Will Obama Select Bill Clinton for Secretary of State?
No that’s not a typo. The rumors picking up steam all day to day and now into the weekend that Obama is thinking of appointing Hillary to be the Secretary of State is rather depressing. She is not experienced for the position, so this would represent pure politics, not change. John Kerry is 1000 times more qualified, and like Bill Richardson who is 5000 times more qualified, Kerry speaks a foreign language. That would be change: a bilingual Secretary of State!
With hubby’s fingers in undisclosed foreign pockets, I don’t see how selecting Hillary is a smart move. The choice will not muzzle the FORMER president on foreign matters where he has some secrets and conflicting interests, to say nothing about his foundation’s money being tossed around for “good will” to his pet global projects.
The notion that Hillary, that woman, will work for that man “who can’t win the election”, would be the biggest stretch of this entire process. I understand the “need to keep your enemies closer”, but this is way too close, and an insecure move on Obama’s part.
Oops, I think I just violated my 168 day pledge of no criticism. But…
Posted: November 14th, 2008 under Best of the Blogs.
Comments: 3
Comments
Comment from Sasha
Time: November 14, 2008, 5:32 pm
No.
Comment from bdr
Time: November 14, 2008, 9:55 pm
Comment from Carlos Navarro
Time: November 20, 2008, 7:59 pm
Barack Obama’s decision to offer Hillary Clinton the Secretary of State post could well turn out to be his first major blunder, for these obvious reasons:
First, there’s the inseparable bond with her husband Bill. Given the duo’s unquenchable thirst for power, they would not be content to play second fiddle. From day one they would be scheming to usurp control of the White House. Once they get a foothold, Obama would be hard-pressed to rein them in.
Then, there’s the Clintons’ long history of corruption, deception and sleaze—Whitewatergate, Pardongate, Cattle-futuresgate, Chinagate, Filegate, Fellatiogate, the impeachment and near conviction, the punitive IRS audits, the violent deaths of potentially incriminating witness. This alone would provide Obama’s enemies with all the grime they needed to smear his presidency.
Consider further that unlike a Condoleezza Rice or a Madelaine Albright—not to mention bona fide statesmen like Henry Kissinger, Dean Rusk and John Foster Dulles–Hillary Clinton lacks the educational and cultural gravitas to represent our nation abroad. Her lawyering in Arkansas and stint in Congress doesn’t quite cut it. She did get 18 million votes in the Democratic primaries, probably more than Obama, but a large proportion of those votes were cast by diehard feminists and the less educated, hardly the constituency whose support lends credibility to a Secretary of State.
Barack Obama should recall the reasons why he didn’t choose Hillary as his VP running mate. For his and the nation’s sake, let us hope that she doesn’t accept his Secretary of State offer.
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