Clinton is now your secretaryFollow

I'm reading the news hardly surprised given the heavy hints. I'm wondering what you all feel about the appointment?

I may not be her biggest fan, but it was a great strategic move and the Clintons are well respected around the world for their philanthropic endeavors.

Nexa

As I was saying before the server yakked:

I agree with Nexa. Her appointment puts a well-liked person, actually a couple, out into the world community and neutralizes a political rival. As of right now I think it's a good call.

This

Bill is well respected in Europe, but Hillary is a bit of a joke figure.

Her Kosovar bullet-dodging daydream is now her defining moment.

Women make better secretaries.

What? Somebody had to say it.

He now has her under his thumb.

Actually, this is a good strategic move. It removes her from the healthcare debate in Congress, where memories of Hillarycare still lurk in the shadows. They actually agreed on a lot of foreign policy (votes for/against Iraq aside) and voted together on key legislation most of the time. It gives Clinton a huge international presence, a foreign policy boost, and preps her for a run in 2016 should she desire it.

I wouldn't be surprised if this option was actually negotiated before Obama accepted the Democratic nomination, as part of Hillary's concession.

Someone also pointed out that Chelsea is eligible to run for mommy's senate seat in 2010, and as young as she is, she'd be a formidable opponent with her mom already in the administration.

She's certainly extremely intelligent, and in a business setting can hold her own when arguing with much older more seasoned managers.

I doubt, however, that her tender years give her anything like enough life experience for public office.

IF they don't squabble horribly, I agree that this is amazingly politically useful. It goes a long way to appeasing all the HRC supporters, and it should keep her busy with her job instead of busy campaigning behind the scenes.

What I have seen of her from my remove in Australia makes me respect her politics a lot. I've heard she was horrible to the bodyguards and aides when she was first lady, which I dislike and is very unfortunate if true. But what I've seen of the things she believes in in government policy, and her performance in public positions, I like very much, and reguard as much more important. I have confidence that she can get things done.

Bush with Condi, now Obama with Clinton...it's like we're just using a negative of the current administration.

If I was a US citizen, I would much prefer HRC's "Primaries" healthcare plan over Barrack Obama's. Not being a US citizen, I'm not really up on what all the differences between their policy plans were, but if the health plan is anything to go by, there were some substantial ones.

I presume that there's quite a few people who preferred HRC's policies to Obama's, and they might feel that there's a better chance of Obama's Presidency being "Hilary flavoured" if she's got this substantial post in his administration.

This perception of mine might be an artifact of Australian politics in comparison to American politics, where in Australia there's some processes that allow for minority voices and views to have an additive effect in the political mix of what gets done. For example the ruling Liberal Party's completely new-at-the-time Goods and Services Tax got modified substantially in some details by the very minority (3rd party)Democrat Party. The Democrat Party got fresh and unprepared food excluded from the tax, along with educational materials, when the GST was supposed to be a blanket tax on all consumer goods and services.

Edited, Dec 2nd 2008 10:15am by Aripyanfar

Someone also pointed out that Chelsea is eligible to run for mommy's senate seat in 2010, and as young as she is, she'd be a formidable opponent with her mom already in the administration.

She'd be eviscerated in an open primary in New York. Even in a primary restricted to Democratic politician's kids, she'd likely finish a distant third. Biden's rock ******* stupid kid will probably win that seat, though.

Good god man, You're an admin! Get ahold of yourself! They can smell fear!

Oh dear.