Thursday, December 4, 2008

THE HILLARY FACTOR: What They're Saying about Madame Secretary

Everybody’s talkin’ ‘bout Hillary, right? Whether you love her or hate her (and you do, one or the other), Hillary is the woman of the moment. The Senator from New York is what we might call a classic overachiever. Congress people from both sides of the aisle have lined up in support of Obama’s decision to appoint her as Secretary of State, but somehow she remains a divisive figure in the culture. Reporters, writers and pundits are overflowing with opinions about Senator Clinton right now. Here are some of the juiciest and most compelling of their messages:
IS HILLARY INELIGIBLE FOR CABINET? It may sound like a stretch, but a conservative watchdog group called Judicial Watch is arguing that thanks to a Constitutional clause known as the “Emoluments Clause,” Hillary Clinton cannot legally become secretary of state until her Senate term expires in 2013. Crazy, right? You be the judge.

“It is the animating theme of her life, and what has allowed her to sustain multiple misfortunes, reversals, and self-inflicted wounds and yet still keep rising. She does not have Bill Clinton’s instinctual feel for the political stage, but nor does he have her instinctual talent for candid self-appraisal, or her ability to tune out what she calls ‘the background noise’ of her life and focus on the next mission.” Hmmm…Juicy, right? Read the rest at Politico.com


"You know the old phrase, 'You keep your friends close and your enemies closer?' How can she run for president in 2012? She'd have to run against the incumbent and be critical of him -- the one who made her secretary of state." Okay, guess who said that. I’ll give you a hint: Rush Limbaugh. Oy. Read more on GayWired.com.

“But the main question is whether Mrs. Clinton can subordinate not just her opinions but also her political ambitions to making the Obama administration a success. That must be in doubt. Her husband’s financial entanglements and irrepressible flair for scandal are further potential pitfalls. In weighing all this and choosing her regardless, Mr Obama has taken quite a risk – one that, in our view, is difficult to justify.” Wondering who the party pooper is? It’s Financial Times. Who knew?


"The pros are her abilities and her background. She has traveled all over the world. She has had extensive experience," said James Pfiffner, an expert on the presidency at George Mason University in Virginia. "Also, she has a very positive image around the world. The potential downside, I suppose, is that she is a very independent politician with her own base of support because of her presidential run and, theoretically, there could be conflict." Everybody’s a critic, right? Read what Voice of America has to say about Madame Secretary.

Clinton likes recent "American Idol" David Cook, but she’ll always love Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Carly Simon and U2, all of whom she’s cited as some of her musical musts. Find out more inside dope on one of the world’s most famous woman. Read 10 Things You May Not Know About Hillary Clinton on The Wow Watch.

Clinton can expect an early grace period abroad, during which she will be welcomed as the representative of a new American Administration. After that, however, we will see just what kind of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be. "When the honeymoon period is over, you're still going to have to plug along every day, inch by inch, and you'll still have to make agreements that serve America's best interests," says a foreign-policy aide. So says TIME Magazine this week.

1 comment:

Kevin Allman said...

"Clinton describes being 'naughty' as sleeping in until 7 AM."

That explains sooo much.