Hillary At State?

Hillary as Secretary of State?  Hillary has or has not been offered the job and will or will not accept (the Guardian is more definitive but are they credible?).

As always with the Clintons the first question is, does this advance their political interests?  Hard to see how - Peter Beinart argues that Hillary that at State Hillary will rank third in influence behind Vice President and Fo-Po Guru Joe Biden (We'll score that a 'hmm') and a National Security Adviser to be named later (likely).  And what does she do for an encore?  Eventually her time at State will end, after which she will do what - hit the lecture circuit with Bill and attempt to amass a fortune of comparable worth? Why is that better than Senator for Life from New York?

Curious.  But this at least makes more sense than the idea of nominating her for the Supreme Court. That wold provoke a confirmation scuffle which would have folks waxing nostalgic for the collegiality of the Bork and Thomas days, as dead-end righties (myself included) would demand a page by page review of the Ray report, which found "inconclusive" evidence of wrongdoing by the First Couple.  Hard to believe that Obama thinks that re-fighting that craziness from the nineties will advance hope, change, and a post-partisan agenda. 

Well.  Since State is not a lifetime appointment and is more of a political than legal job I would be shocked if her confirmation hearing for that would swirl around Whitewater.

Comments

[BumperStickerist]

My guess is that Hillary(!) will play the role of "John the Baptist" to the Middle East.

She'll go forth and let the people in the Middle East know that One is following her whose sandals she is not fit to tie.

Obama will then show up.

Whereupon, doves descend, lions lie down with lambs, swords morph into ploughshares, priests of Ba'al are immolated, swarms of locusts, plagues of toads ...

it's all good.

.

[clarice]

Sweetness & Light believes at one of those questions in the 63 pp Obama-aire was designed for Clinton..in fact he shows that the NYT pdf version has the name Clinton penciled in by someone in the margin.Curiosuly, the NYT today runs an article questioning for the first time I believe Clinton's money raking in operation in the ME.

[Will Wills]

Her confirmation for either the Supreme Court or for State would sail through the Senate. Who or what would stop her.

Senatorial courtesy is huge, they watch out for each other. Orin Hatch would have been confirmed easily if Bush had nominated him. Leiberman, Kerry or Lugar for State likewise.

These people vote and speak on all sides of everything. And they allow each other to do so. Just remember Kerry voting for before voting against. 100% of them do that 90% of the time. Never look to the Senate or House to find principles.

[Pofarmer]

O.K. This is proof that we're not teaching Economics or science in school anymore.

From Zogby.com

UTICA, New York - More than three in four voters - 78% - believe investing in clean energy is important to revitalizing America's economy. Of those, 50% said they strongly agree clean energy investment is vital to the nation's economic future, a new Zogby Interactive post-election poll shows.

Support for clean energy investment is particularly strong among younger voters - 87% of those age 18-24 and 80% of those age 18-29 believe this type of investment is necessary to help improve the U.S. economy. African American voters (94%) and Hispanic voters (84%) also showed overwhelming support for clean energy investment.

While the vast majority of Democrats (96%) and independent voters (77%) view clean energy investment as a key means to boost the U.S. economy, more than half of Republican voters (58%) also said the same.

What will it take for economic reality to kick these people in the head?

[Neo]

This guy is shameless .. still.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

What will it take for economic reality to kick these people in the head?

That's a rhetorical question, right?

[RichatUF]

Pofarmer-

What will it take for economic reality to kick these people in the head?

Unemployment and rolling blackouts-but those could probably be blamed on the evil coal companies. It is good to see that Team Obama is picking up Clinton's old trick of polling minuta, ginning the results up to show overwhelming support, and then propose micro-initives to fatten supporters. Dick Morris and Mark Penn must be quietly sharing the moment.

[Porchlight]

Neo,

I wish our President-Elect came with a similar certificate of authenticity.

[Skeptic]

Does anyone else think the Hillary for State thing is just a charade? I can't believe Obama wants Hillary anywhere near his administration, let alone in such a high-profile post. And Hillary probably has long known this -- wouldn't be suprised if Obama's people already told the Clintons as much some time ago. So they agree to this face-saving scenario for Hillary, where he "offers" her the post subject to all the conflict clearances knowing that there is zero chance Bill and Hill can pass that test, and Hillary will eventually make a statement about how she wants to continue to represent the great people of New York in the Senate and Bill should keep doing his important work. Obama will have placated the Hillary supporters and Hillary can pretend she was paid the respect to which she is entitled.

But it's all a charade.

[Bel Air]

I'm with Skeptic. The SoS job is for the Puma dead enders. Hillary gets 'un-dissed' (and money to repay campaign loans) and the Pumas join the O-fold.

No matter how bad it gets the Republicans cannot must enough firepower to weaken Obama. Republicans can be ignored. As always. But Republicans plus Pumas can't be ignored.

[Bel Air]

must = muster

[Daddy]

Might I suggest that for all these potential Cabinet Members they all join the next class in POW Training at Warner Springs. I see the President elect is making sure that it is reported that he is now reading books on FDR's administration, as well as one on Lincoln, (probably Doris Kearnes Goodwin's Team of Rivals). I would suggest a week in the woods shivering with the troops they'll be commanding, ala waterboards etc, might be of similar value.

[Barney Frank]

Obama will then show up.

Whereupon, doves descend, lions lie down with lambs, swords morph into ploughshares, priests of Ba'al are immolated, swarms of locusts, plagues of toads ...

it's all good.

Well in the real story Obama would end up nailed to a chunk of wood and lacking the ability to raise himself from the dead I suspect he will suffer the same modern day fate of every idiot politician who tries to impose a solution on Israel; a nice shiny Arab khanjar in the back.

[clarice]

I do not think it's a charade. It would cost him unbelievable amounts of capital to allow this meeting and speculation and then not offer her the position. There's a possibility the Clintons might decide that bottling up Bill is too expensive a price, but it must appear the choice was their's to make.

[JM Hanes]

Being Obama's nominal first choice for SOS does a lot more for Hillary than actually accepting the spot. Contra Beinart, influence is not a function of rank, but of the President's pleasure and whatever access and/or independence he allows. Obama is all about control -- controlling the message, the image, the access, the money -- and that's what this is about. Cabinet appointees won't be carving out territories in his administration, least of all arch rival Hillary. She'll toe the line or get the boot, and he's certainly not about to let her claim credit for any foreign policy successes at the expense of his own political capital.

If Hillary turns him down (and she'd be crazy not to), he'll get points for asking. If she accepts, she cedes leadership of the Senate (advantage Obama), and once her seat is filled, Obama can fire her at will -- effectively removing her from the political power structure almost entirely. If she actually survives his first term in office, she'll be in no position to run against him again either. From an Obama perspective this is all good.

If Obama's administration goes down in flames, Hillary won't be in a position to run against anybody else either, so I'm not seeing any percentage for Hillary in sacrificing her own power base to accept. There could be something, or some backroom deal, that I'm not seeing, but unless the Clintons are contemplating a little international highlife before permanent retirement, I see her playing this for the coverage and then saying no.

[Thomas Collins]

Perhaps Zero plans to send SecOStateHill to Somalia to scare the pirates. See LUN.

[bad]

Does Hillary have anything on Obama which does away with his ability to fire her at will?

[Soylent Red]

A slightly OT anecdote...

I forwarded the Ziegler/Zogby vid on Obama supporters and the media to a liberal friend of mine. Late twenties, Jewish, urbanite in the DC area.

The viciousness of the response surprised even me. Ironically, he tacitly suggested that I was not a critical thinker.

Looks like I'll be shedding a few people from my Christmas card list over the next four years. I take some comfort in knowing that he probably was never really my friend anyway, and only tolerated my bitter, clinging ways by virtue of his superior breeding, intellect, and commitment to political inclusiveness.

[thinkingagain]

Someone on another site mentioned that the LATimes released the cases that Obama worked on when he was a lawyer but I tried searching for it today and couldn't find it.

Has anyone seen this or know where I can find it?

These are the possible reasons I think he offered Clinton the job:

1) During the primaries she compiled a list of damaging information about him - she found out something but decided not to use it during the primaries, maybe because although it was damaging, it wouldn't have helped her. They know she has this information and will give her the job to insure she doesn't use it. I have been thinking about the bc and the reasons he won't let anyone see it. I don't believe Obama isn't a citizen because the DNC wouldn't waste millions on a candidate who was ineligible. Maybe the bc has other information he doesn't want people to see but wouldn't make him ineligible but could damage his reputation. Maybe his father isn't who he says - that could ruin his career because it would mean he wrote a memoir based on lies. If Clinton found this out she could use it against him.

2) They want Clinton to be nominated so that Bill has to reveal of his financial information which could be damaging to her career - this would assure that she never tries to be President again.

[bad]

Guess he lacks a sense of humor Soylent. No loss...

[clarice]

Yes, Soyleny. If there's one thing libs hate it is being aware of how only the very highly educated and the very ignorant bought O's song and dance.

[Extraneus]

Does Hillary have anything on Obama which does away with his ability to fire her at will?

Is it conceivable that she wouldn't have found some way to share it with McCain if she had? I could see him deciding not to use it, though. He's an excellent loser, after all.

[Porchlight]

Soylent,

I considered forwarding that to a liberal friend with whom I've disagreed in the recent past. But we've been friends since infancy and best friends since college. So I decided that for the sake of my oldest closest friendship, I have to shut up, even though she sent me some BS commentary on the economy last week.

[clarice]

**SoylenT** (DRAT)

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Someone on another site mentioned that the LATimes released the cases that Obama worked on when he was a lawyer but I tried searching for it today and couldn't find it.

Has anyone seen this or know where I can find it?

LA Times Only Just Notices Obama Has Thin Resume?

[matt]

this election has ended a number of friendships, it seems. Had the same thing happen when I discussed McCain with a very old and close friend. She called me a racist. That pretty much ended that.

[matt]

3,700 billable hours in 4 years for Obama at his law firm? I'm surprised he wasn't asked to leave or denied a partnership. They want you billing at least 35 -40 hours/week, even if you didn't work them.

[Pofarmer]

?So I decided that for the sake of my oldest closest friendship, I have to shut up,

Never seen the political divide like this in the U.S. before. There are certain people you don't discuss politics with. Either that, or make new friends.

[bad]

from Sara's link:

In 1994, Obama appeared in Cook County court on behalf of Woodlawn Preservation & Investment Corp., defending it against a suit by the city, which alleged that the company failed to provide heat for low-income tenants on the South Side during the winter.

GASP!! He defended a corporation who failed to provide heat for low-income folks.

[Extraneus]

The viciousness of the response surprised even me.

Isn't it interesting how much less than magnanimous they are in victory? Kinda makes one wonder how they'll use all the new power.

[JM Hanes]

Oh, jeez. Here we go. Eric Holder will be Obama's Attorney General. Hopenchange, meet Bus.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

And this one sounds really earth-shaking:

According to Morain, some of Obama's "big" cases were the case of a shortchanged babysitter,...

[Extraneus]

Oh good, we get to talk about Marc Rich and his ex-wife again, just in time for the Hillary hearings.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Presidential Assasin’s Lawyer to be White House Counsel?

Barack Obama has selected Gregory Craig as White House counsel, a move that will recall some controversial legal cases over the last few years…

…Besides defending Clinton through the impeachment process, an effort that Craig lost, who else had the benefit of Craig’s counsel?

* Elian Gonzalez’s father - Craig represented the father who demanded the return of his son after his estranged wife died trying to take Elian to freedom. Most people saw this as a thinly-veiled publicity stunt from Fidel Castro, attempting to embarrass the US. The dispute got resolved when Janet Reno ordered an armed assault on the house where Elian’s family in the US provided him a home.
* John Hinckley, Jr - Craig presented and won the insanity defense that allows Ronald Reagan’s would-be assassin to spend weekends with his family now.
* Kofi Annan - The former Secretary-General of the UN hired Craig to defend his interests in the Volcker Commission probe of the Oil-for-Food scandal, which put billions of dollars into Saddam Hussein’s pockets while providing cash for Annan’s son, his deputies, and some allege Annan himself.
* Pedro Gonzalez Pinzon - A Panamanian legislator wanted for murdering an American soldier in 1992. The Dallas Morning News demanded that Obama force Craig to drop the case during the campaign, but no report of whether he did is easily available.

I doubt that any President has selected the defender of a presidential assassin as White House Counsel before now. Does anyone want to guess how long that takes to become a Trivial Pursuit question?

[clarice]

Well, now that pisses me off. I wrote an over 2400 word piece for PJM on justice including bits on the front funners for AG. It was supposed to go in Monday or this morning and was held up to run something else. Now it's probably useless to them and I won't even get the pittance they pay. F*&)(!!

[clarice]

**front Runners*** (I am really over tired and over worked and it shows I'm afraid.)

[Extraneus]

I thought it read better the first time, Clarice.

(I hardly ever notice your typos until your correction posts, then I go back and think 'Wow, I guess I just got what she was saying. Wonder why she corrected it.')

Fresh-baked focaccia and a nice Italian red, out on the veranda (or as they spell it on next year's NR cruise website, 'verandah'). Better than vitamins for what ails ya.

[Porchlight]

There are certain people you don't discuss politics with. Either that, or make new friends.

Yeah, pretty much. Luckily it is only really bad during Presidential election years. But one must step lightly.

[bad]

From JMH's link:

...he (Eric Holder) has sharply criticized the secrecy and the expansive views of executive power advanced by the Bush Justice Department.

Let's see if he will remain sharply critical of secrecy and expansive executive power in the Obama administration. Don't hold your breath.

[centralcal]

Well...DU is going Chiquita bananas over Holder!

Clarice: Sorry to hear about the PJM piece.

[clarice]

Holder has also been critical of all the WOT moves of the Administration. Look for a captured jihadi thug to be out on bail in the neighborhood.

[Gone...........................]

Since Hilly won't take State cause of her husband, who was President before she was Congress, can't we trade Beau for like AG since he won't take Joe's old Congress seat or maybe State since his dad gives away 100 of billions a year in foreign aid? Dad was good for money, so why not put the son at State where he'll be appreciated for all that free money? We could use Hilly as an AG too since it' doesn't involve foreign bribes like Obama's Biden(dad, not son) or Hilly's husband.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

We could use Hilly as an AG

Wouldn't she have to be able to pass the DC bar to be AG? Something she failed to do, if I recall correctly.

[clarice]

She passed the Ark one so she'd be fine.

Some days I really love Larry Eagleburger:

Tellin it like it is

[bad]

Thanks for that link Clarice. Eagleburger was delightful.

[Elliott]

There's a possibility the Clintons might decide that bottling up Bill is too expensive a price

Do they have to do that or do they just have to promise to do that?

Furthermore, why are we worried about the spouse of a cabinet secretary? Has "I think people's families are off limits" already expired?

[Elliott]

Really, what could make Obama rest easier than Hillary in state?

[bad]

Hillary lying in state?

[Elliott]

Hillary lying

Doesn't that go without saying? It is the Clintons we're talking about.

[Rick Ballard]

"Now it's probably useless to them and I won't even get the pittance they pay."

Didn't read up on Hollywood-Ferengi accounting rules I take it? The cycling screenwriter repenthouse editor's guild started off screwing people from day -1 so your experience can't really go in the "What a surprise?" bin. "Cash in advance" (to mean "the check has cleared") would seem a wise future path.

bad,

That was a real keeper.