Jessica

Vozel

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November 17, 2008

Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State? Pros and Cons

During the campaign, most political analysis of candidates and their decisions – their vice-presidential picks, the rhetoric they employ, the states they choose to visit or avoid – attempted to answer this question: How will this affect the candidate’s chances of winning the presidency? Post-election, however, there has been a refreshing shift. Now, the president-elect’s choices are analyzed in terms of how they will affect America and its people. 

It’s nice, isn’t it, to be valued for more than our voting demographic? To be considered not red, blue, female, male, black, white, young or old, but American? The choices President-elect Obama makes at this stage affect a country, not a campaign. 

And so speculation begins anew. One of the most shocking revelations of Obama’s possible cabinet choices is a recent one: Sen. Hillary Clinton is being considered for the post of Secretary of State. We’ve heard other names, such as John Kerry and Bill Richardson. But no one sparks discussion quite like a Clinton. Especially this Clinton, after the grueling primary election and the resulting party divide that once seemed insurmountable.

So in the spirit of this new punditry that turns an eye toward the good of the country, I’m going to analyze the pros and cons of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. 

Pros:

If President-elect Obama appoints a one-time political enemy as his Secretary of State, it validates his message of bringing the country together. It proves that he is able to look past disagreements and primary election back-stabbing. It will give the holdover PUMAs and jilted Clinton supporters some sense of victory – that their work was not for nothing – and ideally bring them over to his side. 

Also, such a choice will bode well for Obama’s ability to work with Republicans, as Hillary Clinton arguably back-stabbed Obama with the best of them. Of course, a Democrat appointing another Democrat won’t undo the last decade of bitterness between parties, but extending a hand to Hillary Clinton could very well be a precursor for extending a hand across the aisle. 

Second, Clinton is qualified. She has experience. She’s a powerhouse politician who will get things done. It says a lot that President-elect Obama is able to look through the fog of their disagreements and recognize her capabilities. In a recent article in Time magazine, Clinton said in an interview, “I’m not interested in just enhancing my visibility. I’m interested in standing on the South Lawn of the White House and seeing President Obama signing into law quality, affordable health care for everybody, and voting in a big majority for clean, renewable energy and smarter economic policies. That’s what I’m all about, and I’m going to use every tool at my disposal to bring it about.”

That is not the voice of a defeated woman. The country that chose not to elect her is still her first priority.  

Third, as a woman, I’d love to see a woman in a position of power in Obama’s cabinet. Obama’s historic win has changed race relations in America, and that’s no small thing. But perhaps we’re starting to forget that women came close to having their own historic moment, too. Ideally, the gains Hillary Clinton made – the hammering that cracked the ceiling – will be reflected in Obama’s choices, especially considering that a female currently holds the position. 

Cons:

The disagreements between Clinton and Obama, though bridgeable in terms of considering her for Secretary of State, may cause problems if she is chosen. Especially challenging is that Clinton and Obama’s area of greatest division is in foreign policy. Who will budge their beliefs for the sake of agreement? And how would potential in-fighting affect the leadership’s ability to achieve the things that need to be done? Would we be left vulnerable because of it? 

Also, holding onto her position as a senator is not admitting defeat. There’s a lot that Hillary Clinton could accomplish from her Senate seat, a position that she could likely hold onto for her lifetime – although arguably that was never her intention. But a lifetime is a long time to get things done for the country.

From here, we’ll just have to await Obama’s next move. In the meantime let’s revel in our freedom from pie charts, interactive maps, debate reaction monitors divided by gender and political affiliations, Gallup polls and other means of political pigeonholing.

Let’s celebrate being one nation.

© 2008 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

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