I find it foolhardy to comment on presidential politics even before midterm congressional elections. Yet nothing will stimulate more such premature speculation quite like the oracle of political journalists, Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, declaring on CNN yesterday that an Obama-Clinton ticket is “on the table” for 2012.
But instead of joining all of the nattering fools now mouthing off in this respect, I shall just take this opportunity to make an unheard of admission. After all, political commentators are even more loath to admit their mistakes than politicians. But, as the headline above indicates, I’m not one of them.
In this case, I admonished President-elect Obama against nominating Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Here, in part, is how I expressed my reasons why:
Appointing Hillary as secretary of state would be tantamount to inviting her (and her husband Bill) to set up a de facto parallel presidency predicated on the fiction that she will deal with foreign affairs and Obama will deal with domestic affairs. And, frankly, this would be a perfect recipe for untenable tension within his presidency, which would have Obama constantly looking over his shoulder to see what machinations Hillary is concocting to upstage him.
(Hillary as Secretary of State?! Don’t do it Barack, The iPINIONS Journal, November 15, 2008)
However, even though the jury is still out, all indications are that I was wrong. For both Hillary and Bill have demonstrated loyalty beyond reproach in executing Obama’s foreign policy agenda – from resetting America’s relationship with Russia in her case to spearheading this country’s rebuilding efforts in Haiti in his.
No doubt this is why so many Democrats are already salivating over the prospect of an Obama-Clinton ticket (and why so many Republicans are dreading it). And if you’re wondering about current VP Joe Biden, well, he’ll probably be all too happy to switch jobs with Hillary to become secretary of state in an Obama second term. Not least because, as everyone knows, this is the job Biden, who was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for years, really wanted in the first place.
But how’s this for speculation: the reason behind this game of political musical chairs is so that Hillary will have a running (Al-Gore like) start to run for president in 2016. But I digress.
So here’s to Hillary (and Bill) for being such team (Obama) players – even if it’s only their Machiavellian way of positioning themselves to return to the White House … eight years later than planned.
Related commentaries:
Hillary as secretary of state
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