Simple Man Politics

Today we are going to talk about President Elect Obama’s potential pick of the Democratic Senator from New York Hillary Rodham Clinton, for Secretary of State. This pick has the ability to be extremely advantageous for the incoming administration for a variety of reasons, but could be a hindrance also. This could be true for Senator Clinton as well.

One of the benefits for the incoming administration is the celebrity that Mrs. Clinton will bring to the post. Included in that benefit, is Bill Clintons star status on the world stage. Both of the Clintons are very well received around the world by most governments. Hillary also has established some personal relationships with world leaders as a former first lady that would give her a stable platform from which to negotiate with other nations.

Another benefit for the incoming Obama administration is that by having Hillary Clinton in the cabinet is that it may thwart Hillary’s potential run for the White House in 2012. It would be very hard for Hillary to mount a campaign, because you usually start one about two years prior to the election. It would require Hillary to resign her post after only two years, run against the incumbent President from her own party, as a former member of his own cabinet. That would probably not be a wise move for Hillary.

Yet another benefit will be the fact that the Democratic Party would not lose the Hillary’s senate seat to the Republican Party. In all likelihood the seat would go to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. This means that the Democrats and Obama would maintain the same majority in the upper house of congress that they won on November 4th.

A hindrance for the Obama administration is the fact that Hillary really has very little foreign policy experience. Although Hillary hit Obama pretty hard on foreign policy during her campaign her experience is not much more than that of her potential boss. This would be offset by the fact that the White House would control all major foreign policy decisions and VP elect Joe Biden is a foreign policy heavyweight. The downside for Hillary is that she will not be dictating foreign policy.

Another potential hindrance for the incoming administration could be whether or not Bill Clinton can be reined in by Hillary and Obama. Bill Clinton does a lot of his work overseas and makes a large amount of his money from this. Bill Clinton’s foreign policy may not be in sync with the Obama administration and this may lead Hillary to question where her loyalties lie. It would be a first for a Secretary of State to be married to a former US President. However I personally do not think she would be disloyal to the people or government of the United States.

I personally think there are more pluses than minuses for Obama to have Hillary as Secretary of State. I think in time she might grow into the position and be quite good at the job. I believe that if Hillary is planning a run for the party Presidential nomination for the 2012 election she should not accept the appointment to the post. She might be more of a positive party player in the senate until then also.

Have a great day my friends CIAO4NOW!!!!!