Hillary To State?

OK, since this appointment of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State is appearing more likely (though not yet a done deal as the Guardian says) I thought I'd write about it. The top-level view of this is that Bill Clinton's business dealings are the major stumbling block, many of which could give the appearance of a conflict of interest.

The vetting of Mr. Clinton’s myriad philanthropic and business dealings is “complicated, and it may be the complications that are causing hesitation on both sides,” said Abner J. Mikva, one of Mr. Obama’s closest supporters and a White House counsel during the Clinton administration. “There would have to be full disclosure as to who all were contributors to his library and foundation. I think they’d have to be made public.”

While aides to the president-elect declined Monday to discuss what sort of requirements would make it possible for Mrs. Clinton to serve as secretary of state, they said Mr. Obama would not formally offer her the job unless he was satisfied that there would be no conflicts posed by Mr. Clinton’s activities abroad.

I don't think the husband of the Secretary of State could accept lump sum payments from foreign governments. Even if it had no effect on governance, the appearance of impropriety would drive the cable sharks mad.

Which in many ways you're already seeing. With the serious challenges that we have to face at home an abroad, I don't know why you would risk endless distraction just because of a fetish with Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals" (and like I said, the REAL rivals were seceding from the Union and forming an Army at that time). Hillary Clinton is quite confirmable and wouldn't have a problem there, but the spigot of Clinton gossip would be wide open and unbearable.

That is not a reason not to do it, however. You employ the best men and women for the job. And so the question becomes, is Hillary that person? I know that she accompanied Madeleine Albright abroad often during her run as Secretary of State, and she certainly has a wealth of experience. It is also true that my comfort level with Obama over Clinton in the primaries was mainly cased on foreign policy. Clinton is probably more progressive than Obama on the domestic front, but she called his idea for diplomacy with enemies to be "dangerous and naive." A lot of that is campaign talk, and I'm sure she'd carry out Obama's wishes. At the same time, the leaders of these various departments are not without power and influence. And they are also managers of a large agency, and Clinton didn't do entirely well with that in the primaries.

I'm very torn on the idea, and I see it as high risk with the potential for high reward. Clinton is a pro, but the gossipmongers and Kremlinologists will be out in force to look at every nod and wink and gesture for signs of tension. If the media could be cordoned off with strict limits on Clinton discussion, well then OK.

...It's entirely possible that the gasbag outcry is the desired effect, a misdirection so that Obama can govern and Hillary can take the circus-like atmosphere. I'm not sure it would work out that way, but it's possible.