Sorting Out Hillary's Secretary of State Decision

I wouldn't be surprised if the agreement between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton when they joined forces was that he would at least ask her to become secretary of state. No matter her answer, doing so saves face for her and gives the appearance of reciprocity for him. That's politics.

But what if she were to take it? Some in the press have implied that she will resist his authority. This song is getting old. It's reminiscent of the chorus sung over and over about Hillary Clinton during the primaries. The truth is that President of the United States handsomely outranks secretary of state. And Barack Obama does not strike me as worried, especially at this point, that anyone's competence is going to outshine his own.

So that nonsense aside, what does Hillary Clinton have to gain? Secretary of state has been a very high visibility position for the last two women who accepted the role -- Condoleezza Rice and Madeline Albright. It is a powerful position carrying considerable respect around the world. It's a chance for Clinton to bring her substantial knowledge of foreign relations to bear on the long climb back America faces in garnering respect again. It's a central position in the War on Terror and someplace where her experience, a burden for her in the primaries, would be a superb asset. Moreover, it would allow her to be front-and-center in crafting a collaborative spirit among countries now wary of the U.S. and in making diplomacy and negotiation a precursor to future considerations of war.

She could be a powerful figure in the Senate. But Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi aren't about to let someone break up their promise-them-everything-and-deliver-as-little-as-possible routine they've mastered. Besides, the secretary of state, by contrast, has easy access to the President of the United States. And I suspect that is a critical plus in Clinton's decision process

It's time for the New York senator to take a step forward -- to use her experience for the benefit of the country. She'll always have to put up with the likes of Vanity Fair's Christopher Hitchens who despises her and uses her to get on Larry King Live. There will always be Gloria Borger's type and many of the CNN "senior political analysts" making a career at Hillary's expense. So as a visible secretary of state, it will not always be a picnic. But Hillary thrives in a firestorm and she has a driving desire to serve the country in a profound way.

As for President-elect Obama, he's a smart guy. He'd rather have Hillary Clinton as part of his inner circle than part of the outer one. I have no doubt that she would respect his authority as president even if they disagree and that he'd respect her opinion and the experience she'd surely bring to his administration. All else is fabrication when it isn't simply pathetically using a visible woman to prop up a flagging journalism career.

And then there are the women who backed Hillary Clinton during the primaries. Do they want her to take the job? With some exceptions and a few reservations, from what I can gather, that answer is: "By all means."

Dr. Reardon also blogs at bardscove.

Comments

[LightningJoe]

I'd feel better about Hillary is she hadn't backtracked so many times, or used highly questionable tactics in her presidential campaign. She skirted so close to racist comments that you had to squint to NOT see racism in them. I certainly saw some unsavory choices there.

Then there's her habitual embellishment of past reality, or if not that, then rank fabrication of such. She inflated a poem on the tarmac, into a flight for safety from sniper attack.

IF she could bring such "re-truthing" impulses under control, she might make an excellent partner for peace in the mideast, because she has a certain credibility there as an honest broker. Sure, looking at the field, give her a chance. BUT make sure she relies on her aides as memory aids, and give her a crew of dedicated professionals to back her up.

Given those caveats, I could see her making some real progress on the Isreali/Palestinian front.

[Jamey]

Let's give her a chance, because I believe she will do an excellent job. Better yet, let's trust Obama's judgement for selecting those that he feels will serve him best.

[Bonobo]

She's had more than a few chances. She failed at health care and she failed to read the intelligence before voting for war, which is the charitable interpretation. Obama's judgment has been called into severe question by this selection.

[hipocampelofantocame]

Hillary Clinton lies, cheats, and steals-repeatedly. She has probably been guilty of
felony misconduct, but somehow has never been brought to trial. I feel personally
deprecated that she would appear as secretary of state for a country for which I fought
overseas, and a party I supported from the beginning, both physically and financially.
Hillary is in this for Hillary, and nothing else. Will she get the post? Yes. Will it help
this poor, struggling country? No! Hillary is not that smart, but she is very cunning: there
is a difference.

[campgranata]

THANK YOU, you've nailed it.

[satsumajin]

For all the problems that there may be with HRC and her ex-POTUS husband, as a non-American my gut feeling is that if hers is the foreign-policy face that the US presents to the world it could go a long way towards repairing the US's sadly damaged reputation in the international community. She's smart, she's shown she can be a team player, has charm (something Rice never gave any sign of possessing) as well as brains and political savvy. She's also a world-class pol, which should enable her to command respect from the political leaders she will be having to deal with around the world.

[hipocampelofantocame]

satsumajin: I have lived (live) in Europe, and may well advise you, that although
Mr. Clinton is well liked, Mrs.Clinton is not. I no longer defend her.

[campgranata]

you couldn't be more correct. She has done a great job of blurring the lines between herself and Bill, I even read on this blog that she was a Rhodes Scholar though she barely made it out of law school. Let's do this one more time: Bill Clinton , for all of his insecurities and immaturity is a political genius; MRS Clinton is his wife.

[bluecity]

Obama could be the smartest guy in the world.
How did he convince Clinton to abandon a powerful Senate position, a chance for real vocal strength on domestic issues, and a future Presidential bid? I think he offered her something much better. There aren"t many books written about Senators, even powerful ones, but there will be a metric ton of books written for decades about the US Sec of State who brokered the lasting Israel-Palestine peace agreement. She might just do it too. Obama has turned her "deficits" into assets; "shady connections" are morphed into established relationships; her "ruthlessness" will garner respect, her "personal ambition" becomes the investment needed to achieve a stable Middle East.

[Warrior7]

I am no fan of Hillary Clinton. However, the woman swallowed her pride and campaigned for the President-elect at strategic moments in the general election. Remember 'No Way, No How, No McCain'? Again, I am no fan of hers BUT she has won a seat at the table. Besides, it's not like she's going to be doing whatever pleases her...Obama is still be the boss.

I am amazed at how so many people (GOPers and others) are already criticizing every move Obama makes. He has not even been sworn in yet! Here's the deal: Wait few months and see whether the team he has put together is up to the task!

[Emlyn]

I think that Hillary Clinton would make a great Secretary of State. I just get tired of all the people who are now trying to tell Obama how he should run things. 99 1/2% of you don't know beans what he is doing but you are still going to tell him what he should do. Why don't you just sit back and wait for January 20, 2009.

[Bonobo]

It is our duty as citizens of a democracy to be informed, make judgments, and speak out when we disagree. Given the amount of information we have on the Clinton's abilities and performance, there really isn't any good reason to wait.

[NationalTreasure]

Hillary's delusonal rantings about her foreign policy experience was very helpful during the primaries -- perhaps these types of histronics will be useful in dealing with foreign leaders like Kim Jong IL, Ahmadinejhad, Mugabe and other wacko dictators

[yhgtup]

I was a huge Hillary supporter before Barack. I don't want her as Sec/State. Hillary does not appear to take direction well. I trust Barack's judgement, but I think this appointment, if it happens, will turn out to be a mistake.

[chris1942]

She is a strong politician but I don't agree with her being apointed to this position. I don't believe her and Barack Obama see eye to eye and I think there will be a lot of disagreements. There is also the fact that she doesn't have strong foreign policy experience. Here are some great quotes from her during the campaign trail: http://www.entertonement.com/collections/329/Hillary-Clinton

[bosse]

I think this is a good choice. She is not going to out rank or out do the Presidents's policies. She is smart experienced and know how things work insde the White HOuse and Washington. She will not make a fool of herself or act foolishly to get disposed of. My only fear and graet disappointment is if the new assemblage of assistants and Cabinet will impede obtaining and even handed Middle East Pece. With Waxman killing another Christian, Chairman, and Al Franken also joining the Isrealite crowd, Emanuel sitting at the right hand of the MAN, how are we expecped to do this? Hillary and Bill like all others I mean "ALL "others in govenment and Wall Street, on bended knees ,are in the Amen crowd discussing Isreal, how are we going to do justice to the Palestinians. I belive Obama sure would like to achieve middle east peace and that along with stopping this wasteful war, and providing healthe care will be his road to a place on Mount Rushmore. May God give him and Hillary courage, to see the light and do JUSTICE and show America's true greatness to ONE billion plus Muslims of the world, and the rest who are watching.

[texanna]

Thank you for a cool-headed post regarding Clinton's alleged appointment as SOS. The only other thing I could think of that would be better would be for her to take Harry's job and that isn't likely to happen. So, I'm glad that Mr. Obama is so secure that he can find a place for Sen. Clinton in his administration.

[benne]

I don't know why people don't realize that Hillary really is driven by a desire to serve. I thought her speech at the Democratic Convention said it all: she believes in longterm movements for change. This seems to be the only reason she would step down from her seat in the Senate and agree to take the Secretary of State job. She wants to make real and lasting change for the good in American foreign policy.

[KillTheMessenger]

Hmmm... I would believe that if she would act accordingly. Since she doesn't...

[NevaforLeadership]

Hillary Clinton is driven by nothing but her own personal ambition.

That is why she rings hollow: she adopts causes to further her grandiose ambitions, rather than adopting the ambitions to further the causes.

[closetodemfection]

HRC has done more good for this party and this country than most of her Senate peers. Your characterization is ludicrous.

[bosse]

Yes . She is indeed a great Politician and intelligent human being, and her desire always has been to serve. All the viscious statements being made by the likes of Hard ball Chris, O'Reilley.. etc are un-warrented,. Bill Clinton's statements are sorry proclamations, that most would have made, after such a disastrous ending of a long awaited success story, the road to the White House. I only pray that he stop his hunger for fame and money, he has both ;and just work to achieve the Nobel, by acting more wisely.

[campgranata]

you must mean SELF SERVE.

[Bonobo]

I believe that Hillary and Bill have a great desire to do good (as does George Bush), but are largely blind to realizing when it might be separate from their own interests. Barack seems to have other issues.

[mjc]

As usual, all the arguments, pro and con, are pretty much spelled out in your blog. I am one of Hillary's supporters, not an important one for sure, who do NOT want her to take that position. And the more I read of the comments here the more I am sure of it. Questioning her foreign policy experience, her "misstatements", her husband's influence, her differences with Obama in re foreign policy, so easy to do because she ran for president for God's sake and every light weight Hillary hater has gone after her with tooth and claw. Nobody questioned Condi's foreign policy credentials. She came to the National Security office from Stanford University's Provost spot and then went on to Sec of State. Likewise Madeline Albright. Albright was a a professor, and a good one, at George Washington; her field was international relations. The Obamacons would never ever accept that she is an equal of The One and thus every difficult decision would provide target practice for them. Obama might think she is worthy, and at least has said so, but his Democratic supporters like Reid, Pelosi, Howard Dean, Brazile are not the least friendly. Be difficult if not impossible to represent this nation with those detractors.

[siney]

are you forgetting the clinton years of the 90's? hillary is an old hand at facing "detractors"....hillary will be a great SOS in spite of the naysayers...

[mjc]

Yes, siney, she is very capable at defending herself and Bill but since the primary there has developed this huge body of Obama disciples...probably the best word I can summon.....who irrationally and viciously try for personal assassination of Hillary and Bill as well. If you didn't support Barack Obama or ever criticized the man....and he is just a man, after all...., you are considered manure, un-American, and racist to boot. I see no reason to give that group any target at all. She has a great future ahead of her and the courage to tackle it without regret. Even knowing that the "sources" say she will accept, still don't want her to do this.....and I am not alone.

[cgoodie]

NYT just announced offer has been made and accepted.

[PennP]

RIP, Change and Hope. Nice while it lasted. I'll go back to ignoring reality again.

[KillTheMessenger]

Reality is that with Hillary Clinton in that position the GOP will have a heck of a job trying to "pull a Palin" again in 2012.

:-)

[Speet]

I was very anti Hillary during the primaries. Now it is time to gavern in a new way. Let's all chill and lay off the fear mongering.

[siney]

are you people just addicted to victimhood? obama has been elected but THAT's not good enough? didn't you vote for him because you had faith in his capacity and judgment? is your grip on reality so tenuous that you're afraid of your own shadow? obama has shown more creativity, more courage, and a wisdom greater than his years througout this entire 2-year long campaign and you think suddenly he's gone dumb? or maybe he's that silly little ditty of being the a n t i - c h r i s t, afterall? the more and more i read so many, TOO many, of the posts here on huffpo, the more i believe that mental illness is driving the woe-is-me-hillary-took-my-lollipop-and-barry's-dissin-me sing-song that has seized the lot of you...

[NevaforLeadership]

That is sad, sad news.

The end of change, integrity and transparency.

Obama didn't even make it to the starting line -- the end of the beginning.

It's going to take me a while to get over this, after spending over a year supporting Obama.

[campgranata]

Many people who supported Obama did so because of his brilliance at anticipating and preparing for problems and therefore in many cases eliminating them. I couldn't disagree more with this choice for Secretary of State however, he does with this appointment take her out of the running for 2012.

[jhamm1]

"Some in the press have implied that she will resist his authority. This song is getting old. It's reminiscent of the chorus sung over and over about Hillary Clinton during the primaries."

A song which, despite a few token gestures explicitly designed to save face, has consistently been proven to be true.

" It's a chance for Clinton to bring her substantial knowledge of foreign relations to bear on the long climb back America faces in garnering respect again"

What kind of "substantial knowledge" could you possibly be refferring to? Her ignorance of the geo-political climate of Kosovo that perpetuated her miscalculations that Milosevic would simply pack up and leave after the first bombs fell? Despite constant attempts to overinflate the significance of her supposed "iinvolvement" in the Irish peace deal or her "substantial experience" gained from landing under alleged sniper fire, Hilary Clinton's entire career has demonstrated nothing but ignorance for foreign policy.

" Moreover, it would allow her to be front-and-center in crafting a collaborative spirit among countries now wary of the U.S. and in making diplomacy and negotiation a precursor to future considerations of war."

Indeed, such "precursors" to "negotiation" as threatening to "obliterate" Iran, idiotically supporting Bush's attempt at "resolving" the burden of weapons inspectors, plus a variety of shrug offs to the UN.

[infinity]

Word!

[PennP]

I have no idea who you are, but I think I love you.