Obama Will Run Foreign Policy, Not Hillary

In a stunning repudiation of all received wisdom, Barack Obama has, apparently, offered the State Department to his erstwhile primary opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton. As the senior cabinet post, the Secretary of State is the director and coordinator of America's vast foreign service, the number two face, behind the President, that the rest of the world will associate with the United States, as well as fourth in line to the succession to the Presidency.

At first blush it seems counter-intuitive to appoint Clinton, whom many people, myself included, mocked for inflating her foreign policy credentials during the bitter primary fight that culminated in Obama's nomination. Tea in Ireland was somehow instrumental in the making and keeping the peace there, while who can forget her much-vaunted diplomacy committed under sniper fire?

But it is also true that the Clintons en famille remain quite popular throughout the world, and Hillary did indeed visit dozens of countries, as an ambassador of goodwill, a role embraced by many First Spouses, and as a hard-working junior Senator from New York. She is one of the more recognizable of American faces in the world, and a hark back to happier international relations during the Clinton years.

But does being an international feel-good ready her for the senior foreign policy role in the Executive Branch?

No, but then again, it doesn't necessarily have to.

Recall that throughout his campaign, Obama again and again touted his own judgment on foreign policy. He was willing to stack up his positions against the years of experience of any of his foes, including Clinton and John McCain. "That is a debate I look forward to," he stated on many occasions.

And it is a debate he won. Clinton herself made the mistake of elevating Obama's credentials as Presidential timber when she and Edwards attacked him during and after the YouTube debate for his open-door negotiating stance. They immediately raised his stature above all the other Democratic contenders at the time, and he has never looked back since.

What is clear above all else, is that Barack Obama, ably aided by Joe Biden, who chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, intends to run foreign policy from the White House. His choice of Clinton over someone -- anyone -- with more foreign policy experience, is a clear signal that the Commander-in-Chief intends to command, indeed. In this, he is like several of his predecessors. Richard Nixon, for instance, showed that same intention to lead on foreign policy by nominating William Rogers, and James Baker was hardly going to override George H. W. Bush on foreign policy expertise.

Furthermore, Obama is solidifying the Democratic Party around himself. He is rebuilding an Administration, a Congress, a DNC and a future for the party in his own image. SecState takes Hillary out of the party mix, gets her out of and marginalizes the Democratic Leadership Council, and makes her subordinate to him. It also gives New York Governor David Paterson a chance to nominate a new, young, dynamic Senator. Preferably a black woman.

But what this pick most closely resembles is a chapter from one of Obama's favorite books, Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals, about the Cabinet of the only other President elected from my home state of Illinois. Prior to becoming SecState and getting us Sarah Palin's Alaska, William Seward was most notable as Lincoln's greatest rival within his own party, who also failed to garner the nomination but was an able leader nonetheless.

Hillary Clinton is about to become the field captain for Obama's own team of rivals.

Read more reaction from HuffPost bloggers to Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election

Comments

[SharonAustinTX]

The husband/wife relationship includes discussing things. There's no way Bill won't be a Co-
Secretary of State. No more foreign trips is okay but what about established relationships with foreign leaders who have donated to his Library or Foundation? IOU's. Bill is the conduit to Hillary. This is so obvious and runs counter to common sense.

Also I worry about Hillary's lack of management skills (her lack of decision making and relying on old relationships rather than qualifications during her campaign) in that she will have to manage a large bureaucracy.

Hillary promised her followers that she would be working on those issues that were important to them. She can only do that in the Senate.

[iswideopen]

One more thing; for anyone in doubt, don't let the media fool you. The Clintons are no fools either. They dare NOT cross President-Elect Barack Obama. If they do, there will be political hell to pay. You can not remain in office if you do not get the VOTES to do so. Just ask the republican­s.........­.........

[iswideopen]

So true. I wish everyone would just chill. Obama is more intelligent than the pundits and op-ed journalist give him credit for. He is nobody's pawn or fool. He owes no one ANYTHING. I say it again, UNDERESTIMATE Obama at your own peril. Stay tuned.....­..........­..........­.....

PS Dear President-Elect Obama:
Forget the naysayers; go big and I mean go big on DAY 1. The budget deficit will take care of itself when the economy is back on track. We voted for you and we trust you to deal with, and balance the budget AFTER "we the people" are taken care of job-wise, healthcare-wise, and home-wise. We have your back. Don't listen to the negative voices that I am hearing everyday on cable tv and reading in some of the blogs. PLEASE, GO BIG!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chaucea]

In theory, that sounds all good and well... but the Clintons are far too focused on their own agenda to 'suck it up' and play solely and completely by Obama's playbook.

[joeneri]

It's also worth noting that William Seward, after his bitter rivalry with Lincoln and his initial confidence that he could "manage" the new president, later became Lincoln's closest friend in the White House and his most loyal supporter.

Sometimes, history is worth repeating.

[Treebranch]

A very well writtern and insightful article.
I agree with you 100%
I just love this writer!!!!

[harriscrl3]

Obama is going to be running his own FOreign policy I would like to remind folks of something throughout the campaign Obama rarely if ever changed his mind to fit with the other candidates its they who change their minds to fit with some of the things Obama said. He doesnt change his mind easily because he arrives at his views using facts and evidence and if you plan on changing his mind you have to present facts and evidence to the contrary. Do you all seriously think HIlary is going to get him to change his mind about diplomacy and turn him into a neocon hawk. THe evidence shows that DOES NOT work.

Carol

[VictoriaHope]

Say what you will about Barack Obama, president-elect, the man is more than shrewd, more than cunning in picking Billary. Obama's playing Lincoln to Hillary's William Henry Seward (Lincoln's SoS) as told in Team of Rivals.

Obama was Not strong-armed into picking Hillary VP; O is willing to pick Hillary SoS, you can be sure.

Obama's foreign policy will, like Kennedy, rest in his own hands. SoS falls within puzzle of NSC, CIA, Pentagon, Defense, Treasury, deputies, aides of the Department of State who research all the geopolitical areas of the globe and then there's VP Joe Biden.

Obama's placating women too; Hillary trumps men, since SoS become woman's plum after Albright and Rice. And return of lion Ted Kennedy today reminds me that health legislation is Kennedy's; after 16 year hiatus Hillary thought with Obama Administration health leadership, legacy, would be hers. NOT!

Obama knows he has to offer Hillary a nice role in his administration; Obama is consummate pol and strategist and gifted with intellect, intuition; likely he will pick Hillary over the men because__

1. He watched her working for him in the GE campaign really hard, on message
2. Obama’s instinct about Hillary now is she will work even harder as SoS for him because Hillary wants a legacy and SoS offers big opportunity; and
3. She still has woman block et al; he owes Hillary for not fighting him at Denver; she will not challenge him 2012, if his secretary of state.

[sharonh]

OR, maybe he simply thinks she would be good at that position. Could it just be simple?

[AlinaM]

I really appreciated reading this posting as the pick is now beginning to make sense. I was also hoping that the Terminator would accept an appointment so that we could get rid of him here in California. I was also hoping that he would get fired for incompetence shortly thereafter. :-)

[RedDogBear]

"It also gives New York Governor David Paterson a chance to nominate a new, young, dynamic Senator. Preferably a black woman." For God's sake can we please stop evaluating people for jobs based on gender and race? If a black woman is the best person for the job than fine but no one should get the job based on anything but qualifications.

[RedDogBear]

First, I wish people would stop saying things like "Barack Obama has, apparently, offered the State Department to his erstwhile primary opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton" We don't know that. We have a reporter who has conveyed anonymous sources that say it. We also have other leaks that say Obama is talking to Richardson about the job which I doubt he would do if he had already offered it to Clinton.

Second, you state "Obama Will Run Foreign Policy, Not Hillary" as if it were a fact. To me its very much a question. Can Senator Clinton be a member of a team who subverts her agenda (and that of her husband) to that of the administration? From all the confusion, mixed messages, leaks, etc. we've seen during the campaign and now during the selection process I'm very skeptical this can happen. I don't care about the nasty things Clinton said about Obama during the campaign. It was campaign rhetoric and she's proven that she can get beyond that by her work after the convention. But I do care about the sloppy way the Clinton campaign was run and the Clinton history of putting herself first. The state department needs a calm, team oriented professional with proven diplomatic and management experience. That's Richardson not Clinton.

[onenvrnos]

I have been thinking about this situation a lot, and my take is this, for what it is worth. Clinton has respect in the Senate. She is the perfect person to bridge the gap with "democratic" and hard-core Republicans and can therefore be invaluable to Obama in pushing his agenda. I believe Richardson would also be a great candidate for SoS, but he would have more difficulty bridging the gap than Clinton in the Senate. The goal is to push through as much of Obama's agenda as possible to support the goals of the Obama administra­tion--when Republicans and Democrats can agree quickly on the agenda of "change", change in concrete terms can quickly be accomplished. I think many have problems with the Clintons in terms of change, as the Clintons represent the status quo and "the past." But, in working toward the common good of this nation, Obama/Clin­ton/Biden/­Emanuel get along well, are ambitious, love this country, and understand what it means to serve this great nation of ours in time of need. I believe it will work because no one on this team is afraid of saying it like it is--they all have great minds--and they will challenge each other to the nth degree. This is exactly what is needed to rule out the bs from the things of substance. In any event, I will support Obama in whatever or whoever his choice may be.

[Buj]

And then there's the BILL factor, the ex-POTUS.

What if he wants to dictate what she will take to any potential negotiations with foreign governments. Will she go rouge on Obama?

If so, what can Obama do?

Sure, she'll be his front woman in any negotiations but they don't always go as planned. So rather than referring back, will she take it upon herself to see it through her own way. Given her past comments on Iran specifically, I think that could be risky

[sticksnstones]

This, in reference to your second sentence. I do not believe there is a chance in hell that Bill dictates ANYTHING to HRC at any time about anything.

[franklin opt]

Posted to http://change.gov and reposted here -

Barack Obama articulated an encouraging vision for the Unitied States and our country's role in the world. The choice of the next Secretary or State should reflect the President-elect's vision and a break from the mistakes of the past. Specifically, the doctrine of preemptive war and other radical concepts in foreign policy, as expressed by the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), should be thoroughly and visibly rejected.

As noted by then-Senator Obama, there is a lot of work to be done with regard to our country's image and standing in the world. The PNAC doctrines will be a major obstacle on this path until they are repudiated. I sincerely hope that the President-elect will take these thoughts into consideration as he chooses the next Secretary of State. In my humble view, a person who has even the appearance of a connection to the PNAC should not be considered for the top foreign policy post in the Cabinet.

[JMBrodie]

OBAMA’S potential picks – Who would you select?

Secretary of the State:
• Bill Richardson

Secretary of the Treasury:
• Paul Volcker

Secretary of Defense:
• Chuck Hagel

Attorney General:
• Eric Holder

Secretary of Homeland Security:
• Richard Clarke

National Security Adviser:
• Susan Rice

Secretary of Agriculture:
• Jim Leach

Secretary of Commerce:
• Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary of Education:
• Inez Tenebaum

Secretary of Energy:
• Jeff Bingaman

Secretary of Health & Human Services:
• Hillary Clinton

Secretary of Housing & Urban Development:
• Shirley Franklin

Secretary of the Interior:
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Secretary of Labor:
• Andy Stern

Secretary of Transportation:
• Ed Rendell

Secretary of Veterans' Affairs:
• Tammy Duckworth

United Nations Ambassador:
• Caroline Kennedy

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency:
• Kathleen McGinty

Council of Economic Advisers:
• Austan Goolsbee

Supreme Court Nominee(s) – pick two:
• Cass Sunstein, Legal scholar and Professor at the University of Chicago Law School
• Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, comprising of Connecticut, New York, and Vermont