Obama's Drama

After the tight ship he ran during his lengthy campaign, Barack Obama finds himself in the midst of high drama and of course, it stars the Clintons. I am not sure that Hillary Clinton is the best choice for the secretary of State or any other cabinet position in the Obama administration for the same reasons why I opposed her as a presidential and vice-presidential candidate. I won't go over the long list again but  will mention just three: Bill, Bill and Bill. If she eventually gets the position, no one exactly knows how it will play out and whether Obama, who was clearly rattled by Clinton & Clinton during the primary campaign, will be able to handle matters with his customary cool. Media commentators are all over the place on this one. Obama's gamble with the Clintons is being characterized variously as shrewd, magnanimous, conciliatory, Linconesque and highly risky. Even those who support Hillary's appointment to the high profile position, have their reservations ( here and here).  Others are unequivocally opposed to the idea (here and here). Excerpt from Ben Smith's (a grudging supporter) article in the Politico.

What is Barack Obama thinking?

We’ve heard all the rational arguments: Hillary Rodham Clinton has more star power than Richard Holbrooke, more discipline than Bill Richardson, fewer bad jokes than John F. Kerry. She’s tough and competent. She’s a woman and a Democrat, making space for a Republican guy at Defense. It would get her out of the Senate. Both Obama and Clinton loved Doris Kearns Goodwin's book, “Team of Rivals.”

But the sum of those parts seems something less than the whole explanation for Obama’s first great presidential gamble: his move toward giving his former adversary, whose judgment on foreign policy he criticized relentlessly, by offering her the most important Cabinet position in his administration.

Neither Holbrooke, Kerry nor Richardson would bring Clinton’s downsides: Her towering, volcanic husband; her own ambitions; and the endless speculation about the two of them.

“She brings so much to the table,” said Abner Mikva, a former Clinton White House counsel and an Obama mentor. “On the other hand, there are the obvious downsides, the conflicts that that her husband has.”

Also worth noting is the fact that all the other appointees picked by Obama have come on board quickly without any public fuss. Hillary Clinton's name was one of the earliest to be floated. Since then we have learnt of a not so secret meeting in Chicago, witnessed an enigmatic statement by Clinton to the press, heard of negotiations (!) by intermediaries, read numerous speculations about what Bill might have to give up in order to pave the way for his wife but we still don't know if Hillary will "accept" Obama's offer. Also, what we haven't seen, heard, read or witnessed so far during this suspense, is a single word from Barack Obama. As I said, it is exactly the kind of excruciating drama Obama doesn't need at this time.

(Cartoon by Nick Anderson)

Comments

[Sujatha]

Having seen her working hard on the campaign trail on Obama's behalf, I'm not going to second-guess his offer to her. But I do find it curious that the media in general seems to be pushing the Clinton will-she-or-won't-she line as a never ending soap opera (Can you tell that I've been watching not enough MSNBC and too much Food Channel;).
It's all for the good, consider that we haven't heard about Palin and JTP for several days now!

[Eliot]

I totally agree. I tried to convey a similar message on my blog, obamadoghouse dot com.

[Avaneesh]

Hillary bad because Bill is a liability? His credentials are not exactly lousy. The guy was a successful President of the United States. He was actually good at bringing leaders together and making things happen. The Palestinians and the Israeli leaders actually talked to each other (with US facilitating it) back then. Northern Ireland (a problem that lasted for quite a while) got resolved during his watch. Further, the guy has done whatever the Obama campaign has asked him to do- whether it is disclosing the names of donors to his foundation, getting speeches cleared by the State Dept. You name it. Finally, the guy is pretty intelligent. He knows the difference between a structured govt position and a free lancer. He'll be his wife's sounding board- which ain't a bad thing. And- Hillary is not exactly a dummy either. In addition to smarts, star power, she brings a work ethic few can match. She will do a GREAT job.