EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT FROM 'RENEGADE' - Obama On Clinton Pick: "I'm Not Begging Her To Take This Job"

In an exclusive excerpt from Richard Wolffe's new book, "Renegade: The Making of a President," the author details the internal debates within the Obama camp over whether to select Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.

Wolffe will discuss his new book on NBC's "Today" show on Monday morning.

Of all his transition choices, none was easier to make, or more complex to execute, than Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Obama had long wanted his former rival on his team, no matter what his friends and aides said about her aggressive campaign... His staff opposed the idea for the most part, arguing that Clinton would never be truly loyal. But Obama was willing to leave the primaries behind, including his own strong feelings at the time. "I don't hold grudges," he told his aides. "I don't worry about the past. I'm concerned about what happens now. If she can help me and Bill Clinton isn't too much of a liability, we should seriously look at this." ...

Obama was under no illusion about the legacy of the long primary season. During one transition meeting, Obama said he wanted to offer Clinton the diplomatic job. "I'm really interested in pursuing this, but I know she has some hard feelings coming out of this campaign." Emanuel and John Podesta, the former Clinton official who ran the transition, assured Obama that she was over those hard feelings now. Obama smiled and said, "Believe me. She's not over it yet."

His decision to offer her the job of secretary of state came surprisingly early. Well before the end of the primaries, when his staff and friends still felt hostile to her, Obama decided that Clinton possessed the qualities to carry his diplomacy to the rest of the world. "We actually thought during the primary, when we were pretty sure we were going to win, that she could end up being a very effective secretary of state," he told me later. "I felt that she was disciplined, that she was precise, that she was smart as a whip, and that she would present a really strong image to the world...I had that mapped out."

Recruiting and managing a team of rivals would not be easy, and Clinton came with her own set of issues. Chief among them was her campaign debt, which she wanted eliminated before she took the job of secretary of state. Would the president-elect go out and help her to do so? "I'm not begging her to take this job," Obama told his senior aides. "If she wants it, I could help. But I'm not willing to go out in these difficult economic times to do a flashy fundraiser in California." As it happened, plenty of people in the Senate were begging Obama to offer Clinton the job. Obama's aides believed that many Senate Democrats thought Clinton had extended her presidential campaign far beyond the point where she had lost the election. Her negative advertising wasted Democratic money, threatened to undermine the party's nominee, and suggested that she was disloyal to the party. They were unwilling to offer the junior New York senator a position ahead of her lowly rank, and she stood little chance of becoming majority leader. "There was a lot of encouragement from inside the Senate to get her into this job," said one senior Obama aide. "They wanted her out of there." ...

As for controlling the uncontrollable Bill Clinton, Obama's aides drew up a series of checks on his fundraising for both Clinton Global Initiative and his work on HIV/AIDS across the world. But they really counted on Hillary to be the ultimate safeguard - against both her husband and her own ambition. "It's in her interests to keep him in line," warned one senior Obama aide. Others in Obama's inner circle said the president-elect believed Clinton needed to demonstrate that she was a team player and to shape her own career and legacy. "There are plenty who don't trust her and think she still harbors something," said another senior adviser. "It's still potentially problematic down the road. Barack's thinking on this is that it's not in her interests to mess with us. She can't win that fight internally and she's smart enough that she won't want that fight publicly."

Several weeks into the administration, even Clinton's internal critics believed the relationship was a success. "They have both worked really hard at it," said one senior White House official. "There's a natural affinity and respect that ironically grew out of being opponents. You get to know someone really well after all that."

Comments

[MarianneEvans11]

I'm so happy for Richard Wolffe. The length of time he spent with the President while he was campaigning has paid off well for him. I have seen him on many shows as a journalist and also at the same time promotinghis book, which by the way, Senator Obama(at the time) told him to write. I wonder if his book is dedicated to the President.

Good going, Richard....see you on the Keith Olbermann show!

[secondedition]

Wolf seem to want to make sure he stays on the good side of Clinton. Frankly, I still do not see what Mrs. Clinton really brings to the position of SOS, she has made stupid gaffes, knows very little about foreign policy and doesn't seem to have much involvement with anything other than the nice photo-op opportunities. Sorry but Wolf hasn't convinced me that Obama choose her because of her major appeal and not for the sake of her name and to keep her out of his hair. I suppose as long as she stays away from the serious stuff and lets the people who really do know foreign policy do the hard work, we should be alright. Still she won't deserve the credit she will get from this position.

[Know-some-secrets]

I believe that Obama's appointment of HIllary Clinton as SoS was purely pragmtic and political. I don't admire it, but I understand why. The appointment pacified his major rival, her bitter unpredicatable husband and their followers, has kept both the Clintons quiet as critics, and, thus far, has kept Bill out of international headlines and embarrassments. If the checking of the Clintons as political opponents holds, Obama has gained alot, and the "cost" of sacrificing the traditionally powerful and influential post of SoS, is offset by a strong foreigh relations team of Biden, Jones, Gates, Power, Susan Rice and several special envoys to take the SoS role in hotspots. Seems to be politcial strategy that is working, and Hillary seems happy to smile, greet and tour.

[MyThought]

Hey, don't you realize authors have to try to put in a scandal or contraversy to sell their books? Suckers, you're falling for something made out of nothing.

[SeanGardner]

I can see why President Obama was hesitant to pick her. She has intellect, and a good background, but she employed a scorched earth appoach to defeating Obama. In fact, some Hillary folks were making it seem that Obama cheated.

But Karen Tumulty of TIME Magaaine wrote a piece in May of 2008 called "The Five Mistakes Hillary Made". I outlined some of her points:

Writing in Time magazine, Tumlty outlined “The Five Mistakes Clinton Made.”

1. “In a cycle that has been all about change, Clinton chose an incumbent’s strategy.”

2. “Mark Penn confidently predicted that an early win in California would put her over the top because she would pick up all the state’s 370 delegates. It sounded smart, but as every high school civics student now knows, Penn was wrong: Democrats, unlike the Republicans, apportion their delegates according to vote totals, rather than allowing any state to award them winner-take-all.”

3. “She underestimated the caucus states.”

4. Her opponent raised money the new-fashioned way and out-raised her.

5. “Clinton’s strategy had been premised on delivering a knockout blow early. If she could win Iowa, she believed, the race would be over. Clinton spent lavishly there yet finished a disappointing third.”

Karen put her finger on exactly what happened. And, while Hillary was a hit with white middle-aged women on up, Obama won "young white women 18-40", and I'm sure this surprised Hillary's campaign.

[OtayPanky]

Good post.

I'm glad it's working out between Obama and Clinton. But let's not get into revisionism when it comes to history.

[Angeltour]

...and Obama is lucky Hillary accepted...he got it right...Hillary is disciplined and smart as a whip...and has the chops to represent and repair our image around the world...Hillary is respected, admired and loved around the world...

as for Hillary running a 'nasty' campaign - that is simply sexist nonsense...she fought hard because she had every right to fight to win...just like the boys always do...and for the record, she did end up with more votes than anyone else who ran...

[OtayPanky]

Sorry. She ran (or rather let Mark Penn run) a bitter, divisive campaign - a KITCHEN SINK campaign - which frankly, Obama did not do.

Carl Bernstein nailed her in his book. She showed her true colors (not for the first time) just as he showed his. That's why he is the transformational leader he is, and she is not.

It's certainly possible for anyone - a man or a woman - to run a TOUGH campaign that is also a FAIR campaign. And in the election, we saw the contrast once again, between Obama and McCain. Once again, McCain was willing to go dirty (and let Palin double down on dirty), while Obama and Biden played a straight game.

History's a good thing. Get used to it.

[Genep34]

Actually I am glad she is there - i agree with Obama's decision.

[harriettubman]

Bill & Hill lost credibility during that very negative campaign. They will never regain it back in the black community either. People are STILL talking about it.

As for what was said behind closed doors. Are there any more people with integrity these days? Why must everything be told to the MSM? Someone unloyal is doing the talking.

[SeanGardner]

"Bill & Hill lost credibility during that very negative campaign. They will never regain it back in the black community either."

So true.

[OtayPanky]

I'm not black, but after the "kitchen sink" campaign the Clintons ran, I'd find it VERY difficult to support her if she was a candidate again. I just don't think the Clintons represent the best that the democratic party has to offer, in terms of leadership with integrity.

[BRockNYLA]

I believe the sentiment goes both ways. I still can't believe how Obama trashed the Clinton presidency. I'm a happy Democratic Warrior, but that still pisses me off.

[tomsowell]

Rules for Radicals....Keep your enemies close

[NevaforLeadership]

So far Hillary Clinton has toed his line, but I believe in one way or another she will prove to be Obama's Achilles' heel.

She is to egocentric to ever be over her loss -- note the word, "ever."

Has anyone noticed how sour and dour she looks in all group or individual photos with Obama.

Her husband is a sore loser as well, and he has already started sniffing around and overexposing himself.

I don't believe anyone who is fired for being a dishonest, unethical lawyer and a liar, while practising law, should ever be given a chance at high, public office. Maintaining trust in the legal system and reaching for the highest of integrity in our leaders is just too important.

I believe Obama made a mistake in this appointment for reasons of ethics alone -- surprising coming from such a highly ethical person, himself. Maybe the latter says it all. In a mean world, being too good to sift out the chaff might come back to haunt him.

[Zoeysmom92081]

Oh stop. I've seen plenty of pictures of HRC and BO looking quite happy together. I've even seen pictures of Cindy McCain looking quite pleased to be in his company. It's all politics and we are the ones who can't let it go. Let's all put on our big girl panties and grow up. It appears they have.

[Charmed]

How many people are going to write a book about Obama?

[harriscrl3]

Hmm sounds like Obama knows Hilary more than the folks from the Clinton White House.

Carol

[Grulg]

Richard Wolffe is a fine reporter from what I see. Everyone slags Hillary for pushing thru to June in the primary season, but A: that was her right, B: she was clocking Obama everywheres (save Oregon) and C: maybe it made him a better candidate in the Fall.

While her campaign was badly mis-managed and I'm glad she's the Sec of State, I'll say this-the one campaign that REALLY tanked and under-perfomed-Mitt Romney's. How this guy w/ alll that money and after living in Iowa for a solid year-lost out the way he did-well you got me. What a lousy candidate he turned out to be, too.

[FebM]

One of the most misguided critisms directed to Obama by his domestic rivals on both domestic and foreign policy is that he is somehow naive. This guy has a vision and clear understanding of what is at stake and how he will tackle every issue and he is ruthless is pursuing each mission.

Think he is naive at your own peril

[harriscrl3]

I could never understand why people thought he was naieve a babe in the woods. He is one of the most skilled politicians I've ever seen.

Carol

[NevaforLeadership]

I agree. I hope he didn't make a mistake in choosing Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. There are many people who have been unfairly targeted by her wrath who must be wondering what on earth he was thinking!

[tomsowell]

He is skilled in Socialism....When you go from $100,000 a year to $60,000 will you still be in love with a statist

[Crissy Patters]

The biggest danger, I've learned is under estimating your opponent. You'd think that after the primaries and the election(he's the last man standing) that these people would learn that POTUS is a very strategic person and doesn't play the game the same as the others. Within his first months he passed the biggest financial bill in our country's history. Candy Crowley said two wks ago, one thing she and others learned about PO is that he gets what he wants. He may not get everything he puts on the table but he gets the core of what he wants.

[HC4BO]

FICTION !

[sunnyjane]

This is all fine and dandy but I'm still waiting for the "inside story" on the McCain campaign. All the back-stabbing would be SO interesting to read! A real "beach book." (And I do NOT mean Sarah Palin's book. NO WAY WOULD I PAY GOOD MONEY FOR THAT!)