If this report is to be believed, the talk about making Hillary Clinton Secretary of State is quite serious indeed, as the work and finances of former President Clinton are being checked to ensure that there is nothing that would prevent Senator Clinton from taking over at Foggy Bottom. What isn’t being vetted, however, is whether Senator Clinton would bring anything special or particular to the position of Secretary of State–beyond, of course, a famous name. No one is asking what Senator Clinton’s strategic worldview is. No one is asking what she envisions her duties and responsibilities to be in the event that she is named America’s top diplomat. No one is asking why Senator Clinton should be chosen over, say, people like Richard Holbrooke or Sam Nunn or others who actually have more grounding in foreign policy, even if they do not have the famous Clinton name behind them. Instead, there is a breathless sense of bedazzlement about the potential Clinton appointment that seems to preclude any and all questions concerning what a Clinton appointment would mean substantively for the conduct of American foreign policy.
Can we ask those questions at some point in time? Can we have an actual substantive discussion over why Hillary Clinton should be chosen over others as Secretary of State? Or are we going to continue focusing on questions of stardom and ignore questions of substance?
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Daniel Horowitz
The smartest woman in the world
ColoKid Tuesday, November 18th at 1:08AM EST (link)can do anything, doncha know? Next she’ll be Surgeon General, because she knows so much about healthcare.
Obama’s selection of Clinton would obviously be based on political considerations that benefit him rather than substantive ones that benefit the country. Her “star power” would count for nil in dealing with Putin and Ahmedinejad. My biggest question continues to be: Why would she take the job, knowing that she’s not the best qualified and that her appointment would benefit him politically, at her expense? She’d be breaking no new ground for women here, being preceded by Albright and Rice. Maybe she’s just seeking all those photos of her shaking hands with foreign leaders to hang on her office wall. And then there’ll be the book deals.
Mirror situation
TiagoSF Tuesday, November 18th at 1:32AM EST (link)You right wingers wigged out big time when very similar questions were actually asked of Sarah Palin, calling it gotcha journalism, sexist, etc, etc. Sure, these questions should be asked of Hillary. The only difference is that, contrary to Gov. Palin, HC would be able to answer them intelligently, thoughtfully and in complete sentences.
Hillary Clinton is one of the few people who would actually be capable of telling Obama "don't make me look like a wuss"
JSobieski (Diary) Tuesday, November 18th at 3:20AM EST (link)Sam Nunn would never get the nod.
Many people on this site (myself included) reached the conclusion that Hillary was superior to Obama purely on the basis of foreign policy. I stand by that conclusion.
Hillary is the only person who can pull off keeping Biden out.
Biden wanted wanted to send Iran a check for a couple million dollars after 9/11.
Biden is a train wreck waiting to happen.
My rules of the road for primary season.
Rule #1: Vote for YOUR first choice in the primaries
Rule #2: Vote for the R in the general.
Rule #3: Don’t let anyone convince you to violate Rule #1 or Rule #2
Rule #4: When in a center-right argument, reaffirm Rules #1-#3–it will help us all to get along better.
Rule #5: If you are using the language of the left, you probably aren’t furthering conservativism
Rule #6: The priority is issues first, candidates second, and supporters third. Nobody is bigger than the issues. Conversely, if you spend your time focusing on supporters, you are wasting everyone’s time.
STOP THE MADNESS!
A reduction in the rate of spending increases is NOT a cut!
In-state tuition for illegals is NOT amnesty!
Requiring someone to pay their medical bills is NOT an individual mandate!
Reducing tax rates is NOT a tax increase!
Vetting
joetheslacker Tuesday, November 18th at 5:25AM EST (link)Since the MSM is out to lunch and we will never see the vetting files…
One would think that those (and more) are the types of questions that Obama is asking all potential nominees for secretary positions.
And as far as Hillary is concerned. Unless you where living in a cave over the past 2 years and missed the primaries you probably have a pretty decent idea about her world view and how she see’s the role of the US in foreign affairs.
Agreeing with it is a whole other ball game.
The Willing Suspension
Wayne (Diary) Tuesday, November 18th at 7:19AM EST (link)of disbelief? Did you sleep through her comments on the surge, sparky? She has a grasp of foreign affairs, but that’s all. Oops, maybe it should be foreign matters?
But, if it’s her, or letting Joe B have a hand in running State, maybe she is the choice for the Obamunist. And, there’s still the matter of the Rose law firm and billings from there, FBI files, etc. etc.
“Hell, these are Marines. Men like them held Guadalcanal, and took Iwo Jima, Baghdad ain’t s–t”. Maj. Gen. John F. Kelly, USMC, Deputy CG, First MEF
Clinton (Bill) at least understood the world
NotSoBlueStater (Diary) Tuesday, November 18th at 10:22AM EST (link)It took until his second term, though. But that’s what I like about this pick. My fear was that somebody as naive as The One himself might get the nod. The Clintons often lack the political will to do what needs to be done, but at least they have enough background to understand the terrain.
I found the suggestion of Hillary comforting, frankly. Especially compared to a foreign policy whiz of the likes of Biden, for example. She’ll be mediocre, and that’s okay with me.
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The Conservative creed has never offered a life of ease without effort. Democracy is not for such people. Self-government is for those men and women who have learned to govern themselves. – Margaret Thatcher