White House Scuttled Clinton's Effort To Bring Old Friend Sidney Blumenthal Into State Department

New York Times:

In recent weeks, the administration's top Iran policy maker was reassigned from the State Department to the White House's National Security Council; Mrs. Clinton's candidate to lead the United States Agency for International Development has been tangled up in a vetting process; and she has failed to get her choices into some plum ambassadorships, notably Japan, which went to a fund-raiser for President Obama.

Also, the White House recently scuttled Mrs. Clinton's effort to bring Sidney Blumenthal, a journalist and confidant of both her and former President Bill Clinton, into the State Department.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[nycboy]

When the Obama administration offered her Secretary it was agreed that she could bring on staff to the State Dept. and now Obama backs out and says no..what kind of administration is that? I guess the same that said they would take public funding for his campaign and then says no

if Hillary were president Bush and Cheney would be on their way to jail now, we would all have seen the photos and know what our soldiers put prisoners through, a reminder to never let something like that happen again

she would have found out who knew what about the waterboarding even if it meant looking into what Pelosi knew

Obama's star will fade while Hillary's approval ratings keep going up

Go Hillary!

[flossophy]

I wish Hillary had won the nomination... she understands market economics.

[jonjon66]

your race is showing

[jonjon66]

Hillary's "super fans' are total conspiracy specialist. She's just fine.

[mountainweb]

The obama and Clinton wars continue, stay tuned for the next episode! He may think he has put her in a box but suspect she is not out of the picture yet regardless of how much he wants to lose her.

[2Bfair]

As Hillary's star fades in the Obama administration, what will be next? One BIG idea is for Bill and Hillary to team up with Bush and Palin for a road show. I bet they could fill every arena in Canada, and make billions of Canadian dollars to help stimulate the American economy. This idea is a winner. :)

[mergina]

Yeah and all it probably took was a nod from one of those Obamaphites in Rapture to make it so. The is something sickeningly cultish and putrid about this Administration.

[2Bfair]

you may be having a deep reaction to seeing high values and integrity at work. That would likely seem "putrid" to the Bush-Rove-Clinton disciples addicted to attack politics, partisan warfare, and self-serving greed.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

Vetting is good. So what, I can wait.

[texastrixie]

Right now things are rocky for Hillary, but the main cause of that is (what sounds to be) a wicked injury to her elbow. This is the kind of injury that never gets completely healed - if you don't concentrate on it. So she's not so high profile right now - who cares.

I don't like everything Obama is doing, and I am beginning to think he may have taken on too much, but I'm still willing to give him a least a year in office before I really hold things against him. I still think Hillary Clinton is the best SOS he could have picked. In the long run, she will get her chances to shine. Her loyalty to the party and Obama helps to keep a feeling of cohesiveness (except for those blue dogs).

[2Bfair]

What? Hillary is ineffective as SoS because of her elbow?

[Imhotep40]

Who's your daddy?

[Sylmason]

Hillary, thought you knew that President Obama was shutting down you and Bill's nonsense. Guess you didn't get the memo. You see, the President wants you two to continue to make NICE!!!!!

[2Bfair]

unfortunately "nice" is not in the Clinton DNA. How long can they let Obama lead, and stay out of the headlines and, worse, the tabloids? tick tick tick

[JayeSF]

I gotta agree with Brendan...this is getting way blown out of proportion.

Hilary won' quit...if she does, it'll seriously be the end of her political career.

She also knows that her presidential aspirations are over....she came to terms with that back in the Summer of '08.

So, the best she can do for herself is be the statesperson she is completely capable of being. The wold likes here as Sec of State, everyone knows it, and she'll do a good job both for the country and (always important to a Clinton) for her own reputation and stature.

But stop with the presidential bid stuff....she sinks the entire party if she pulls that, and she'll get dropped her like a sandbag from a hot air balloon....

I think...crazy, but true...just maybe...the Dems have finally figured out how not to shoot themselves in the foot...

So it'll all be cooooooooo­ooool.....

[Okieborn]

Hillary !! Hillary !!
Trying the old end around !!
Sometimes it works in football ,but not job security !!

[2Bfair]

too funny

[Brendan Diamond]

Okay, would everybody please calm the heck down? Hillary has only been in the job six months. So has Obama. Now, I'm not especially thrilled with everything Obama's done so far, but he has only been there SIX MONTHS. As far as the Department of State goes, he has to reorder and fix not only the issues under Bush, but the errors that have been rampant for almost fifty years! If there's anybody who's perfect to be the one to reorganize that catastroph*ck of a department, it's Hillary Clinton.

So far, our standing around the world is already better, our diplomatic channels are actually flowing again, and the Obama/Biden/Clinton team is beginning to turn around a lot of the petty issues and jealousies that have plagued State for a half-century. They haven't come near reversing the damage of the last eight years (let alone the last eight administrations), but they're working on it. Let's give them a little time and see where they are this time next year. So far, they haven't exactly missed a beat, and if there's any internal politicking going on, it's going on where it belongs -- behind the scenes.

[2Bfair]

Brendan Diamond, I respect your balance and call for patience.

I am confused, however, by your contention that Hillary is "perfect to be the one to reorganize" the State Deparment. Are you aware of how badly her campaign organization suffered under her "leadership." From my perspective, looking at her record over decades, she has no capacity to manage and lead.

[MacQ]

Mrs. Clinton has been very successfully marginalized and neutralized by the Obama administration. Make her Sec State, but appoint other czars to do the visible work.
She shouldn't have taken the job.

[2Bfair]

maybe Hillary and Bill could just retire, enjoy their ill-gotten fortune, pal around the George and Laura, and let the nation move past the mean-spirited, divisive Bush-Clinton era.

[Brendan Diamond]

Puh-leeze, folks. Clinton has been neither marginalized or neutralized. She serves at the pleasure of the president. And she's doing just fine.

It's time we got past the primary campaign, guys. Maybe Hillary should do exactly what she's been doing -- HER JOB -- while supporters on both sides continue this nonsensical back-and-forth that was finished almost a year ago.

[lbicomber]

Or, if they donate enough money to Obama, he would choose one of them for the Japanese ambassador slot.

[Okieborn]

Clinton is laying low on plans for another Presidential run, but she just might pull a Palin in preperation for a 2012 run !!!

[Brendan Diamond]

Doubtful. If she did, she'd split the party, and there goes any chance she ever had to run in 2016.

Frankly, in 2016, she might be exactly what the country needs. I don't know if/that she will be, but it's entirely possible. All I DO know is that if she challenged a sitting president in the primary, she'd be finished in politics. This is not some half-wit from small-town Alaska; this is a brilliant lawyer and native Chicagoan.

[2Bfair]

we can only hope she will resign to launch another failed campaign with her ill-gotten fortune.