U.S. President-elect Barack Obama invited Hillary Clinton to Chicago last week for a talk. Inevitably, it was leaked that she was being considered for the post of Secretary of State.
Most pundits have emphasized the positives of this possible appointment for the Obama administration. It would finally seal the deal with the small but persistent percentage of Clinton supporters who have not recovered from the disappointment of the primaries. It would enhance Obama's leadership credentials as he seeks to model himself as a XXI century Lincoln capable of bringing together a “team of rivals” that would work to further the nation's advancement. It would also diminish the concerns of those voters still worried about Obama's lack of experience. More pragmatically, Obama would not have to worry about a cumbersome high-profile female Senator who would retain the right to criticize or oppose his policies when they deserve to be criticized or opposed.
In her New York Times column, Gail Collins writes optimistically about the prospect of a Secretary Clinton, advising Obama supporters to let go of the image of Clinton as an adversary and to focus on the benefits of having Clinton–the recipient of 18 million votes during the hotly contested primaries–as a full-fledged member of the new administration. I agree with Collins, Clinton as Secretary of State is excellent politics…as far as Obama is concerned.
What is good for Obama, however, is not automatically good for Clinton. As a Senator, Clinton stands a far better chance of building a career independent from the successes or failures of the future Obama administration while working on an extensive agenda of both domestic and international issues. She would be able to voice her own opinions and push her ideas as opposed to limiting herself to echoing Obama's. Furthermore, her acceptance of the yet to be made offer would certainly limit her chances of being elected to another position in the future. Clinton should stay in the Senate and bolster her political capital by making good on the promises she made to the millions who supported her presidential bid.
