Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? Yes!

Ever since Barack Obama won the primary the question has been asked, "What will Hillary do?"

The assumption has been that President-elect Barack Obama would offer her some significant position for several reasons:

• He respects her intelligence and grit.


• It is better to have her on the inside than on the outside, in keeping with Doris Kearns Goodwin's portrait of Lincoln in "A Team of Rivals."


• She deserves it, having been the good soldier and campaigned for him vigorously in the last two months.


• Her supporters continue to care passionately about her and expect her to be elevated to top position

There are only two jobs that he could actually offer her that she could accept. One would be the Supreme Court, but she has already made it clear that she is not interested and it is easy to understand why. If she accepted a seat on the court she would have to become a political nun, removed from the politics that she relishes. She is a public person who wants to remain engaged in the hurly burly of politics.

The other would be Secretary of State, one of the top three cabinet posts. She could not accept anything less, like Secretary of Health and Human Services or Ambassador to the UN. She has moved far beyond those more circumscribed roles.

Moving from the Senate to the State Department would not likely entail the loss of a Senate seat because New York Governor David Paterson would name a Democrat to fill the vacancy.

As a former Hillary supporter I would be delighted to see Hillary Clinton as the next Secretary of State. And, I know that thousands of women, not only those who voted for her, would agree. In just a short period of time, the position of Secretary of State has been filled by two capable women: Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice. It seems only fitting for President-elect Obama to follow this tradition, but not only because she's a woman, but because she is the best person for the job. She has traveled widely as First Lady, established good relationships with world leaders, and gained universal respect. And unlike Sarah Palin, throughout her primary campaign, no one questioned whether she was qualified to be President. Surely, then she is qualified to be Secretary of State.

This was originally posted at Chelsea Green.

Madeleine M. Kunin is the former Governor of Vermont and was the state's first woman governor. She served as Ambassador to Switzerland for President Clinton, and was on the three-person panel that chose Al Gore to be Clinton's VP. She is the author of Pearls, Politics, and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead from Chelsea Green Publishing.

Comments

[DaveC19]

She would be a terrible choice. She is much too hawkish. Rememer her Iraq vote? How about her support of the Kyl-Lieberman thing? What about her "obliterate Iran" comment? She is DLC and is basically a neo-con lite. She is the opposite of what we need now.

No way.

[closetodemfection]

Biden also voted for the war as did nearly every Democrat save Kucinich. Though he says he would have opposed it Obama wasn't even in office at the time and didn't have to actually make that tough decision. I seriously doubt he would have joined Kucinich and stood up against it. Look at how he voted on FISA.

HRC's comment about Iran was preceded by the question, "What would you do if Iran launched a nuclear attack against Israel?" What, pray, is the correct response to that other than the U.S. would strike the nation that launched the nuclear attack on an ally? Should she have said she would just sit down with Iran over tea and ask why they just nuked Israel? Then ask them to please not nuke any other nations?

Get real. While badly worded, her response to the hypothetical question was correct. Everything you reference is part of old political games that were played in the primaries to paint HRC as a hawk so Obama would attract voters like you who were sick of the war.

[Petunia39]

Her response to the "hypothetical" question should have been that she does not discuss "hypotheticals" as she did many other times on many other issues. Or she could have said that this "hypothetical" is ridiculous. Biden also favors talks with Iran, as does Colin Powell, and even Kissinger.

[DaveC19]

She would be a terrible choice. She is much too hawkish. Rememer her Iraq vote? How about her support of the Kyl-Lieberman thing? What about her "obliterate Iran" comment? She is DLC and is basically a neo-con lite. She is the opposite of what we need now.

No way.

[fem56]

Hillary Clinton benefited big time getting Barack Obama elected. He doesn't owe her Secretary of State. It bugs me the way Hillary wears "her supporter" around her shoulders like a mantle. Like she is still the queen bee (a long suffering one at that) and these are her minions. That said, she is a very capable, talented woman and Barack Obama is in a better position to judge who is best for this role than I am. Obama is smart choosing cabinet members who can take off on day one.

[gisellestwocents]

What about Attorney General?

[Fabienne]

This has nothing to do with the primaries. It has to do with wanting a Secretary of State who is diplomatic and committed to negotiation over violence, and has the detachment and social skills to carry off delicate and difficult relationships with both friendly and hostile governments. There is nothing in Senator Clinton's past that tells me she is capable of this. And I would have said the same thing if the primary battle between Clinton and Obama never happened.

[mikeant50]

When will we stop being Hillary and Obama supporters and become just Democrats or Progressives again? If I see another post where someone calls themselves that, I'm going to scream. News alert, people. The primary has been over for months. We won, so why all the freaking ill-will. Get over it and lets get to the business of fixing the mess created by the Republicans. If President-elect Obama feels Senator Clinton is his best choice for State, that I will trust his judgment. I elected him as president and not as my yes man. I will continue to support him and trust his judgment, instead of questioning every decision he makes.

[sussex123]

I wheamently oppose her nomination...I thnk Richardson or any center right candidate would be much better...

[Jonathanfast]

I second the motion for Bill Richardson as Secretary of State BECAUSE there are too many foreign olicy experts on the team: Joe Biden, whoever will be picked by Obama to be his National adviser, and of course Obama himself.

HILLARY WOULD BE PERFECT ON THE SUPREME COURT. Especially if she is teemed with Valerie Jarrett as the second nominee to a vacancy on SCOTUS.

[JimR]

Agree.

[pashupat]

I really disagree with this post. Based on Clinton's positions on foreign policy as revealed during the primaries, I think her appointment as Sec. of State would instantly pop the foreign policy spirit that Obama's election has engendered around the world. Her positions are much more aggressive and would confuse and put foreign leaders back on their guard.
Plus I don't see her as a diplomat. She seems to enjoy working more with the nitty gritty details and frankly, with average American people--which is where she seemed to get her real strength and identity during the primaries. Sec of State involves working with powerful, wealthy, foreign leaders. She'd be better off staying in the Senate or running HHS.

[hellenhat]

No, No, and NO. Hillary Clinton should not the job,even if offered. Yes, she would make a wonderful Secretary of State. She is smart, she is tough and she has been involved for many, many years in the crises that have affected our country. However, for her, Sec'y of State is "the end". If she takes that, she is out of Senate and would never go back, if she takes it, and does not keep for the full 8 years (assuming Obama's re election), then what does she do?

Staying in the Senate and becoming the next "Ted Kennedy" is where she can do the most for our country and for what she cares most about....women's rights, health care, and children

Don't do it, Hillary, think of your long term legacy. They are many, many other qualified persons for Sec'y State (Chuck Hagel is my favorite), there is only one Senator Hillary Clinton and that is what you should be most remembered for......your accomplishments in the Senate.

[XME]

I'm sure she is thinking of her career, and probably thinking it could be the perfect platform to launch another run for president in 2016!

[Pema]

She is not a better choice than Bill Richardson. he has sucess in dealing with intense situations and has gotten a cease fire in Darfur, the end of missle testing form North Korea.
Hillary had to stump for Barack, she had to save her legacy. there is nothing to reward, she just didnt fight him in the primaries, she tried to destroy him. Sec of State isnt her passion its health care. She would do great in Health and Human Services so lets see if she trades her passion for power.

[nightsdoor]

Hillary does not deserve any position based upon simply being Hillary. However, I do think she would make a great Secretary of Health and Human Services. And I think she is better suited for that role.
It fits her resume dating back to her attempt as First Lady to equalize access to health care and it puts her in a position to keep fighting for women's reproductive rights.

I'm for John Kerry as Sec. State.

[joebhed]

Madame Governor,

Actually, YOU would be a better candidate.

[Dupree]

I am so tired of people assuming that Hillary "deserves" this position and that "she will not settle for anything less" mentalitiy. It is aburd. The fact that Hillary campaign for Obama does not earn her extraordinary points. There was a selfish motive at the agenda...her legacy. She ran such a bitter and dirty, Karl Rovian style primary campaign that it was in HER best interest to pull the party together that she deliriously sought to bring down in the name of ambition. I recognize that politics can be a dirty sport contest...but she was so ruthless that it showed a side of her that I simply do not trust. I would much rather see Obama select Bill Richardson for HE really do have diplomacy knowledge on his resume..he negotiated to have soldiers released from Korea. This qualifications outshine Hillary role as first lady visiting countries.

But to all of Hillary former supporters STOP assuming that she is owed anything. She ran an election like Edwards and all the other opponents in the primaries and simply decided to stay LONG after it was reasonable for her to win and she dragged out the process and ended up in enormous debt. This is not a plus but a subtraction. Let's not rewrite history.

[StellaZ]

"What will Hillary do?"

Hillary lost. She lost even when trying to use every means necessary to defeat President-elect Obama. She tried experience. It didn't work. She tried being a victim. It didn't work. She and Bill tried race-baiting rove-atwater-helms tactics. It didn't work. McCain tried all ove the above and he lost as well.

Obama owes her nothing. In fact, it is with sadness I read the way he seemingly succombs to the pressure to consider Bill & Hillary as some type of political royalty by the democratic party. To millions of Americans they are not, and as President he needs to consider the millions he will alienate if he includes her in his administration.

If Hillary Clinton truly cared about health care as much as she has stated, she would in humility welcome the opportunity to serve as Secretary of Health to finally achieve her much-touted vision for universal healthcare. Yet what she and Bill demonstrate again and again is their core concern is themselves, their legacy and their future. The striking difference between them and President-elect Obama is their lack of humility and fierce no-holds-barred amtition.

HIllary lost. She should be grateful she still has a senate seat and be forced to run for it again rather than be rewarded with an appointment. If Obama does so it will be 'Politics as Usual' and more of the same.

[queotic]

"She could not accept anything less, like Secretary of Health and Human Services or Ambassador to the UN. She has moved far beyond those more circumscribed roles."

I'm neither for nor against HRC as Sec. of State, but where does this sense of entitlement come from? She won't "accept anything less?" She's "moved far beyond" those other roles? HRC is an accomplished woman, but let's be straight - she's just a junior Senator from NY serving her second term. I didn't consider being First Lady as "experience" during the primaries and I don't accept it now (being an elected official responsible to your constituents is completely different than being placed into power and not being responsible to anyone). If she accepts the position that Obama offered her, then that's great - but this sense of "this is owed to me" (one of the reasons she lost the primaries) needs to go.