love these anonymous sources the conservative rags always seem to quote.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. This way, he can keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't try anything to remove him as the 2012 candidate. And you just KNOW she'll try.

Not a single named person from either the Obama or Hillary camp has made a single public comment on this, but its all anyone talks about.

Jesus.

I'd be more worried if I were Biden, Pelosi, and whomever is going to be the President pro tem of the Senate on January 20.

As does most of his constituency...

I have to admit, I can't think of any possible reason for the appointment. But if Obama wants a backstabbing witch queen on his staff, then he's welcome to her. If nothing else, it'll be interesting to watch.

It's the same source that said he was a secret Muslim and that his wife hates America and that he's going to push for slavery reparations and that he wasn't born in this country and that he's a terrorist sympathizer and that he's a Communist insurgent and that he's a coke addict and that he's gonna take our guns away.

Saborlas: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. This way, he can keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't try anything to remove him as the 2012 candidate. And you just KNOW she'll try.

This is complete bullshiat. If she stayed in the Senate there's no way she'd be a real threat to him in 2012. If anything, this is setting her up to be in a stronger position in 2016 (when she'll only be 69- younger than Biden).

Besides, Clinton as SecState is a big fark you to people who wanted Obama to seriously be an anti-war president. She was a champion of all the pointless pissant wars of the 90s, and with her having such a powerful voice you can bet she'll push for more of that stuff to make herself look good.

I'm not thrilled about the choice, but Obama can fire her if she goes rogue as SoS. He can't fire a Senator that causes him problems.

The house newspaper of the UK Conservative Party trying to stir up trouble with liberals in the USA? I am completely shocked!

Churchill2004: This is complete bullshiat. If she stayed in the Senate there's no way she'd be a real threat to him in 2012. If anything, this is setting her up to be in a stronger position in 2016 (when she'll only be 69- younger than Biden).

Besides, Clinton as SecState is a big fark you to people who wanted Obama to seriously be an anti-war president. She was a champion of all the pointless pissant wars of the 90s, and with her having such a powerful voice you can bet she'll push for more of that stuff to make herself look good.

I can only look at this one way - this is Obama's pay off to the clinton wing of the DNC. Bill and Hillary could easily have split the party after Hillary's primary race loss. She could also have done some pretty nasty things to Obama in the general campaign. instead, she and bill sat out the main fight against McCain. That silence is now starting to make a lot more sense - and this is her reward.

I think you're right. Hillary appointed to secstate is a very large slap in the face to Obama's supporters. They were promised 'change' and a break from politics as usual. Hillary is a paragon of the old regime, and 'politics as usual' is encoded into her DNA. It it beyond insulting to see her given such a prominent position. But that's just what Obama seems to be doing.

Of course, the right wing will go bonkers over the appointment. They despise Hillary more than I do (hard to believe but there you go). That said, I think this could be useful to anyone working against Obama. Hillary is a good wedge issue and this appointment is an opening of sorts to Obama's opponents. I'm just not sure anyone on the right is in any position to exploit this mis-step.

Weaver95: I think you're right. Hillary appointed to secstate is a very large slap in the face to Obama's supporters.

see, i don't know about that. I personally don't feel slapped in the face.
a little confused maybe, but certainly not slapped in the face.
Personally, aside from the fact that she might do a good job (i'm giving her some benefit of the doubt here), it is an olive branch to people who supported her and not Obama in the primaries.

SilentStrider: see, i don't know about that. I personally don't feel slapped in the face.
a little confused maybe, but certainly not slapped in the face.

Same here. I'm not really pissed off at it.

DamnYankees: SilentStrider: see, i don't know about that. I personally don't feel slapped in the face.
a little confused maybe, but certainly not slapped in the face.

Same here. I'm not really pissed off at it.

Give it time. All we have to do is wait for Hillary to just be herself.

If Hillary is in the Senate, she's not directly answerable to Obama.

As a member of the Cabinet, she is directly subordinate to Obama, and can be fired ... without so much as a Senate seat to fall back on.

This is something that should please even Republicans.

submitter: Obama's aides believe he has made a mistake in hiring Hillary

Because it is. It's an awful choice, which seems to be just payback for the support of political cronies. The same old model of Washington politics.

Weaver95: this is Obama's pay off to the clinton wing of the DNC.

I agree entirely. For someone that didn't concede the race until more or less the night before her speech, this stinks of a quid pro quo agreement.


Change we can believe in? Well, I hope we do see some eventually.

WTF? Is the obvious tag broken on hiatus or something?

hahahahahahhahahahaha

like Obama cares what you douche bags think.

He's smarter then all y'all combined.

hahahahaha

// suck it haters

My hope: Clinton resigns from the Senate to take the job of Secretary of State. Obama then promptly replaces her with someone else. Obama would then release the following press statement:

"Sucker!"

Hobodeluxe: love these anonymous sources the conservative rags always seem to quote.

With the sheer number of stories from so many sources, I do think that the offer to Hillary is quite likely. But I must admit it would be extremely entertaining if none of them were correct and nothing ever comes of them. The apoplexy of so many on all sides!

Weaver95: I have to admit, I can't think of any possible reason for the appointment. But if Obama wants a backstabbing witch queen on his staff, then he's welcome to her. If nothing else, it'll be interesting to watch.

WHY WOULD SHE BACKSTAB OBAMA, EVER?

God I'm really really farking tired of you waltzing into every goddamn Hillary thread saying "OMFG HILLARY OOGA BOOGA" without making any points whatsoever..

Weaver95: I have to admit, I can't think of any possible reason for the appointment.

Its the only way to control Bill. Meanwhile Hillary gets to feel important while dismantling her political machine. It's genius.

And-1: Change we can believe in? Well, I hope we do see some eventually.

I'm actually pretty excited about Obama's pick for head of the FCC. In a way - thats a far more powerful position than SoS and he's picked a staunch net neutrality advocate.

DamnYankees: Not a single named person from either the Obama or Hillary camp has made a single public comment on this, but its all anyone talks about.

Jesus.

To be fair, that's pretty similar to the statements about Palin we all take as gospel. He should have picked Richardson, I hope he can control Clinton.

Hobodeluxe: love these anonymous sources the conservative rags always seem to quote.

The Telegraph? Niiiice.

And-1: It's an awful choice, which seems to be just payback for the support of political cronies. The same old model of Washington politics.

It's a blatant payoff for Hillary agreeing not to continue to divide the party right up until the election. That's not cronyism, that's extortion. I'm frankly astounded by people who see this as no big deal. It's utterly disgusting and maddening.

TheRaven7: Weaver95: I have to admit, I can't think of any possible reason for the appointment. But if Obama wants a backstabbing witch queen on his staff, then he's welcome to her. If nothing else, it'll be interesting to watch.

WHY WOULD SHE BACKSTAB OBAMA, EVER?

God I'm really really farking tired of you waltzing into every goddamn Hillary thread saying "OMFG HILLARY OOGA BOOGA" without making any points whatsoever..

Because it's in her nature to do so.

I'm curious - do you consider Hillary trustworthy? You never did answer any of my questions on that regard.

She's still better than Sarah Palin.
/Just sayin'

TheRaven7: WHY WOULD SHE BACKSTAB OBAMA, EVER?

Because she's Hillary Clinton, dumbass.

quickdraw: Weaver95: I have to admit, I can't think of any possible reason for the appointment.

Its the only way to control Bill. Meanwhile Hillary gets to feel important while dismantling her political machine. It's genius.

No, it's gallingly stupid. He'd have better control over her if she's stuck in the Senate.

I think she might be better at that SoS job than I thought when I first heard the news. It depends on if she uses the position to further some of her better projects (like equal rights for women, health care for children etc)and stays away from some of her kookier behaviors.

Somehow, I think that Obama knows Clinton a little better than any of you.

He's a smart man. Have some trust in his decisions.

Remember? Judgement?

the biggest redneck here: TheRaven7: WHY WOULD SHE BACKSTAB OBAMA, EVER?

Because she's Hillary Clinton, dumbass.

rednecks are cute

/not

Empanda: I think she might be better at that SoS job than I thought when I first heard the news. It depends on if she uses the position to further some of her better projects (like equal rights for women, health care for children etc)and stays away from some of her kookier behaviors.

Hillary still believes she dodged sniper fire in Bosnia. And this is the woman Obama wants in his administration?

If true, this is a pay off. But let's wait and see what happens first, shall we? Obama hasn't even taken the oath of office yet.

sarcastrophe: WTF? Is the obvious tag broken on hiatus or something?

Came here to say this.

Weaver95: No, it's gallingly stupid. He'd have better control over her if she's stuck in the Senate.

But if she stayed in the senate, what control would he have over Bill?

kmmontandon: If Hillary is in the Senate, she's not directly answerable to Obama.

As a member of the Cabinet, she is directly subordinate to Obama, and can be fired ... without so much as a Senate seat to fall back on.

This is something that should please even Republicans.

This. It's actually a brilliant strategy for keeping Hilary under some measure of control. As for the disenchanted supporters, you're all morons who read Obama wrong...or should I say, you didn't bother to read him at all. You read him through an excessively narrow leftish progressive lenses. Obama is a pragmatist first and foremost. Although he leans towards the left, he is definitely not an idealogue. He's actually doing exactly what he said he would. Anyone who thinks to the contrary was blinded by their own political orgasm when the Dems took power.

Yet another piece of "non-story", offered by the last "non-story" link, that Hillary was a demanding, ego-maniacal person to choose as Secretary of State.

Shame on Fark for posting so much bullsh*t, but shame on all of you that can't see through it.

The Clintons were hunted from day-one of Bill's presidency, and the trend continues. Most of what you all "know" about the Clintons is a mix of propaganda and planted sh*t.

/not a Clinton supporter
//not going to keep my mouth shut about this obvious fraud against a capable Secretary of State

Empanda: Weaver95: No, it's gallingly stupid. He'd have better control over her if she's stuck in the Senate.

But if she stayed in the senate, what control would he have over Bill?

Nobody can control Bill. That's rather the problem. I suppose you could make Bill an abassador to some country with no strategic importance and a lot of pretty nubile young women with a sex addiction problem....that'd keep him busy and out of trouble.

TheRaven7: the biggest redneck here: TheRaven7: WHY WOULD SHE BACKSTAB OBAMA, EVER?

Because she's Hillary Clinton, dumbass.

rednecks are cute

/not

Now I'm going to cry myself to sleep.

gigdaddy: As does most of his constituency...

DING! DING! That's one train I'll board.

glenlivid: Yet another piece of "non-story", offered by the last "non-story" link, that Hillary was a demanding, ego-maniacal person to choose as Secretary of State.

Oh I have no doubt at all that Hillary is demanding, paranoid and an egomaniac. I'm just not sure she's going to be the Secretary of State. let's wait for the transition team to finish up it's work and Obama to make official announcements on who gets the job.

Weaver95: Empanda: Weaver95: No, it's gallingly stupid. He'd have better control over her if she's stuck in the Senate.

But if she stayed in the senate, what control would he have over Bill?

Nobody can control Bill. That's rather the problem. I suppose you could make Bill an abassador to some country with no strategic importance and a lot of pretty nubile young women with a sex addiction problem....that'd keep him busy and out of trouble.

I don't know that I would want Bill shipped off. He's sleazy and he is a complete dog, but the man is smart. I wouldn't have the least problem with him whispering the occasional bit of advice to Obama. If Bill can check his ego and quit shooting off at the mouth he could wind up quite powerful behind the scenes in a Rovian sort of way.

It's not so much the fact that she's such a polarizing figure in the US. It's the fact that the leaders of the other nations know that she's a polarizing figure.

Her effectiveness is going to be hampered.

Weaver95: I have to admit, I can't think of any possible reason for the appointment. But if Obama wants a backstabbing witch queen on his staff, then he's welcome to her. If nothing else, it'll be interesting to watch.

Some theories:
A) with Clinton as a hired hand, she won't be the powerful voice of moderate democrats in the senate. She could have become a serious thorn in Obama's side. She would have been assumed to be his friendly adversary in the Senate, all the news people would run to her after every Obama statement and she would be issuing press releases all the time.

A2) cherry on the sundae is he gets to lord it over Bill and gets to control him to some degree. He won't be running around the world talking luke-warm about Obama like he did during the election. Official castration of Bill, impressive.

B) He sobered up after his first couple of security meetings and after seeing what is out there in the world, realized the shiat is going to hit the fan and needs someone to i) help or ii) blame.

B2) Obama sending a signal to moderates, Republicans, and/or the world that he gets it on security given that Hillary is the most hawkish of the Democrats.

C) (far out there) Obama realizes he only got 52% of the vote and a big reason he won is that Republicans basically stayed home. If the R's put up a decent challenger in the next election, Obama will need help. Obama realizes Biden was a liability and may need Hillary to get elected again. Assuming she does a decent job he will need someone to push over the top. Would be fine with her b/c then she can run for prez in 2016.

interesting note.

Bush is playing some games to try and keep her out of the spot.
[he raised the sec of state pay] And by some law this means that senator cannot take the job for at least a year.

/no one thinks it will really stick though.

Weaver95: Because it's in her nature to do so.

I have to admit that I've never been impressed with Hillary intellectually or politically. I've never seen much in the way of achievements to match the brag some of her fans bring. Of course, I've been ever less able to understand the frothing, red-faced hatred she engenders in so many. What specifically has she actually *done* that leads people to think she's some combination of Caligula, Mata Hari and Lucrezia Borgia? You've just made the claim that her backstabbing Obama is simply a part of her nature. Could you name three of her previous backstabs that lead you to loathe her so?

GratuityIncluded: Hobodeluxe: love these anonymous sources the conservative rags always seem to quote.

The Telegraph? Niiiice.

Yeah the old Hollinger/Black outfit. They haven't changed their stripes.

Empanda: I don't know that I would want Bill shipped off. He's sleazy and he is a complete dog, but the man is smart. I wouldn't have the least problem with him whispering the occasional bit of advice to Obama. If Bill can check his ego and quit shooting off at the mouth he could wind up quite powerful behind the scenes in a Rovian sort of way.

Not only would I want Bill shipped off somewhere out of the way, but I'd also burn down his house and salt the earth where he used to sleep. I'd have his presidential library listed as a superfund clean up site.

One thing I thought was particularly interesting about McClellans 'tell all' book on Bush's tactics was that old scotty went to great lengths to credit most of Rove and Bush's more vile tactics to Bill and Hillary Clinton. McClellan's (obsessively documented) allegation is that the Bush white house 'merely' perfected the tactics of the Clinton white house. For what it's worth, I believe him.

Weaver95, your "concern" about Hillary is noted.

;)

But seriously, how can you expect to be taken seriously when saying things like "she isn't change, she's part of the old regime", in 2008, after 8 years of W. and Cheney?

Is there some new disease sweeping the land, that treats the last 8 years as some sort of non-event, quickly scrubbed from the collective memory?

I mean, unless Hillary Clinton supports kidnappings using US agents and aircraft in Europe, and unless she supports the kidnapping, beating, torture, and lifetime imprisonment of people who were never indicted for, charged with, or even formally acused of any crime... and unless she supports the idea that the Vice President has executive priveledge as part of the Executive Branch, while at the same time not being part of the Executive branch for the purposes of subpeaonas...

...then she absolutely nothing in common with the "Old Regime" that you spoke of.

You know, the guys actually in power for the last 8 years, and who remain in power for the next two months.

And... just for the record... I really really, dislike Hillary Clinton, as my posts here during the primaries showed.

But, to equate Hillary Clinton with the Bush regime is a low blow. I may dislike the woman, but she hasn't done anything that would warrant accusing her of being like Bush.

That's just mean.