Hoping Hillary Says Yes

Sitting less than ten feet from Hillary Clinton at an RFK Memorial event in New York this week, I was overwhelmed by the presence and power the woman carries with her wherever she goes. Charming and poised as she was inundated by admirers, I could not help but think how hard it was, in some sense, to vote for Obama over Senator Clinton. I was momentarily overcome thinking how I wish both of them could have won.

Like many, I believed that Obama had the better chance to beat McCain. That turned out to be a good bet. Now the notion of Mrs. Clinton as Secretary of State looms over her every utterance and move and I pray that this becomes a reality.

Statesmanship had been the most important tool in a president's toolbox until Cheney and Rumsfeld moved into the West Wing. During Bush's administration, the Department of Defense, war and war profiteering eclipsed any real hope for diplomatic solutions. Perhaps Mrs. Clinton will right the ship and make it once again possible that America's diplomatic voice is clear and convincing, backed up by power of America's military only on a truly as-needed basis.

The president can not go to every corner of the world that requires his attention. Who better to send than the one American who can represent him and all of America with an equivalent intellect, dedication and dynamism. I hope she says yes.

And I hope Chuck Hagel is Defense Secretary. A Vietnam vet. A Republican who understands the world isn't one ongoing bar fight. A man we can all respect and who won't sell us out so that KBR and Carlyle Group investors get rich.

Comments

[barriosbabe]

He wants her out of the Senate! Duh. Terrible SOS appointment. Good tactical move; long term.

[samanthemofthesun]

She would be an outstanding Sec. of State.

[Saoirsi]

Phillip Giraldi (The American Conservative): "The neocon surge towards Hillary as Secretary of State, a position which she reportedly has accepted, has already begun."

Philip Weiss (Mondoweiss): "Jacob Heilbrunn, neocon spotter, has a fine piece in Huffington Post pointing out that the neocons, deprived of a host by McCain's demise, are, surprise, relaunching as Hillary Clintonites. Obama? No problem. The Weekly Standard has apparently been adoring Hillary. And of course there's Joe Lieberman extolling her. This isn't gall, this is "a sect that has some of the properties of a party.""

But at least Hollywood is impressed, so I guess that's what's important.

[StillAmused]

As long as you allow right-wing opportunists to draw your conclusions for you, you'll keep coming up with invalid conclusions.

If anyone gave a sh*t what the right wing thinks (or vainly hopes to salvage from the complete implosion of their warped, slogan-driven ideology), McCain would be giving the inaugural address in January.

[marijam]

Neocons would support anybody they saw as being in the center, rather than left, now that the dems have taken over everything. HRC supported Benazir Bhutto, where did the neocons stand on that issue? Our justice department betrayed her, you know. HRC and John Kerry tried to help her, but we all know how things ended up.

Did you ever stop to think that they are just trying to "divide and conquer" by supporting HRC? Like in the primaries when Rush dittoheads supported her?

People don't want to face up to it, but Bill and Hill were the kingmaker's in this election. They didn't have to support the PE, at least not to the extent that they did.

[Pupadup4oBama]

you are playing the same right wing divisive politics that the right-wingers have been playing all along. Perhaps it's a GOOD thing that moderate to moderate to right leaning folks agree with this pick. It shows that Obama is NOT the most "leftist-leaning liberal" as they have been claiming. And with the way the last POTUS kept only right-leaners on board, I'd say a mixture is JUST fine.

PLUS if Alec says it's a good choice, I'm inclined to agree with him....

[willwallace]

I wonder how Richardson is feeling, he must feel a bit unhappy with Clinton getting the job after all that Bill put on the line for Obama

[follyeoa]

I must be confused. What, really did he "put on the line"?

[ckfan]

You're not confused. The answer is NOTHING. Richardson will be Secretary of Commerce. He'll gladly pack his bags and get out of New Mexico and back to the world stage. He'll take it and shut-up. It's an honor to be offered a Cabinet post. Now, Bill, go shave that beard!

[Pupadup4oBama]

If he likes and supports Obama he will understand what needs to be done to get this country back on track.
This isn't about exchanging favors here...tha­t's what Shrubya was all about.

[Serfie]

Funny how all the anti-war hypocrites who are attacking Hillary for her war vote went goosestepping behind John Kerry in the last election and were silent about war-monger Joe "heart beat away from president" Biden getting the VP slot.

[Glacial]

Believe me when I say very few of us voted for Kerry. We voted against Bush. Biden's a non-issue -- with an actual president in office, the office of the VP will be relegated to the largely ceremonial role it's had until Cheney.

What's hypocritical is Obama running heavily on an anti-war message, and then immediately staffing the White House and State with neocons and hawks. That's a knife in the back, but anyone who noticed his vote on telecom immunity should understand what's going on.

One little prediction: We'll be invading oil-rich Darfur, for purely humanitarian reasons, around 2010. It'll be real noble and of course we'll need to secure those oil wells, so Darfur's oil revenue can be used to rebuild this troubled nation, once we just get that pesky security situation nailed down... Expect it.

[onenvrnos]

riiiiiiiii­iiiiiiiigh­t

[Pupadup4oBama]

Ha ha...can't wait for you to eat those words.

[Emmory]

Let's see, so HILLARY will "make it once again possible that America's diplomatic voice is clear and convincing­."
Hmmm...
I don't think talk talk and more talk is what we need at all...
If all we needed was TALK, we wouldn't have ever had ANY problems in the world at all!

Do you really think no one in our Government has already tried TALK?

[CruzanKenny]

We tried 'Talk".
now we should try 'Listen'.

[Emmory]

Listen to what?
More of the same?
Who should we listen to?
Iran?

[joebiz]

Alec, thank you for such a conclusory post. Is is because, you were "overwhelmed by the presence and power the woman carries with her wherever she goes." This reason is not sufficient.

What other qualities does she bring?

Foreign language skills? Nope.
Management of a Cabinet post? No way.
Diplomatic and or foreign policy credentials? Forget about it.

It's clearly a cynical political positioning that is orchestrated for favors in kind, traded among President elect Obama and the Clinton Machine. My question to you is that if Hillary Clinton is such a great person, why doesn't she stay in the US Senate and continue representing the people and the great State of New York?

[Pupadup4oBama]

Condi had foreign language skills....­in fact wasn't she an "expert "on Russia?

I'm just sayin'.

[RepugsOut08]

I think Obama's making a shrewd move picking Hillary. Those who worry she won't support Obama's foreign policy are wrong, I believe. The next four years are going to be history making on a profound level, and I'm sure she'll want to be on the winning side of that. She could go down as one of the greats in a successful Obama presidency.
I think Hillary had more potential being a thorn in Obama's side as a scorned Senator. As a Senator, she had some real power to manipulate with, had she wanted. Now that threat to Obama, if there ever really was one, is gone.
This is Hillary's chance to be an advocate for women and children's rights the world over, and to make history far beyond what she might have achieved as a Senator. I think she was born for the job.

[RobertAndropolis]

Mr. Baldwin is praying that Sen. Clinton accepts the SoS position. "Bible Alec?"

[Pupadup4oBama]

doesn't have the same ring as Bible Spice - sorry.

[Spiriteddona]

Spirited Dona replies-- Here it is nigh Christmas, and your 're messing with prayer, God, Alec Baldwin, Santa Clause, and Stephen Baldwin, perchance! I know with Spirited Dona! While Alec graciously meant he implores a woman, he recently met, goes to hard work for America, pronto, all are outragageous, if they don 't pray a lot after 40! Alec is not the only Baldwin, hip to the fact that there is a God! I like the Alec that has Faith! Kicking butt for Alec and God-- just another average day in Spirited Dona 's life! Wink!

[Spiriteddona]

Spirited Dona wondered, what, significant might happened to you at the RFK Center For Justice and Human Rights; It 's experiencing the Dynamic that is Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton! You and I are at are at peace, although we were never at war! Hillary 's good at Diplomacy, already! My blog mate, Melanie, (illinoismel), and I put our souls into Hillary 's common sense, dialoging approach, and respect for herself and people, like us! Since, I blog about Hillary, the Kennedy 's, and 30 Rock, it 's like you 've been looking at my future Blog Notes! I started viewing the news at age two, so, JFK was like my daddy and Bobby was like a relative, as well! I wanted a hug from JFK, but I wanted to give Bobby a hug! Bobby ran knowing, he too, could die! He was a patriot wanting Fredom in America, at all costs! Hillary recalls Rose 's boys who ran when people remembered their Irish / immigration roots! I only know that Hillary AND Peace for America have captured my heart and imagination!
I have an unusual blog on Hillary, that has never failed to please her supporters,; here goes
http://hillaryrocksmegroovey.wordpress.com/

[wanttruth]

Good column. My first choice is still New Mexico, Gov Bill Richardson. However, I can live with Sen. Clinton if she remains a tough, advocate for President-elect Obama's policies. So I guess I'm saying, I will take a wait and see approach when it comes to Sen. Clinton! President-elect Obama is a very intelligent, thoughtful public servant. He continues to have my support regardless.

[Pupadup4oBama]

That is a great attitude!
All these naysayers who are saying that if he picks her, he will have just lost their vote in 2012 weren't really supporters to begin with, and they just wanted McCant to lose.

[Intelligentia]

It does not matter who the SoS is, if he or she will not carrying out Obama's policies, it is easy to fix. How? Send the Under-SoS to represent the President! There is no doubt who the President is.

[Maezeppa]

Most proprietary figs. show Clinton winning against McCain by a larger margin. Maybe somewhere in a parallel universe..­.

In any case, SecDef could do worse than Hagel. It could also do better, I think.

[dizmo4]

The problem with all polls that show hypothetical matchups between a Clinton and McCain fail to take into account months of campaigning. It also doesn't take into account WHERE Clinton would do well in. Florida and Ohio? Sure, maybe she'd win those states by larger margins. But I highly doubt that Hillary would do as well in Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa.

Hypothetical polls are crap.

[KickerBoard]

Perhaps she should have started by winning the real primary first. Hypotheticals are meaningless against the reality of a pitiful campaign.

[andvoodoo2]

I agree, Alec. Hillary Clinton is a brilliant woman and a good statesman for this country. She will make a great SoS.

[Edison829]

As an Obama supporter, I disagree with Hillary as SoS. Lest we forget, Sen. Clinton voted FOR the Iraq war WITHOUT ever having read the intelligence that people like Sen. Russ Feingold read, and has never backed off that position. Also, shall we now validate her "harrowing story" of being fired at by snipers???? However, I do find her uncommonly intelligent and would rather see her as a Supreme.

[davenav]

She was briefed by a lying, arm-twisting administration. Most of the congress voted the same way. Yes, Feingold was prescient that Bush was lying, but in the aftermath of 9/11 Americans were urging their Senators to rally behind Bush. Yes, we were wrong. But blaming her for that vote is like blaming a swindlee instead of the swindler!

[TheFez]

Let's say we have a mandate to put a woman in the SoS position, are we really fishing that shallow a pool that Hillary "Sniper Fire" Clinton is our best bet? Seriously?

I personally feel that putting a woman as closed as Hillary in as SoS in an administration that's starting to look like Clinton 2.0 is not at all a good idea. Bluntly: she is untrustworthy.

[davenav]

Oh yeah, that sniper fire remark was sooooo bad. Please. Just admit you don't like her and save us the strained reasoning.

[lost in az]

"The president can not go to every corner of the world that requires his attention. Who better to send than the one American who can represent him and all of America with an equivalent intellect, dedication and dynamism."
Alec, please!
If Hillary is THE ONE American to represent Obama and all of America, then we're f-cked.
Oh wait... you must be referring to the other Hillary Clinton that ran for president and not the Hillary who, figuratively, threw bag after bag of white flour -- mixed with hatred, lies, ugliness, and pathetic desperation -- at Obama.
I'd rather be represented as an American by Al Gore. And I'm a girl.
But I do agree with your choice of Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary. (I know you're speechless with joy.)
Goodnight.