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Is she or isn't she: Will Hillary be Obama Secretary of State?

BY ELIZABETH MOORE | elizabeth.moore@news

November 15, 2008

Speculation continued to swirl Friday on reports that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is among contenders for secretary of state in President-elect Barack Obama's administration.

Obama and Clinton had a "serious discussion" in Chicago Thursday to gauge Clinton's interest in the post, if she were offered it, news outlets reported Friday, with sources telling CNN Clinton was left with the impression the post was hers for the asking.

But later Friday night, The Associated Press reported a Democratic official said Obama met Friday afternoon in Chicago with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson - also to discuss the secretary of state job.

Obama is weighing several other prominent elected officials for top diplomat, with Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) also mentioned. But the key economic and defense posts are also regarded as priorities and Obama transition team co-chairman John Podesta said this week cabinet-position nominations would not be announced until after Thanksgiving.

And though Clinton's phone was already ringing Friday with a call from one head of state, some sources said she and Obama were mulling whether such a move would be the right one.

"How will the relationship evolve? That's the big question," said one national Democratic source in touch with both the Obama and Clinton circles. "She understands the deal better than anyone, having been in the White House for eight years. ... Situations change. ... Everyone serves at the pleasure of the president."

Clinton's office continued to refer questions about the cabinet post to Obama's transition team Friday. And Clinton herself, while addressing the New York Public Transit Association in Albany at noon, said she would not "speculate or address" the reports of a Chicago meeting. But she drew laughter from her audience of transit employees with a quip directed at the three dozen journalists trailing her.

"I'm very happy there is so much press attention and interest in transit, and especially guesses about my own," she said.

Gov. David A. Paterson, a Clinton friend and earlier backer of her presidential bid, said Friday she hadn't spoken with him about joining the Obama cabinet.

"I haven't the slightest idea," Paterson told CNN. "If it came to pass, New York's loss would be America's gain. That's how we felt when Hillary Clinton ran for president."

Clinton emerged from this year's election telling reporters she was happy with her Senate seat and not interested in being a member of Obama's cabinet, a Supreme Court justice, Senate majority leader or governor of New York. What she most wants, she and surrogates have repeated, is to help enact universal health care.

But as a junior senator and presidential also-ran Clinton has already found her options and leverage limited, as more senior senators have taken leadership of the health care reform effort, opting not to put her in charge of a subcommittee.

Becoming secretary of state would deprive Clinton not only of a secure Senate seat and political base, but also of the chance to build her own national leadership voice and clout, in the mold of Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Democratic consultant George Arzt believes it makes sense for her at the age of 61 to get out of the clubby, seniority-bound Senate and back onto the world stage where she enjoys far greater stature. That stature would benefit Obama too, says former New York State Democratic chairwoman Judith Hope, calling secretary of state a "brilliant move," if Obama makes it.

The speculation about Clinton has already stirred international buzz. Pakistan's private GEO News Web site reported President Asif Ali Zardari telephoned Clinton Friday during a visit to New York to say his nascent democracy needed the international community's support.

GEO reported Clinton expressed support for a $15-billion appropriation for Pakistan, adding "the United States of America was keen to see the economic and social uplift of the people of Pakistan and the new U.S. administration and the Congress would work together to attain that objective."

Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines confirmed the conversation but downplayed its significance."Senator Clinton and President Zardari have known each other for years and the phone call was an opportunity for them to reconnect," he said. "Neither details of U.S. assistance nor the potential policies of the next administration were discussed."

Albany bureau chief James T. Madore contributed to this story.

BILL RICHARDSON FILE

NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR, 2003-present.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, 2008. Briefly ran against Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Joe Biden and the others. Eventually dropped out and endorsed Obama.

ENERGY SECRETARY, 1998, under President Bill Clinton.

AMBASSADOR TO UN, 1997, in Clinton's administration.

CONGRESS Served in House for 15 years in northern New Mexico representing the 3rd Congressional District. As a special envoy on several occasions, helped win release of hostages, American servicemen and prisoners in North Korea, Iraq and Cuba.

FAMILY Married to his high school sweetheart, Barbara, for 35 years.

EDUCATION BA from Tufts, 1970, and a MA from Tufts' Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, 1971.

RECORD-SETTER During 2002 governor campaign, broke a world record by shaking 13,392 hands in an eight-hour period - shattering mark President Theodore Roosevelt set on inauguration day in 1907.

SOURCE: Office of Governor, New Mexico