Clinton Should Remain Where She Always Wanted to Be

As the encroaching media speculation on Obama’s cabinet picks slugs along and undoubtedly continues to aggravate the President-elect, seeking secrecy in its initial embryonic stage, Hillary Clinton has reportedly met with Obama in Chicago to discuss her possible nomination as Secretary of State. This, by all accounts, should not happen, and here are my reasons why.

1. Clinton is an invaluable component in the Senate. This isn’t to say there aren’t qualified replacements, but Clinton’s six-year Senate stint has been strikingly solid – bipartisan, accomplished, distinguished. Sure, she is dogged by that Iraq War resolution vote. But she is a solid centrist and has many allies and friends on both sides of the aisle. Having her around in the Senate, especially if the Democrats are able to garnish a filibuster-proof 60 seats, will provide competent leadership (read: keep Harry Reid in check) and cooperation and will give the President-elect an ally on key legislation.
   
   
2. Hillary is a politician, not a diplomat. Everyone remembers the campaign snub about having ducked “sniper fire” in Kosovo. This isn’t to say that diplomacy is not one of her core competencies; it’s just not her forte or even her passion. Ted Kennedy’s oeuvre offering her a chair on key healthcare issues would make the best use of her many talents.
   
   
3. Career state officials don’t want her. This happens with any swing-around, and one must wonder if there are any decent diplomats hanging around State now that 8 years of the Bush administration has taken its toll on some of the best and brightest. But Obama would do well to listen to senior officials in the agencies to which he will appoint heads:
   

At the State Department, the prospect of Clinton as secretary is creating some anxiety among career foreign service officers worried that she would install her own loyalists and exclude them from policy-making. Some at the State Department see her as a foreign policy lightweight, although there is grudging acknowledgment of her star power.

Thought it’s apparent that Bill clearly wants her out of the house, and will do whatever it takes, Sen. Clinton should make her own decisions. Clearly, she is conflicted, having not yet given Obama an answer. Let’s hope she makes the right choice and remain doing what she does best.