So today's big breaking news is that Obama has offered Hilary Clinton the position of Secretary of State. I had heard the names John Kerry and Bill Richardson being thrown around, and I was feeling cool with either of them. I have to say Clinton's name making it to the top of the heap all of a sudden, threw me a little. When I heard about it yesterday as a leak, I had trouble believing it.
Mostly because I have serious reservations about this. Hilary played it extremely tough and hawkish during the primary to try and not be seen as being a touchy feely lady in anyway, so it's hard to tell whether those were her real gut foreign policy positions or not. She also spent the majority of her campaign underplaying and mocking Obama on his experience in that realm. That didn't work out so well for her.
When I take a step back though, and think about this with the thought also in mind, that Obama is much more of a political genius than I will ever be, I see things from a different angle. First off, we already know that Obama is a huge fan of Lincoln, and also Dorris Kearns Goodwin's book, "Team of Rivals," about how Lincoln choose many opposing view points for the heads of his cabinets, based on the idea that "It's better to have your enemies inside your tent, pissing out, than outside your tent, pissing in."
I'm not sure how much tent pissing Hilary would be involved in in either case, but I think you get the point. Also doesn't it speak volumes about the strength of your leadership if you can make someone who opposed you policies vehemently, fall in lock step and become a soldier for the cause? (Does that sound to militaristic? I don't want anyone else saying Obama is forming a Marxist army!)
She has been around the world as first lady, even if not under sniper fire. She is known for being very good at "back door" diplomacy. I'm not really sure what that is, but it sounds like hot international revenge for Monica Lewinsky - you go girl! Seriously though, it doesn't hurt to have one of your harshest opponents become the smiling face of your new administration to the world.
And as my dear friend Tamara put it so eloquently: "EVERY THUG NEEDS A LADY"
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