Hillary is also very much liked and popular in foreign countries

I disagree. Hillary’s not popular at all where I am, specifically after she said she would “totally obliterate Iran.” Her staunch pro-Israeli agenda makes her unpopular in the Middle East, with the obvious exception of Israel. Someone who so proudly announces war and dismantling another country is something we find threatening and sickeningly disrespectful. Personally I find her to be a complete fake, and think she will fail as Sec. of State. Very fickle. Easily fooled. Not my type of politician.

First, there’s the inseparable bond with her husband Bill. Given the duo’s unquenchable thirst for power, they would not be content to play second fiddle. From day one they would be scheming to usurp control of the White House. Once they get a foothold, Obama would be hard-pressed to rein them in.

Then, there’s the Clintons’ long history of corruption, deception and sleaze—Whitewatergate, Pardongate, Cattle-futuresgate, Chinagate, Filegate, Fellatiogate, the impeachment and near conviction, the punitive IRS audits, the violent deaths of potentially incriminating witness. This alone would provide Obama’s enemies with all the grime they needed to smear his presidency.

Consider further that unlike a Condoleezza Rice or a Madelaine Albright—not to mention bona fide statesmen like Henry Kissinger, Dean Rusk and John Foster Dulles–Hillary Clinton lacks the educational and cultural gravitas to represent our nation abroad. Her lawyering in Arkansas and stint in Congress don’t quite cut it. She did get 18 million votes in the Democratic primaries, probably more than Obama, but a large proportion of those votes were cast by diehard feminists and the less educated, hardly the constituency whose support lends credibility to a Secretary of State.

Barack Obama should recall the reasons why he didn’t choose Hillary as his VP running mate. For his and the nation’s sake, let us hope that she changes her mind and spurns the Secretary of State offer. Her coyness in her reaching decision–making Obama beg, in effect–is already an ominous sign.

Thanks for the comment. I’m still not so sure about a Sec. of State Clinton. I can see her in the ceremonial, public relations role that the position entails. However, Obama is a more than capable communicator and salesman, and he should have a significant role in selling policies to the world.

I’m still not convinced of her foreign policy credentials.

The exiting secretary is a woman, and she brought academic credentials to the job that I think Hillary lacks.

I do think that Hillary will be pretty politically correct as well, and any foreign policy toward the Middle East is going to center on fighting terrorism and political reform, the latter of which will be difficult to make progress on in the coming four years (largely because of the last four). So in terms of the Middle East, we may receive quite a bit of focus, but it’ll be in order to clean up the mess rather than initiate bold action. I think the latter will be left to a second term.

I’m just not sure what she brings to the table that other candidates with a more focused foreign policy background would not. Perhaps I’m sounding too skeptical (there will undoubtedly be several experts advising her), but I would have preferred a different direction.

I’m not sure that a foreign policy professional would be our best bet for Secretary of State. Those guys are so “politically correct” when they talk, that you never really know what they’re trying to say.

This is the type for bold political intitiatives, not diplomatic niceties and empty gestures.

I like Hilary, and think that she would probably make a good Secretary of State. First of all she’s a woman, and that could make all the difference right there and then. Women make more sense when it comes to peace. Secondly, she is very competitve, and she may choose the Middle East to show that she could do what her husband couldn’t. And third, she brings to the table her smarts and determination, at a time when the world is looking for answers, and may be more open to new solutions.

We’ll see, but I think that Obama may be playing his cards very well here.