Opinion Forum

That Was Then; This Is Now

November 30th, 2008

I don’t have a problem with President-elect Obama selecting well-known establishment figures, some of them veteran clintonistas, to staff his administration. After all, at least someone in the administration should have relevant experience and a serious resumé. But Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State? Remember:

March 2008, Barack Obama: “What exactly is this foreign policy experience?” Obama said mockingly of the New York senator. “Was she negotiating treaties? Was she handling crises? The answer is no.”

Greg Craig, selected by Obama to be White House Counsel, during the recent campaign: “There is no reason to believe…that she was a key player in foreign policy at any time during the Clinton administration.”

Susan Rice, senior foreign policy advisor to Obama and likely to be a high-level appointee: “There is no crisis to be dealt with or managed when you are first lady…. You don’t get that kind of experience by being married to a commander in chief.”

Now, they all strongly support Mrs. Clinton as the best possible person to be Secretary of State. Who knows–maybe they found out that she really did dodge sniper fire in Bosnia.

David Gergen, senior advisor on anything anyone will hire him to advise on: “That was then; this is now…. Campaigns are ever thus.” Indeed.

Who knows what Obama is thinking? Maybe he hopes to emasculate Hillary by putting her under his thumb at the same time he gets her out of the Senate. If that’s the case, then his naiveté is worse than it seemed. The primary objective of the Clintons is protection and advancement of themselves, and that isn’t going to change. Obama had better watch his back.

One of the most positive outcomes of this excruciatingly long campaign season was the apparent exorcism of the Clintons from national leadership. Hillary would sit in the Senate, pontificating on this and that, while Bill roamed the Muslim world raking in the cash. But now–they’re baaaack! Anyone know a good exorcist?

Articles written by Tom Carter
Tags: Hillary, Obama
Categories: Politics | Comments (10) | Home

10 Responses to “That Was Then; This Is Now”

carla | December 1st, 2008 at 10:31 am

Or…

Perhaps Obama is doing what he said he would do: throw down the old, partisan garbage and work to renew the country.

I don’t know if Hillary is the best person for the job or not–but a bunch of Americans who support her do. This is a chance for her to prove them right..or wrong.

Frankly, I find the Gates appointment much more disturbing.

Welcome back, btw.

Tom | December 1st, 2008 at 12:17 pm

Thanks, Carla!

When a new president takes power from one of the other party, he always gets rid of the “old partisan garbage.” Pretty normal. And, keeping Gates at Defense seems like a good idea to me. From what I can tell, he has a lot of support from the military leadership, which is certainly a change from Rumsfeld. I think Gates is pretty much non-partisan and very competent, both of which are rare.

I was a strong supporter of the Clintons (both of them) throughout his presidency. I voted for him both times. I thought impeaching him was ridiculous. But with all the scandals, the absurd final pardons, her carpet-bagging her way into the Senate from New York, Bill’s funding sources, and so on, I just don’t trust either of them. Maybe Obama is smart to keep her close, but he’d better sleep with one eye open.

Kevin | December 1st, 2008 at 12:25 pm

I’ve never been a fan of Hillary Clinton and I’m not one now. But…

Keep in mind that Obama has consistently stated that he’d surround himself with individuals capable of and willing to challenge his opinions and beliefs. I don’t think there is any serious doubt that Hillary fits that description.

BTW, how long did it take to find such a flattering pic of Hillary?

😉

Tom | December 1st, 2008 at 1:24 pm

Kevin, pictures a lot like that are all over the internet. Some even more amusing than that one! But to be honest, that one kind of reflects my image of her. If I were Obama, I wouldn’t trust her and her motives at all, and as smart as he is, I’m sure he doesn’t. So, I don’t understand why he feels more comfortable with her inside the tent.

And then there’s the question of Bill. I don’t know what he’ll do, but he’s going to cause problems. That’s all a new president needs.

Kevin | December 1st, 2008 at 1:50 pm

Perhaps LBJ put it best when he quipped that he’d rather have folks on the inside of the tent pissing out than on the outside pissing in. Which seems to me to be a variation on the much older notion of keeping one’s friends close and one’s enemies closer.

carla | December 2nd, 2008 at 12:26 am

When a new president takes power from one of the other party, he always gets rid of the “old partisan garbage.” Pretty normal. And, keeping Gates at Defense seems like a good idea to me. From what I can tell, he has a lot of support from the military leadership, which is certainly a change from Rumsfeld. I think Gates is pretty much non-partisan and very competent, both of which are rare

We’ll see…and I’d love to be proven wrong. But this isn’t just about the military..its about re-engaging the rest of the world with us. Leaving a Bush appointee in a position of such prominence (in a place where Team Bush has FUBAR’d to pieces) is not politically smart in that regard.

It’d be one thing to leave a Bush person in a strictly domestic position–although I can’t think of what a viable one would be at the moment. But to leave a guy in there in the face of the international hole we’ve dug for ourselves seems a really poor choice.

Doris | December 2nd, 2008 at 6:54 am

I think it a great choice,just think, Bill will be helping her,and I love Bill. Certainly you think he is experienced to do the job? Hillary can handle it ,I bet. That pic???? Why is a woman’s appearance so important to you men?Do you see us worring that Obama is too skinny ,or Bush is one???

Tom | December 2nd, 2008 at 7:05 am

Bill helping her is one thing that worries me! I was once a great Clinton supporter, voted for him twice. Not any more. And the picture? Well, I think it pretty much represents her personality. If I were Obama, I wouldn’t want either of them anywhere near me.

Lisa | December 2nd, 2008 at 1:37 pm

As far as appointments are concerned,when you have a president elect with no executive experience hiring a SECSTATE with no executive or foreign policy experience, we all need to be vigilant and concerned.

We saw how Hillary did with her healthcare initiative after Bill took office. Let’s see how she does up close with Ahmadinejad!!!

Tom | December 2nd, 2008 at 2:21 pm

And with all those millions of dollars of foreign, mostly Middle Eastern, money in the Clinton’s pockets…who better to run our foreign policy?