Congratulations are apparently in order to Senator Clinton (D-NY) for her appointment to Secretary of State in President-elect Obama’s administration, though at the moment I’m posting this, it has not been officially announced.
Tracy wanted to know my thoughts. I think it’s a great pick for Obama. Sen. Clinton is well-liked around the world, and has a long and generally positive history with other world leaders. Notwithstanding her gaffe about “coming under fire” in Bosnia, she really does bring a wealth of foreign policy knowledge to Obama’s Cabinet.
The flip side of the question, though, is will this be a good move for Sen. Clinton? I’m just a political junkie, but it looks like a step down to me: she could have continued in the Senate and shaped and set policy; instead she will be implementing Obama’s policies. Perhaps, though, she has some strategic goal in mind?
I can see by my Google search that I’m not the only one who is wondering “Has a Secretary of State ever gone on to become President?
(The answer seems to be: none in the last 150 years, but six prior to that – Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Adams, Van Buren and Buchanan.)