreasure]

Hillary spoke "...in language that would warm the hearts of neoconservatives,"

THEREIN LES THE PROBLEM!

the Clintons played their hand and used their one last pece of dirt on Presdent-Elect Obama just before the election and has turned Obama into their sock puppet

[Greg285]

Republicans are truly in denial if they think that if selected to be Secretary of State that Hillary Clinton would be a thorn in President Obama’s side! President Obama would be calling the shots and not Hillary! Get over it already, you lost and your opinions do not matter for the next 4 years….

[helloworld2008]

Ingore the GOP concern trolls. Sorry, the GOP lost. I don't care what they think either way.

[helloworld2008]

I guess McCain staffers are laughing all the way to the unemployment office.

LOL. Jokes on you, LOSERS!

[walkthewalk]

The Republicans are grasping at straws. They are a party out of ideas that speak to 21st century concerns. Its members are turning dark clouds inside out in hopes of finding a silver lining in their definitive defeat this November across most of our country.

[UNCLEJOE]

Although I respect Obama's Judgement in selecting his team, I also realize he has been put under horrendous pressure with this clinton family thing.
Obma knows that he will get flack from either side no matter what he decides, but if he chooses the Clintons, and there is no way to separate Hill from Bill, than he has made his first error in choosing the Republican's choice for SOS against the Democratic progressives wlll who put him into the Oval Office.

All the UNITY Obama promised me, falls intro disarray and we have in one stroke become a split party; the the Clinton's against the voters who chose Obama.

We won on November 4, but we lose if and when Obama opens the Oval Office to the double political agents, the Clintons.
I'm an 85 year old Political science graduate student and a democrat all my life. And I can recognize a Democrat from a mile away and Hillary aint no Democrat..

I voted for Obama, but I also vehemently voted against Hillary.
It sickens me to think I have to see her and Bill's face another four years.
Barack, you lose me when you take Hillary as your SOS.

[maikonen]

Be patient, Uncle Joe. You may not understand what it happening right now, but Barack ain't no fool. The nation is at a critical period of disunity right now, what with the rabid right and the Christian fundamentalists breathing fire down his neck and frothing at the mouth from their recent defeat at the polls.

Let us wait until the announcements are official. and remember, Hillary had her 18 million, she cannot be thrown into oblivion.

[interestedinthis]

It's interesting to see how many conservative nay-sayers are showing up here to try to stir up fear and discontent (their favorite preoccupation) even before decisions have been made and announced. Thank goodness the majority of Americans were able to see that for the desperation and power clinging that it is in this election cycle. Major whining and sniping going on. Obama is our president-elect, Clinton will do as he wishes as well as advise him brilliantly if she's chosen. If she messes up, he'll fire her. Let's give things a chance to work.

[Pennsieve]

Obama's considering Hillary is a step toward ending divisiveness and bringing politicians together to work for the benefit of America. I hope it works.
Interestingly, even the GOP respects Hillary. That must be why they sent around a four-page ad during the campaign with McCain and Hillary on the front cover and the quote from Biden about how she might make a better veep candidate than Biden. Oh, yeah, they tucked a picture of McCain-Palin inside, but you had to open it up to see his real veep candidate. It looked as if McCain was running with Hillary ...

[MagisterLudi]

Huffpoo is at its d irty tricks again. First a picture with MCain....Let me guess---soon a blog or two about Bubba, a picture with Attila the Hun, then swifr descent to Whitewater, TraveGate and Lewinkky...... give it a rest... how shameful.

[sunny555]

It really bothers me that those who did not vote for Obama cannot bring themselves to at least give him a chance. I hate that some people want him to fail, simply because his party is not theirs.

People, wake up. If Obama succeeds, we all win! As Americans we are in this together! Some of us may be more partisan than others, but isn't it more important that our country move forward on the right track, than the particular people we voted for "win" the election? If you don't see it that way, I have no respect for you.

[Mugzi]

So true! For some people, their hate is stronger than their love. Their hate for a person is stronger than their love of their country. Very sad....

[MagisterLudi]

"Obama succeeds"
Obama is a representative of the Democratic Party. He was chosen as its leader,NOT a monarch. This is a collaborative effort. Sunny555 get a grip....

[JUSTME]

Why are we allowing some dips**t at the Weekly Standard to pull our strings?

Do we care whether he's "crowing"? No, we don't. Why? Because he's irrelevant.

[feo]

I thought it was called The Weekly Substandard.