Clinton's Test: How She'll Work With Obama

She'll bring global star power, a long-standing commitment to improving the status of women and children around the world and muscular promises of military action when U.S. interests are crossed.

The question for Hillary Rodham Clinton, slated to be named secretary of State on Monday by President-elect Barack Obama, is whether she can forge the sort of close relationship with a former rival that is crucial to giving the nation's top diplomat the credibility to get things done.

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Comments

[ReportThis]

If Obama has a sense of humor he'll send Hillary on a fact-finding trip to Bosnia.

[socratiskiss]

LMAO!

[Ms. Lou]

I hope this works for Obama and the Country. But, Clinton Sec of State nomination sounds like a backroom political deal. She wants to be paid for conceding the election. How long did it take her to concede? A week or more? Up until the night Obama accepted the Democratic nomination. She's been bartering a deal every since she lost the election. She still has to go before the Senate Comm on Foreign Relations. Hillary Clinton does not have the strength of character to broker policy with the Middle East.

[larazon]

U.G.H.!!!!

[Beachchick]

President-elect Obama would be hard pressed to find a qualified talent pool of people who didn't vote for the war. People need to remember the McCarthy atmosphere leading up to the war and the false intelligence presented to justify the invasion. The Media bear as much responsibility for this botched war as Congress.

I think Hillary Clinton will be an outstanding Secretary of State. Despite their differences, all of the members of the national security team love this country and want to restore our place in the world.

[babymonster]

Excellent point. It is amazing that so many people have forgotten the p ressure of that at mosphere and as well the fact that we were lied to. Iraq was staged; why not everything else? Is it a coincidence that the a n t h r a xa t t a c k s only h it the people who could have caused the Bush administration h arm? It happened right on the heels of September eleven and was causing h y s t e r i a. With all the l ie s we have been told and staging of events we have been subject to, we must begin to question whether September eleven was staged or let to happen as well. Bush has been quoted twice discussing staging events that would take us into Iraq. Read B u g l I o s i's book. How many times did I sr ael warn us it was about to happen before they b roke their contract and got out of the b ui lding? How close is the Bush family to B i n L a d e n's or to the S a u d i R o y a l Family?

[mjc]

Watching the press conference in which Obama introduced his national security team , was struck when the questioning of Hillary Clinton from the "press" could only focus on the negative. Obama chided them for "having fun" playing games by trying to stir up problems with his choice of Clinton, but even then these diehard disrespectors of Hillary Clinton couldn't seem to stop. It seems that even in times of trouble they seek the lowest level of trust of the elected leaders of this country and their particular choices. Hillary's acceptance speech was great and absolutely no evidence left of any spite between she and Obama. I was not wanting her to take this position because of the bitter feelings many feel about her and the campaign, both here and in the press. Obama, on the other hand, is quite able to go beyond the calls both he and Hillary made in the campaign. That's a good start.

[DeniseD]

As much as I support Obama, I hope the press keeps giving him the tough questions. This country is in the trouble it is because reporters did not do their jobs, and just went along with everything the last administration said. Our leaders should always be held accountable by the press.

[FaceYourFears]

I couldn't agree more

[Pip1860]

I am not sure if any of you here take issue with her selection as SoS given her almost Republican views concerning foreign policy, but I hope this selection is based on politics and self-benefit from Barack's perspective. The ironic part is that the entire mideast, which is going to be a big chunk of the next SoS's work and effort, is actually upset over her appointment given her warmongering mentality, disconnect with the Arab world, and her frank intention to "obliterate" Iran expressed during the primaries. So I hope she doesn't end up running a parallel government with Barack's support as that will translate into a defeat for Barack in 2012 at the hands of his current supporters who will not be patient if their fears do come true.

[mjc]

The "entire mideast" is upset over her appointment, Pip1860? Where do you read that? I quite doubt that given the close relationship of the ClintonS with the Saudis and Jordan. Her Iran statement was ill chosen but no one really would have taken it seriously since it was said in the heat of a very close campaign. We all need to move on, both you and I.

[StillIRise]

My husband calls me a "news freak" because I'm watching it almost 24/7, and between the news and HuffingtonPost and other news resources, I'm usually pretty well informed about what's going on in America and the world community. But I honestly don't recall reading or hearing anything that suggests that "the entire mideast ... is ... upset over [Hillary's] appointment." Could you provide a link to this extraordinary revelation?

I also wonder if the "entire mideast" understands that Hillary will NOT be the President, and that it will be Obama's agenda, not Hillary's, that Hillary will be obligated to promote, which would thereby preclude the possibility of Hillary running a "parallel government with Barack's support." Also, by appointing Hillary to the position of SOS, this appointment itself virtually eliminates the possibility of Hillary running for president in 2012. If Obama's first term is successful, which is partly predicated upon Hillary's success as SOS, then she would be running against her own party's candidate, which is unprecedented at this level of government. As Chuck Todd mentioned today, by naming Hillary as SOS, Obama has in effect co-opted both Hillary and Bill. With this said however, I believe Hillary will make an exceptional Secretary of State.

[Pip1860]

Hey StillIRise, first of all I think you are an informed and knowledgeable voter if you do indeed watch that much news. Your husband should be happy about that...LOL.

I was just talking out loud as many of us Barack supporters do not trust the Clintons given their history. That's all. I do agree with what you say. Chuck Todd is a good person to listen to when it comes to these things.

So, we are essentially in agreement here but are looking at it from different angles. Anyway, good post StillIRise!

[topkatnc]

How sweet it is !

[Gail54]

Cecille Richards wrote today...Late on election night, I received an email from a Planned Parenthood staff person, Njeri Wahome, in Nairobi, Kenya. Njeri wrote to me to verify what she was seeing on television -- that Senator Obama had won. "Can it be true? We are over the moon ... at the making of history." For a woman who has dedicated her life to improving the health of women and children in her home country, Njeri knew that a change in U.S. administration could have a dramatic impact on women in Kenya. For the past eight years, the Bush administration has enforced a global gag rule, an executive order that prevented thousands of health care entities around the world from providing women with birth control. In some parts of Africa, women have a one-in-10 risk of dying in childbirth. And as Nicholas Kristof wrote in the New York Times in October, the result of the so-called "pro-life" policy has likely been tens of thousands of additional and avoidable abortions each year. In addition to implementing the gag rule, each year the Bush administration has denied funding to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, at the behest of the far right -- money that would have paid for the provision of critical reproductive care.

[babymonster]

I'm a new fan. I always love new and relevant info.

[marymansour]

Njeri Wahome is a true heroine.

[DeniseD]

This is one area that Hillary's position as SoS can be truly invaluable.

[sammy cole]

Now Im wondering, who will step into the vacant Senator from NY position? I guess it all depends.......who moves there quick.

[littlebrowngirl]

Hillary is a bull dog in need of a bone. She will deliver a message by Obama effectively because she knows that is what she has to do to be perceived well in this job. The SOS is a messenger not a messiah.

Her job duty is to follow orders so if she does not do it her stock will tank and her political career will be over. She has to be in lock step with Obama to do this job and she knows it.

[babymonster]

Well said. The SOS is able to be controlled. See what they did to Powell.

[larazon]

You're equating Powell with Hillary when it comes to control? Ha!

He's a military man; he's used to taking orders.

[larazon]

Hillary's a pi-t-bull with lipstick and like some pi-t-bulls, she's gonna turn on her master.

[DemNY]

"Her master"

Imagine if someone had written that about Barack Obama.

GTH

[Gail54]

I trust Obama with his picks,afterall,we elected him.

[bosse]

Yes indeed. He has assembled a great team. They will work with him and for all of us. The media ouht to stop characterising people as(" first Afr american" etc. Why we do not hear first Italian American, or fifth Jewish American?
Please talking heads, let us forget color of skin for once ,unless you are talking about your daughter's wedding plans. Then it ought to be private, ok?

[sq1972]

I do not doubt her intelligence, merely the post she is occupying. Can someone explain to me how appointing an individual who was incorrect and unrepentant for almost the entire primary campaign about the biggest foreign policy question faced in the past decade is right for this job?

[scjk67]

senator clinton traveled a lot last six years in foreign countries and like wise as while she was a first lady during her hubby presidency

[babymonster]

Gravitas and a good face to champion women's rights?

[StillIRise]

Perhaps a possible answer to your question is that the person she will now be working FOR and who WAS correct about the biggest foreign policy question faced in the past decade is President-Elect Obama. Whatever her position is/was on Iraq is irrelevant. With that aside, she does have the intelligence, the experience, a relationship with world leaders and the fortitude to effectively advance President-Elect Obama's foreign policy agenda, which will be her role and responsibility as Secretary of State.

[sq1972]

Although Obama has his hand on the wheel, my concern was the nature of the advice he would receive. I realize that this is a post unlike any other that HRC has held wherein she is insulated from public opinion and will have the freedom to do what is right rather than what is popular. That said, I am cautiously optimistic on how she will perform in this new role.

[Midnightrain]

So glad to C. Rice leaving. She needs a break, and some time to deprogram.

[antaeus]

And where is she going to "deprogram"? At future reunions with her pal and good friend W? Face it: she was not brainwashed; she really likes him.

[babymonster]

Let her sing like a bird. She is the only one in that administration who made any sense. I have found out that she was against the t o r t u r e. Very strange figure she is. I wonder what crimes she might be found guilty of. I say let her off if she tells everything.

[Gail54]

Hillary will also be a strong ally for womens reproductive rights.

[scjk67]

thats not a job for secretary of state, but not a bad idea

[Gail54]

I Know-Cecille Richards wrote a great piece about this,on the post today.

[babymonster]

Why not? When women get their rights, they have less children. When women become educated, they educate their children and the economy of their country takes off? The world can no longer sustain population growth. Aid should be based on these issues.

[DallasMike]

it is a shame that Senator Clinton is not eligible under Article 1, Section 6, of the Constitution.

The constitutional quandary arises from a clause that forbids members of the Senate from being appointed to civil office, such as the secretary of state, if the "emoluments," or salary and benefits, of the office were increased during the senator's term.

Which states "No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office."

Durring Clinton's current term in the Senate, the salary for Cabinet officers was increased from $186,600 to $191,300. Since the salary is scheduled to again be raised in January 2009, not only Clinton but all sitting Senate members could be considered constitutionally ineligible to serve in Obama's Cabinet.

So I am sure that the American people who are tired of the Gov't trampleing on the Constitution would want the new administration to follow it to the letter.

[babymonster]

For this to be held against her, then someone has to bring this opposition up in the courts or on the confirmation floor. Nixon was allowed a pardon without even being charged. There should have been a challenge to that very bad precedent.

[scjk67]

hillary will give up her seat in the senate, that makes her a civilian. so theres no law broken

[babymonster]

I doubt that that will be the excuse. It will be another.

[StillIRise]

My only question to your post is why you would assume that President-Elect Obama and his transition team are not aware of this. President-Elect Obama is a constitutional lawyer, and both he and Vice President-Elect Biden are very familiar with constitutional laws. This same situation was addressed during George H.W. Bush's presidential appointments, and it was worked out in the Congress and resolved within the constraints of the constitution, as I'm sure it will be this time.

[bosse]

Give us a break Dalls, you must be a law student! The constitution was written 200 years ago, Like the Bible, every word in there cannot be followed to the 30th Centuary.