There has been much speculation about who is to be the new US secretary of state.
NBC News and The Washington Post report that Hillary Clinton is being considered for this top post. This would be a crucial decision as relations with Hillary have understandably not been good. They both had contested for nomination for the Democratic presidential nomination. The contest was intense and heated. Her appointment as the secretary of state would go along way to heal the breach in the Democratic Party. There was an intangible breach in the party after Obama won.
Obama could have chosen Hillary as his running mate but he preferred Sen. Joe Biden. This annoyed Clinton and her supporters and the demarcations became more pronounced.
A nice gesture to heal relations and mend fences. This would be good news for people outside US too. She was not very firm about timetables to withdraw troops from Iraq.
One area where they see eye-to-eye is that US image is important and has to be kept untarnished. They both believe that much damage control has to be done as far as “failed policies” have to be mended. The Bush administration has left quite a few things in mess.
Clinton flew to Chicago but it is reported that it was a purely personal visit. The aides of President-elect Obama are tight lipped “Any speculation about cabinet or other administration appointments is really for President-elect Obama’s transition team to address,” said Clinton’s senior adviser, Philippe Reines.
CNN reported that on Monday night, York, Clinton was asked if she would consider taking a post in the Obama administration. She said, “I am happy being a senator from New York, I love this state and this city. I am looking at the long list of things I have to catch up on and do. But I want to be a good partner and I want to do everything I can to make sure his agenda is going to be successful,”
