This just in -- Hillary Accepts Job as Head of State

You still running that daycare center?

Hitchens really ought to at least try to appear sober when he makes a TV appearance. It's been embarrassing for years.

huh?

Wake up Bear. You are supposed to be able to read water mans mind. Now theres a thought that should send chills up and down ones back.

Nicely stated, Blickers. By the way I have been enjoying your posts, I don't think I've said so yet. Welcome to A2K...

Thank you, sozobe. I would also like to mention that I have been enjoying your contributions as well.

Yes, limped across the finish line, but you're welcome to your preferred analogy.

Whether he limped or exhibited heroic stamina, he only nosed her out.

As a result, he very much required her support in the general election, and that was the basis of my argument.

Outlandish? No, in fact it is just the sort of thing we would expect from a supporter of the losing party. Unfortunately, this speculation does not even have the advantage of being the most obvious reason for the appointment: The esteem of the Clinton name in international circles.

Can anyone forget what happened in the United Nations a few days after Bill Clinton had survived the impeachment ordeal? He appeared there for an appearance on another issue, but when he first walked to the podium, the entire General Assembly rose as one and gave him a rousing ovation that lasted quite awhile. It was clear that the President of the United States at that moment was a man who was looked up to by the rest of the world.

To put it mildly, his successor enjoyed no such international respect. In fact, he went out of his way to show lack of respect for that body both in his appointments, (Bolton), and his actions, (Iraq).

Obviously, the smartest plan Obama could make in order to effect real change in this state of affairs would be to put someone in charge of foreign affairs who would command the international respect we have lost the past eight years. Former presidents do not take cabinet positions, but what better inheritor of the Clinton international legacy than Hillary?

The appointment of Hillary as Secretary of State was just plain good sense, but for obvious reasons supporters of the losing party would prefer to invent scenarios of sleazy backroom deals. Oh well, we all take our consolation where we can get it.

Well said.

I actually think that this could be a good thing, especially since Billy is Hillary's husband and he was once President. Although the guy does not have common sense in the department of sex, extramarital affairs, etc., he is quite bright and could be of great indirect assistance in getting us out of the war, and improving our relations with other foreign domains, etc.. Of course, Hillary would get all the credit (if Bill keeps his mouth shut) for decisions or advice that have a positive outcome, and isn't that all she ever wanted is some attention for herself? She's very bright, as well, and the Obama, Clinton, Clinton team could be quite successful. She will actually have more input as Secretary of State than being the number 2 person who is to be seen and not heard after the election.

Good grief but you do wear your bleeding Clintonista heart on your sleeve.







Let's examine the Clinton International Legacy:

*Clinton of Somalia - Pulling out under fire sure helped America's image

*Rwanda - "Genocide? What Genocide"

*Wag The Dog - Cruise missiles hitting a pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum and Obama's camel in Afghanistan. Response to embassy bombings or confession of affair with intern? (Even if truly the former, hardly a success)

*Mixed Results in the Balkans - Interceding in Serbian ethnic cleansing efforts was the right thing to do, but the intercession was consistently botched. Radovan Karadzic played us like a fiddle, we ended up bombing civilian targets (not to mention the Chinese embassy) and there are still 8,000 American troops in Bosnia. Clinton avoided seeking UN approval of his bombardment of Serbia and pressuring of NATO members to join in the entire Balkans escapade could hardly have resulted in his name being revered in European capitals.

"Haitian Hell - A pointless exercise in muscle flexing that left the place in worse shape than it was before the "invasion."

And the legacy continues with

Enabling Nukes in North Korea

Haphazard military actions against Iraq that ended up effectively disabling the Gulf War I coalition of nations, and setting the stage for the international confrontation with Saddam on WMDs.

The Failed Oslo Accords

Feckless Counter-terrorism efforts

Giving credit where credit is due, he did have modest successes with Northern Ireland, Mexico and Vietnam, but hardly a shining legacy that can be passed to Hillary.

As for:



I very much doubt the deal was conducted in a sleazy backroom, or (for that matter) do I necessarily believe the deal itself was sleazy. It does butt up against Obama's mantra of CHANGE, but so do a lot of things he has said and done which are very easily confirmed. While I don't believe that Hillary has any measurable, authentic foreign policy experience, I don't insist that Obama agrees with me and was entirely cynical in his selection of her to be his Secretary of State.

Once again, Obama need not be an unblemished Philosopher King to be an effective president, but if he is not good at politics he will be an ineffective one.

Blickers - Surely you can defend the Clinton Legacy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081130/ap_on_go_pr_wh/clinton_secretary_of_state

Well....here.....we.....go!

Impeached former President Bill Clinton agreed to disclose the names
of every contributor to his foundation since its inception in 1997.

Will the list be made public, or is it for Obama's camp only?

better question, did team Obama get to see the list before announcing that Hillary was a lock?? Does not seem so from the accounts that I see. Which means that no matter what despicable names are on the list (and we have reason to suspect that there are some) Obama must suck it up and drive on. Not a good deal, if Hillary is a team player she needed to agree for the list to be vetted before she was ok'ed.

Well, blicker's silence speaks volumes and, clearly, hawkeye doesn't want to rise to the challenge.

Where are all the Clinton defenders?

Ignoring me I suppose.

I'll defend her as Secretary of State - maybe. It occurs to me that we've had enough cookie pushers in the job. Maybe it's time for someone who knows politics, without the velvet glove.

Fair enough, but do you base your defense upon the successful foreign policy legacy of her husband?

No. I'm not really endorsing her experience, either. Somehow, I expect she'll be effective with whatever policies she works towards. Part of my opposition to her as president was having Bill wandering around the White House, with too much time on his hands. He won't be living in the State Department.

Again - fair enough.

I'm waiting, however, for blickers or another Clintonista to defend the 8 years of Bill's foreign policy.