This fervently anti-war Clinton basher is fine with her as SOS

[Downtown Hound]

Okay, I've tried to avoid all of the infighting, because rolling in it really doesn't do much good in my opinion. Few minds are ever changed from the many flame wars that DU has. But DU is a place for passionate people to passionately debate their ideas and their emotions, and that's why it is the great place that it is.

I was rabidly against Clinton in the primary. I called her a few names that I stand by to this day. But here's the thing, I think she'll make a great Secretary of State. In fact, I think the role is almost made to suit her. Her intelligence, strength, and political clout will serve her and Obama well.

Have I forgotten about her vote for the war? No. Few people opposed the war more than I did. The months of February and March of 2003 I found myself getting tear gassed, pepper sprayed, and jailed doing illegal street protests in opposition to it. But remember one thing, Obama is in charge, not her. I'd rather have seasoned politicians like her that know the game inside out to carry out his agenda than inexperienced idealists that in my opinion, would get in there and simply get in over their heads with the reality of a corporate-owned Washington. Like it or not, the country is simply not ready for a radical left takeover of the government. Our goals will have to be achieved one at a time, and over a period of time.

We here in the grassroots can't let ourselves get complacent. We must continue to pressure Obama, but in doing so we must recognize the situation for what it is and be willing to compromise...to a point. Politics is the art of compromise, like it or not. Our job over the next four years will be to see to it that we don't compromise too much. But remember what we are getting already with an Obama administration. We're getting a president that's about to start kicking ass and taking names on global warming, we're getting a president that's going to invest in our infrastructure and make our economy strong again. We're getting a president that makes America admired around the world again, and shows the world's minorities and oppressed people's that there really is this thing called hope out there, and that fighting for change can yield results beyond anything most of us dream.

I'll take those things and a little compromise any day of the week. One thing about Bush that's important to remember is this; the man never compromised, even when he was so completely in the wrong that even he probably knew it. And look at how he ended up.

As for Hillary and her vote on the war, it already cost her the presidency, and even though she'll never admit it, she knows that it's true. That is punishment enough for me. Is it punishment enough for all the people that died? I don't know, but I don't feel it's my place to speak for them. The best thing we can do for them is to really change this country, and that's only going to come about with people that really know the political system doing the work of a man who opposed the war. I don't know if there's a God, but if there is then I'll let He/She/It judge Clinton for her vote on the war, or I'll let history decide.

But to say something that I probably could have said in many less words, I'm quite pleased with the way Obama's team is shaping up, and I'm about as radical as they come. Now, please continue with your regularly scheduled brawling. ;)

[lamp_shade]

1. Aw... that was very nice. She'll make us all proud.

[calimary]

2. Nicely put!

I agree, and I had my tires slashed and my car keyed for my anti-war and anti-bush bumper stickers. It's the one thing that stopped me from being a wholehearted Hillary supporter. It always came back to "...but she voted for the war..." and that was always the deal-breaker, much as I just absolutely HATED that.

But the other truth is - hers is one of the finest, most creative, most resourceful, most powerful, most nimble minds of our time. We'd be foolish, and Obama would be foolish, not to make use of everything she brings to the table. She's a powerful and prominent woman who earned the stature to which she's risen. She could do many more great things, and she has the guts and fortitude to carry it through. Besides, there are few around the world who wouldn't take her phone call. She's known many of them for many years on many levels. And unlike sarah the pretender, who is unworthy even to touch the hem of Hillary's pantsuit, Hillary Clinton has hard-earned credibility and respect - AND quite a bit of gravitas. And we need all our best and brightest to step up and roll up their sleeves. I'm glad Obama picked her, too. Put her to work! She's demonstrably superb at shifting gears as we saw after the primaries ended. It proves what a strong and secure he is. FINALLY - a steady hand at the wheel.

[DonCoquixote]

3. Excellent, K and R

Three things to keep in mind:

1) we won because the Hillary folks did not give in to the PUMAS. Just like in Canada, where people came together to get W's Cabana boy Steve Harper out of power, so will we. We often wish Americans would act like Europeans, but we forget that Parliamentary government often forces people who do not get along to form coalitions. We do not want to have a situation like in France, where the center-left (Segoline Royal) and the far left (Martine Aubry) have so split the French left that Bush stooge Nikolas Sarkozy is giggling with glee.

2) SoS. Many people in the world do not like HIllary, but many DO. After Powell and Rice have turned that State department into Dick Cheney's bordello, people want to know the adults are back in charge. They will want a familiar face, not just some person who is still learning diplomacy.

3) 2012. If you really, really hate Hillary that much, and believe she is up to no good, look at it this way. She has invested her fate into the Obama presidency. Yes, there is a chance that Bill will try to get his fingers in, making a bad remark if Obama and Hillary disagree, however, Hillary knows her best shot of doing well is to do this job well, and be part of a successful Obama administration. She knows that Bill trying to steal her spotlight and throw temper tantrums was one of the main factors that cost her the Nomination, she will NOT let Bill screw things up a second time.

[mike_c]

4. I think you're overlooking an important point....

Actually, I think there are a number of important points we might differ on, but thankfully opposition to America's war of aggression against Iraq isn't one of them.

What really worries me is that Obama picked HRC as SecState at least partly because they are in substantial agreement about U.S. foreign policy. I KNOW Sen. Clinton's stance on a number of foreign policy issues and I completely reject it-- I consider her a war criminal, frankly. That president-elect Obama might agree with her on those issues frightens me a great deal, primarily because it suggests that the direction he sets will mirror the course we're already embarked on.

And although many folks have made the point that Obama will be in charge of foreign policy, and that Sen. Clinton will simply implement his directives, I think that's a naive perspective. First and foremost, no executive is likely to choose deputies with diametrically opposed policy notions. It's one thing to surround one's self with critical thinkers, but quite another to strew land mines along the road one wants to travel, and that's what Obama would be doing if he picked Sen. Clinton despite their having opposing foreign policy views. So I sense that they are in fact in substantial agreement, something that I find horrific.

Second, the SecState is hardly a cabinet meeting gofer. That office and the agency it represents have immense foreign policy input. Former Secretaries of State such as Rice, Powell, Kissenger, and Albright are notable-- or notorious-- precisely because of the foreign policy clout they personally wielded (or in Rice's case failed to wield). Make no mistake. Clinton is not going to be along for the ride on Obama's train. She's going to be driving substantial parts of it. So will Gates. I think that's a terrible mistake for America.

[MindMatter]

6. Interesting insights all around on this thread

I generally agree with the OP. The things that most concerned me about Hillary (and Bill) is how their ambition led them to sell out the American people in some key areas.

Now, if she wants to really mess things up, the SOS position is a great place to do that. Fundamentally I don't think she is evil. I take her at her work on the things she values. And this is a position where ambition needn't be an all-consuming force. She basically has no direct rivals in this job, and some monumental challenges to tackle. She doesn't have to fight off Harry and Louise this time. She has an opportunity to truly go down in history if a very positive way.

I am optimistic. Nobody every doubted her intelligence or tenacity. I believe in what Obama is doing -- fearlessly assembling a Dream Team to surround him. I believe he has the wisdom and strength of personality to make this work. And fundamentally, I don't see that they have any meaningful disagreement on the foreign policy goals. I'm sure there will be some debates on tactics and priorities going forward, and that's a good thing.

It all comes down to how much we trust Obama. He can, after all, fire her. I trust Obama. I trust both of them.

[MadMaddie]

5. Nicely put and I agree this role is made for her.

K & R!

[4_TN_TITANS]

7. Madame Secretary Albright's

ringing endorsement for Clinton on Maddow last night sealed the deal for me. I know she might feel some obligation to supporting Clintons, but I have no doubt that she would speak her mind if it was a bad choice.