Mother Jones - Comments for "A Striped Pants-Suit for Hillary?"

Henry -

I just can't envision Hillary arguing the fine points of constitutional law with Scalia and Thomas. Neither reason nor force of character will move them. Likewise McCain and Gingrich - if they jumped to a liberal idea, one would suspect drugs or a brain tumor. She should be out and about with people who need her help and a direct connection to the Obama administration.

I trust completely that she would take her guidance on "unexpected issues" from her boss, President Obama. The question is, from whom will he take HIS guidance? I expect that he, Hillary, and the rest of the administration would whack it around until solutions presented themselves. No unilateral shenanigans from THIS crew.

Casey--

Actually we need some gregarious types on the Supreme Court. That was Brennan's strength, and his astute political sense enabled him to build majorities that a more solitary type (Breyer, Souter, Ginsburg, Blackmun) never could. Scalia might have more influence if he were not such a sarcastic know-it-all.

But I don't know that HRC has Brennan's gifts. Yes she shared shots with McCain and a podium with Gingrich, but did she ever bring them over to her way of thinking?

And just what is her way of thinking anyway? Politicians generally are forced to strip their comments on judicial matters down to some lowest common denominator that can (1) be explained to a lay audience and (2) fit their immediate political goals. Which is to say I don't know if we have any idea where she would go on unexpected issues, such as those the Bush Administration thrust on us in the last seven and a half years.

Or, if he wants her in his cabinet, he should give her a domestic portfolio. Kerry or Hagel would be far better in the DOS. Or one of the career people -- Burns etc.

fostert, I meant trouble for the country, not for Obama. Hillary's own idea of the perfect Secretary of State was Holbrooke -- a Wolfowitz clone who never thought of a war he didn't like, and who thought Bush was paying too much attention to what the UN thought about Iraq. If Hillary is appointed, Holbrooke will probably end up running her show one way or another. We might as well have Wolfowitz in the job. That's what I meant by "trouble".

1. I meant to say "wrists and ankles" earlier. No wonder no one got the Firesign Theater-Nick Danger reference.

2. I think that in terms of skill set, Hillary's good for this job. Bill's baggage is another matter, but I'm guessing that they think they can handle it.

3. contra what Kevin says, I think it makes perfect sense for her politically. Running for President (I'm thinking 2016, not 2012)is hard from the Senate-too many votes that get turned into negative soundbites regardless of their actual context.
while she could stay in the Senate til 2016 easily, i doubt that she wants to depend on the Republicans running a senator against her in 2016. And, I don't see her looking at 2012. I think that as both a matter of political preference and party loyalty she wants to see Obama serve two terms.

"Hillary is going to be trouble."

She sure is going to be trouble. The question is this: Where will she be the least trouble? As much as I don't like the pick, I think Johnson had the right approach. Keep your enemies on your side. It's easier that way.

I think it is wanting to reverse the image of her being less than stellar as an administrator, plus the rush of being the country's lead diplomat, that would make Hillary consider the job.

For me, however, her number one qualification is that she is not John Kerry.

Obama and Hillary sparred over whether the US should "talk to its enemies" and their respective positions hardened during the primaries.

It would increase a lot of people's cynicism about politicians (and about these two in particular) if she ends up being his Secretary of State.

Pick someone else. Hillary is going to be trouble. She can do much more good in the Senate, on domestic policy -- which is what she knows more about. Having had lunch with the wives of lots of heads of state does not make a foreign policy expert.

I wonder who leaked this to the press?

Aren't striped pants emblematic of the Solicitor General? Here you got me all excited that Ms. Clinton was under consideration for yet _another_ position in the new administration.

If he's as smart as y'all think, he should put her where she can do the most good. That would be where SHE thinks she should be, since she knows best. Sec. of State would be good. She's smart as a whip, tough, loyal. It's busy and intense. Supreme Court - nah, too isolating. She's gregarious, wrong personality. Senate leadership? If she chose to stay, she could be the greatest ever, work 'til she's ninety, keeping all the ducks in a row. I just hope Obama's that smart and not a damn fool.

fostert: Lyndon certainly had a way with words, didn't he?

Sure did - kind of like Churchill with a Texas twist.

It's starting to look real. And I can't say I like it. But then I think of this quote from Johnson:

"I'd rather have my enemies inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in."

Lyndon certainly had a way with words, didn't he? But he had a point. Maybe this isn't so bad.

I thought you meant Bill Richardson.

Where's the kitties? I want to see the kitties!