Richard Holbrooke: Obama's Secretary Of State?

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While Hillary Clinton may be receiving the lion's share of media attention when it comes to Obama's secretary of state pick,
Richard Holbrooke is apparently still a top contender for the position. Holbrooke has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize seven times and has served under Bill Clinton as ambassador to the United Nations.

The AP has listed Holbrooke as a contender, and a recent LA Times article suggested that Holbrooke's best resume item for the job may be lobbying for the job itself:

Holbrooke is among those under consideration to be America's top diplomat. Known as the "Bulldozer" and the "Raging Bull," Holbrooke -- a 34-year foreign service veteran -- has a negotiating tenacity that is beyond dispute.

But this most recent task is a challenge because of Holbrooke's history of conflict with core members of Obama's foreign policy team. In addition, some liberal Obama supporters, fretting that leading candidates for his Cabinet seem too centrist, believe Holbrooke is too much of a hawk for the job.

The depth of the conflict was underscored when Holbrooke's prospects improved last summer, said close campaign observers. Some of Obama's advisors "began saying: 'We've got to stop Holbrooke! We've got to stop Holbrooke!' " said Steve Clemons, a foreign policy analyst at the New America Foundation. "He's the guy they fear the most."

Comments

[Finchy13]

Well I have to say - that RIchard Holbrooke has more experience and international political, diplomatic and economic background to be Secretary of State - than does Hillary Clinton.

If you do comparatives - she is found wanting - in spite of being First Lady and her experience in that position.

Anyone who reads the Wikipedia entry on Holbooke - couldn't help but be impressed. What a background­..........­....

[bobilore]

General Wes Clark is by far and away THE best candidate for Secretary of State. He possesses a rare combination of skills and attributes, experiences and respect around the world, that would make him the most effective diplomat/negotiator on behalf of President Obama. No one else is even close.
Wesley Clark is a brilliant progressive mind and, with his military background, he will provide us with
the expertise needed to get us out of Iraq gracefully, work the Afghani/Pakistani situation with strong diplomacy, as well as dealing with other difficult areas such as Iran, N. Korea, S. America, Russia,
China, and of course Israel/Palestine. We need Wesley Clark as our next Secretary of State.

[theone718]

Yea I haven't been hearing his name at all and that is truly disappointing.