Clinton 'Disenchanted' With The Senate

The New York Times reports that one factor in Hillary Clinton's decision on moving to the Cabinet is a disappointment with the Senate:

The uncertainty, a week after Mr. Obama met with Mrs. Clinton in Chicago to discuss the idea of her leading the State Department, kept Washington spinning in feverish speculation about whether the two former rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination would team up. Mrs. Clinton was keeping counsel only with a tight circle of confidants, leaving even prominent veterans of the Clinton political operation guessing as to her intentions.

But driving her consideration, friends said, is a sense of disenchantment with the Senate, where despite her stature she remains low in the ranks of seniority that governs the body. She was particularly upset, they said, at the reception she felt she received when she returned from the campaign after collecting 18 million votes and almost becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party.

"Her experience in the Senate with some of her colleagues has not been the easiest time for her," said one longtime friend who insisted on anonymity in exchange for sharing Mrs. Clinton's sentiments. "She's still a very junior senator. She doesn't have a committee. And she's had some disappointing times with her colleagues."

Read more about Hillary Clinton and the Secretary of State post here.

Comments

[plzchuteme]

I don't like Hillary Clinton for a variety of reasons which I'm not going to elaborate on. I don't like beets or the color yellow either. I didn't want to return to the "good ol' days" of the Clinton administration, though I supported it at the time. I want something different than the Bushes, Clintons, and Reagan and I hope Obama can come through. I don't agree with the selection of Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State, but it is not my choice to make. By voting for Barack Obama, I gave him my proxy vote, and trust he will use it well. That being said, I hope that Hillary Clinton will be the best SOS this country has ever had. I don't like her, but I want her to succeed beyond my wildest dreams. I wish my confidence was as strong as my desire. BUT, for those who believe that she will be SOS for eight years and then ascend to the presidency, THINK AGAIN! It ain't gonna happen. It's a transient position and not a path to the White House. I think she knows that, and it has influenced her heel dragging in accepting the post.

[Irish55]

Thanks for saying what I couldn't find the words to say. I'm really ambivalent about Sen Clinton. You put it exactly right. "it's not my choice to make." It is PE Obama's choice. And I trust him. I trusted him enough to give him my vote, believing more than I have in a long time, that he is the right man for the job. I hope that Sen Clinton succeeds too -- I really do. And I hope every American, whatever their political persuasion, feels that way too. Because the truth is, in reality, we are not going to agree with or like every decisions PE Obama makes. But he was honest in telling us that - does everyone remember that? And I like that. Let this man do the job we elected him to do. And be glad he has some of the best and brightest around him. Wish them all the best and give them support. They are all going to need it.

[partyofone]

"despite her stature"? She's a former frist lady, elected to the Senate because she is Mrs. Bill Clinton , from a state where she never lived before, and now a failed candidate for president, who used Rove-style dishonest, divisive and distorted campaigning against a fellow Democrat. Due a failure in HER leadership, she lost a campaign despite having a huge war chest, the national Clinton machine, a hand-picked experienced "dream team" campaign staff, and a former president campaigning full time for her in a primary.

What stature does Hillary think she has? Now she believes that a political-consulation-prize appointment to the Obama cabinet will bring her "the respect she deserves?" Once again, she is not qualified. Obama has shown much better insight, instinct and judgment on foreign affairs, and he has the imminently qualifed and highly experienced Biden, Gates and JIm Jones (presumably) to advise him. Hillary may soon be disappointed again.

[majorteddy]

18 million votes, 12 million Democrats and 6 million Republicans trying to screw up the election for the Democrats. Boy, that worked well for them. One more stunt like that and they'll be extinct. right about now Republicans should be hitting Rush Limbaugh over the head with their umbrellas for advocating so much involvement in Operation Chaos. The Clintons like to be the most colorful fish in the pond. That Hillary hardly registers in the Senate eats at her. She so wanted to be crowned queen. She better remember that she is NOT president or she could become disenchanted with SOS, and unemployed.

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

so did dajay have a brain transplant?

interesting how someone who claimed to be a republican and trashed the dems in the primary now all-of-a-sudden is worshipping at the feet of hillary.

[dajay]

GoodGuysandBadGuys: I think you need the brain transplant.

When, and I mean when, did I ever on this blog claim to be a Republican.

By the way, I trashed the Obama supporters and his campaign, and the Obama media.

That is quite different than bashing the Democrats.

Are Obama supporters even Democrats?

Read my profile dopey. I have been worshipping at Hillary's feet for a very long time now.

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

I am referring to all of the socks you wore before dajay. you know it.

[Ugonna]

LOL. A repub, no wonder you make little sense.
Some repubs do, but boy do a lot of them not make any.

[ImWithThatOne]

I suspect this HRC 'leak' is an excuse for her constituents should she decide to take the SoS job. There's no other reason she'd say it in public.

[mlrlmsw]

Hillary is no doubt smart and charming and successful in her own right. However, her history of managing people in her campaign, the white house travel office ("Travelgate"), and her health reform efforts as First Lady were all fraught with infighting and negativity. I hope she is able to lead in the State Department without turning it into a dysfunctional unit.

[dct1999]

My concern is Hillary's habit of telling lies that are easily revealed. Everyone remembers the Bosnian sniper fire fantasy, and the Irish peace process claims but what about her outright lies on NAFTA, FMLA and S-CHIP? Seriously, what is up with her propensity for telling blatant lies?

[dajay]

Right she is such a liar. That is why Obama chose her for his Secretary of State. And by the way, it's not like Obama ever had a few skeletons in his closet either. No. Nothing.

[dct1999]

Obama has his reasons for choosing HIllary. I have no fears about his ability to manage her and the rest of his cabinet members, or his ability to set policy. I'm confident that he'll govern as well as he campaigned and fundraised.

But I am still concerned about her lack of honesty.

[Ugonna]

its one thing to have skeletons in your closet, and another to tell idiotic lies.Emphasis on "idiotic". Besides, what skeletons are you referring to?

[EarthToZoey]

ALL politicians lie. Sorry, but I cannot think of one who doesn't. I'm not saying it's admirable, but it just seems to go with the territory.

Here's a neutral site that goes through a list of Obama's alleged lies and analyzes if they are fact or fiction. As you can see, he's no angel.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/o/obama-lies.htm

So, please, let's evaluate people holistically and fairly, ok?

[McChimp]

The media has been harsher on Barack Obama than it was on Hillary, some of the pundits believed Barack Obama l ied about Reverend Wright when that story first came out, they believe he l ied about ACORN, l ied about Rezko, and this isn't just Fox Noise, it's CNN pundits and MSNBC pundits as well.

But with Hillary? Slap on the wrist, she can do no wrong. Sniper fire story? What sniper fire story? That's how the MSM handled the battle between Hillary and Obama, and they did the same with Obama vs McCain, Obama has been handled with more scrutiny than Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Quit giving Hillary a free pass!!!

[dct1999]

Definitely not a neutral site, that claim is laughable.

[sunny555]

Remember that Hollywood guy (Geffen or Katzenberg?) who said he understood that all politicians lie, but the Clintons did it more and better than anybody else? That was a very dam ning statement at the time. He, and so many others, supported Obama from the get go.

Not only does she lie, but she is not trustworthy. That's even worse. She is loyal to herself, and I just hope she doesn't try to scr ew Obama over because he deserves the best from his cabinet.

[dct1999]

The Clintons will never forgive Geffen, but he has the thanks of millions of Americans.

[KickerBoard]

Geffen is a hero for the sterling public service he has done on this issue.

[bmonaghan]

The bottom line is - as dramatic as the Clintons are - having Hilary as SOS is a good choice. People pay attention to the Clintons. Does anyone care where Rice goes? She shows up in the MIddle East and we yawn. That won't be the case with CLinton. She'll get stuff done because she has star power like it or not.

[McChimp]

Maybe having an actual boss will help Hillary tone her ego down, especially since her boss will be the man she tried to bring down. What a way to eat crow, just like Lieberman is eating crow right now preparing to carry water for President Obama.

[dajay]

Yeah. what a way to eat crow. She is eating crow by being offered the Secretary of State position by the President-elect who needs her because she is intelligent and probably more qualified than he is.

Right, I can really see Hillary eating crow.

Keep dreaming.

[UNCLEJOE]

Even some of the brightest women will often quote their husbands to support their opinions, but I never heard a man quote his wife to support his opinion, like 'My wife thinks Bush is doing a good job'. That never is expressed in pubic to my knowledge.

Hillary will be guided and influenced and controlled by her surrogate husband and boss, Obama.

It will take another generation for wives to openly differ with their husbands or think independently of their man-in-charge except in rare cases where the man is inteligent and secure beyond being intimidated by a stronger or equal wife.

How many wives of Republican husbands would dare openly vote for Obama if they chose him over McCain?

[Fitzy]

I don't like her and I don't care where she goes. I've had no respect for her or her husbnd since I watched him lie to me on national tv. I felt embarrassed by his actions. Yet she clung to his coat tails. I'm tired of them. They are everything that I don't like in politicians

[AsISaid]

Very well said! I totally concur!

[Nia1999]

If Hillary would have won the GE, she would be President Elect. No she is not as intelligent as those would have us to believe, if so, she too would have been familiar with the internet, noticed that the year is 2008 and not 1998, that the American people were looking for answers and not a fight, would have stuck to the issues, and for pete sake, not whine like a girl because the boys won't play with her one minute and then act like a jealous girlfriend the next. Smart, she paraded husband Bill like a stud at a rodeo to woo the left over Clinton White House white female fans when she thought the situation called for reinforcement, talked about her experience while infusing her husband's WH sucess as to say it could be just like old times. Hillary and Bill were stuck in the 90's while the rest of world has moved on. She's in for an even bigger surprise when she finds that not only has the U.S. government has changed as far as the youth voice, so has the rest of world who has given reighn to their country's youth (the next generation of international diplomats) who has never heard of the Clinton's.

[dajay]

"No she is not as intelligent as those would have us to believe."

Really? Oh because YOU say so.

ROFLMAO Get a Life.

[EarthToZoey]

It's astonishing how so many people spout nonsense as fact. Have any of these people who accuse her of being dimwitted listened to her speak at forums *without* script or read any of her position papers? Oh.... I'm sure they'll assert someone else wrote them! There will always be a way to degrade Hillary Clinton as long as it fits in with their warped view.

It's like right-wingers who bashed Barack Obama at every turn by believing the smears and exaggerated portrayals of who he really is. Delusion. Mass delusion.

I know Clinton isn't perfect. Nor is Obama. But I know well enough that they aren't the dem0ns that some would like to believe. They both have big egos and they both are intensely competitive. That's why they are play bigtime politics and we just sit at our computers and chatter about it.

[dct1999]

You're right. If Hillary is so smart why did she make so many poor decisions during her primary campaign, and why did she believe in her own inevitability?

[dajay]

No Hillary is dumb and Obama is brilliant.

That's why he is picking her for his Secretary of State.

OMG Give me a break.

[bmonaghan]

Wow - do these people ever stop talking?

[eugenegerard]

I get so tired of hearing about her 18 million votes. Most were Repugs hoping for her to run in the General election. Luckily they didn't get their way.

[dajay]

eugenegerard: How exactly do you know that those MOST of those 18 million votes were Republicans.

That is by far the stupidest claim I keep seeing here. Where is your proof?

I would love to know.

[classc 1]

Ever heard of Rush's Operation Chaos? I am not saying that most of her votes were the result of this, but Rush sure did claim to be responsible for her wins in a few states. Since McCain had already secured the GOP nomination, Rush encouraged his listeners to cross-over and vote in Democratic primaries that did not require one to be a registered Democrat to do so.

[eugenegerard]

I'm stupid and you keep backing a loser that can't pay her bills.

[klondiker]

1. Republicans cannot vote in closed primaries, like the ones that took place in many of the states that she won.

2. Even if Republicans did vote for her - it's still 18 million. It doesn't decrease the number.

Here's why you're tired of hearing about 18 million votes: It's the most votes ever won by any candidate in any party in the history of presidential primaries. And, this by a candidate who was told, "A woman is not tough enough to be president."

So, the next time, you hear that number, maybe you'll show some damn respect - if not for your sake, then for the sake of your daughters.

[dajay]

klondiker: Thank you. Obama supporters just can't get over those 18 million votes and then you can always count on the dumb posts that talk about how they were mostly from Republicans.

They just can't stop making fools of themselves.

[HerbTee]

She won 18 million questionable votes and she still lost!! So what does that earn her now...a medal? Does that automatically earn her a coveted position in the winner's administration? Does it earn her an around the world cruise on a ship? Exactly, what did it earned her other than a talking point and a club to beat the DNC across the head with each time she doesn’t get her way? She lost!! In case you don't know it, she LOST!

And my daughters have many more examples to emulate other than some lying, conniving, egomaniacal female politician like Hillary Clinton. There are female doctors, lawyers, military generals, scientists, etc., etc for the to emulate, not the mention their own mother. Why would I ever want Hillary Clinton as a role model and example for my three daughters??

[Ugonna]

not all the primaries were closed. There were quite a few that Repubs were allowed into.

[McChimp]

And imagine if she had been the nominee against John McCain... the Repub base would have been secured quickly than it was with the Palin pick, all McCain would have to do is pick Lieberman as his running mate to attract the moderates and indies, and BAM! President McCain.

Thank God people woke up and didn't fall for Hillary's antics.

[prointellect]

Closetodemfection:
80 campain stops by Hillary Clinton did not cause people to elect Obama. Between what she did and what Richardson did, the choice is clear. Richardson is far more deserving of the SOS position than Clinton will ever be.

[propitiousmoment]

Well, guess what - it's not a prize they get because they deserve it, it's a JOB they get because they are qualified and have unique advantages that can be used for the betterment of this country. Whether she thinks she deserves it or not, she is very popular in the rest of the world and Obama is smart enough to get past the petty stuff and use her talents where they can do the most good.

[plzchuteme]

If I recall my political history correctly, Hubert Humphrey had been a senate leader, Vice President of the United States, and a presidential candidate who lost a fairly close election. I think he returned to the senate as a, you guessed it, a junior senator. I don't recall a lot of whining by him at the time.

[AsISaid]

Big boys don't cry.

[HerbTee]

Well, if Hillary didn't like the Senate then she should do what Senators Chuck Hagel, Bob Graham, Bill Frist, Fred Thompson and other Senators have done before her...simply refuse to run for another Senate term! Now that she's suddenly so unhappy being within the Senate, the entire universe should change just to accommodate and revolve around her egomaniacal feelings, huh? You people really make me laugh!

I've said on HuffPost several times many months ago that Hillary would have a hard time getting accepted back into the Senate after the way she attacked and maligned a fellow Democratic opponent. I foreseen this actually happening to her because that's the way life is! If you throw you dirt on other people, expect the same dirt thrown back at you! She attacked, maligned, mocked, sneered and disrespected Obama and his supporters like a true Rovian-trained ReTHUGliKKKan at every turn. Also, her and Bill attacked and disrespected Democratic members of the Congress and Senate like Bill Richardson, John Lewis, James Clyburn, Claire McCaskill and others. Also, the Clintons tried to strong-arm many of the Superdelegates and many of them truly resented that! Hillary's made her bed, now she has to lie in it!

All of this backfired on her and she now has to pay the piper! I am sure she ticked off some of her Senate buddies in her nasty campaigning. Dodd, Biden, Edwards and Richardson were welcomed back into the Democratic fold. Hillary has some dues to pay.

[McChimp]

If Hillary had ran a better campaign that wasn't in the gutter negative on the issues, maybe she would have won. All we can do is move foreward, and that's going to be hard for Hillary taking a Cabinet post in the administration of a man she tried to once bring down, and she feels disenchanted being a junior Senator? She should be ASHAMED to hold any political office, especially after the way she has conducted herself, with it always being about HER.

I've already posted what would happen if Barack Obama were in her shoes, and if it was HIM who was whining, he would have been labeled a hypocrite, marginalized, and he would have ended up the way of Joe Lieberman and voted out at the next opportunity. But since this is Hillary Clinton, heck let's just forget the campaign she ran and TRUST she will do the job right... didn't we do the same the past eight years with the Bush admin? WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!

[Nia1999]

Oh Great, here we go again, another Hillary's woo it's me 'pity party'. I agree with the above post, what was she expecting after she selfishly almost jeopordized the Democratic party, her and her egotistic lunactic husband. Frankly, i don't feel sorry for her. She needs to man up take what she dished out. She encouraged her supporter's, PUMA, and her surrogates behind the sceenes to protest and speak out against Obama and the party. I guess now that her and Liebermann see that they aren't the big dogs they thought they were, they want to support Obama and enjoy a huge helping of humble pie.

[dajay]

Nia1999: You must have watched a different primary election than me at least. From where I sat it looked like the Obama campaign and the Democratic party and the Obama media were working 24/7 to denigrate Hillary and Bill Clinton.

Speak out against Obama? It was a primary. Did you expect Hillary and her supporters to root for him?

You are making no sense. And by the way, it was Obama and his campaign, and his despicable supporters that played the race card over and over and over and over against Hillary and President Clinton, and even her supporters.

[AsISaid]

You have it wrong on the race baiting and most people that are sensitive to it know it. It was talked about by Obama supporters, including me, because I frankly expected more from the Clintons. Admit it and move on. It didn't work. I also recall the shedding of Clinton tears before the New Hampshire primary which made me want to vomit. The sex card. Or how about the "as far as I know" comment from Hillary. She pandered to all the negatives and fears and still lost. She's lucky Obama wants her in his cabinet, because her star and reputation would fade if she continued in the Senate. She knows that and that's why she's leaving.

[partyofone]

dajay, good try to distort the facts. Hillary and Bill waged the meanest, most divisive, dishonest Democratic presidential primary campaign in history, and LOST. There are costs to pay for there tactics. And Hillary's COLD reception back in the Senate was just the start.

[Ugonna]

you're right, you watched a primary in your dreams. Hillary was having a heart attack trying to find a way to ruin Obama's name.