The irony of Hillary as Sec. of State

Posted: Friday, November 14, 2008 9:59 AM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Mark Murray
If Obama selects Hillary Clinton to be his Secretary of State, it would be an ironic pick -- given that Team Obama downplayed her foreign-policy credentials (especially as first lady) during the Democratic primary season.

Video: NBC Deputy Political Director Mark Murray offers his first read on who President-elect Barack Obama is considering for his cabinet... and why.

Remember this December 2007 New York Times piece, which Obama supporters grabbed on to in the build-up to Iowa? "[D]uring those two terms in the White House, Mrs. Clinton did not hold a security clearance. She did not attend National Security Council meetings. She was not given a copy of the president's daily intelligence briefing. She did not assert herself on the crises in Somalia, Haiti and Rwanda. And during one of President Bill Clinton's major tests on terrorism, whether to bomb Afghanistan and Sudan in 1998, Mrs. Clinton was barely speaking to her husband, let alone advising him, as the Lewinsky scandal sizzled."

There was also the Bosnia sniper-fire story. "It's part of a troubling pattern of Sen. Clinton inflating her foreign policy experience," an Obama campaign spokesman said at the time.

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Comments

Hillary delivered the states that blocked McCain's narrow path to victory. Obama would never have won Pennsylvania without the Clintons. So, MSNBC, get off her back! All you Hillary haters, get off her back! I was a Hillary supporter who voted for Obama in the general election. We need to put pettiness aside and work together. Hillary is most likely on a first name basis with most of the world's leaders. She would be a great Secretary of State. She would have been a great President. She is not a saint, she is a smart, capable woman.

JRM, Boise, Idaho (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:08 PM)

Its not the dumbest pick, but doubt its Obama's best option, either. I think he should go with an elder statesman - someone like Nunn or even Hagel for a reach across the aisle. Or even John Warner.

And let's not look past the possibility of elevating someone from within State now. If you have an undersecretary who is organized, respected within the department and not ideological, then why not? There's a lot of qualified folks who, because they were never elected, are never asked to be on the Sunday morning talk shows.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:09 PM)

We have no idea if the rumor is true yet so I think we should wait and see before we start shooting from the hip like some "mavericks" that we all know.

Hillary, John Kerry, and Bill Richardson are ALL qualified for the job so Barack has a tough decision to make. I don't think he will make his decision based on "favors" or who endorsed him forst, etc. He will pick the person he feels will do the best job.

We can speculate all we want, but I think we just need to sit and wait.

Oscar, Rio Vista CA (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:25 PM)

Although I believe HRC is capable, during the primary she referred to BO's approach to foreign policy as "naive" and threatened to "obliterate" Iran. As a result, Iran submitted a complaint to the UN regarding the bellicose comments from HRC...now she is going to negotiate deals with Iran? I'd imagine Iran may not be as willing to deal with her...just a thought....

sjl (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:36 PM)

Does anyone really think that Bill Richardson threw the Clintons under the bus for nothing??!!

Richardson was promised Sec. of State. If Obama offers Hillary a cabinet, or other, position it's only to try to stop her from running in 2012.

Strategic.

Margaret (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:37 PM)

Clinton is an excellent choice. Here's why: (1) She is not a polarizing figure in other countries, as she is in the states. (2) She is as tough as nails. Anybody doubting that should step up and try and compete with her. Shooting spit-wads from the cheap seats doesn't count. (3) She and Bill have a lot of political capital world wide, putting that to work is whip smart. (4) Because of Bill Clinton's major advances in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, this signals that middle-east peace is of highest priority. Combine a real peace-agreement with the world wide support the current president has, and you have a completely isolated Iran…more than whip smart. That’s strategy baby.

Sean, Crestline CA (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:42 PM)

Hillary who?

MK,MO (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:45 PM)

I know the Clintonistas want Hillary in a high profile role in the new Administration, any high profile role, but SecState is not a good fit. We need a diplomat there. Whatever skills Hillary may have displayed in past years, diplomacy is not one of them. You like her, we know, but face the fact that she has weaknesses to offset her strengths. She can't do everything perfectly. She is not a diplomat and would make a lousy SecState.

On the topic of Hillary as SecDef, anyone considering it seriously must hate the military. The Clintons are not held in high esteem there, to say the least. The friction that appointment would cause great harm, preventing important work from being done. Again, she's no diplomat, and the military establishment is not going to want to be diplomatic, either.

MSBob, Silicon Valley, CA (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:48 PM)

This sounds like manuevering for the DNC for the next 16 years...hear me out.

B.O. appoints H.C. to Secretary of State...she builds experience in this position and can either run in 2016, when Biden would be too old to run, or if Biden has any health conditions in the next four years he can bow out and Hillary can take the VP slot on the ticket, which again would put her in a position to run in 2016.

She'd still be able to serve a term at 69 years old

GP NW Indiana (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:49 PM)

Cheney and Bush had "experience." I'm so sick of these arguments. I could have run the country better than George Bush and I've never held an office. It's about SMARTS and CONFIDENCE. These are BRILLIANT people who will serve this country well. I am all for Hillary as Secretary of State.

Patrick - Portland OR (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:49 PM)

Ok here you go a little red meat for the Republicans. Hillary for Secretary of State and Bill appointed to her seat in the Senate. I like the idea.

Dave F. Florence, SC (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 12:57 PM)

Hillary is torn between her passion for travelling and her passion for the limelight. But she has got too many reasons for not being able to accept the offer.
The President-elect knows it.
If he really wanted her, he could just pick her and make it official. In stead: "seriously considering her.." And lots of buzz everywhere.
When she turns it down, everybody will know Obama tried to reach out. He will have paid his debt for her stumping.
- John Kerry? This is Barack calling.."

Stany, Toulon, France (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 5:16 PM)

I'm wondering if Obama is putting together several cabinet positions prior to announcing any...

H.C. could fill many; Health, Labor, Education or as someone mentioned earlier - Attorney General.

JL, Kansas City, Missouri (Sent Friday, November 14, 2008 5:36 PM)

I thought back in during the primaires in South Dakota when I had the opportunity to see Hilary Clinton in person and heard her speech, what an amazing Secretary of State presence. Yes to this one.

NancyJenninnges (Sent Sunday, November 16, 2008 5:30 PM)

There are many countries who think of women as low-class, especially the middle East. But we still keep appointing women secretaries of state.

MJ Iooss Brevard, NC (Sent Sunday, November 16, 2008 5:46 PM)

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