UPDATE: Hillsec

Blind sources aren’t really sources.
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“The last thing they would want to do is to rekindle the anger that her supporters felt when they believed that he didn’t give Clinton her due by vetting her to be his running mate”
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I think this is largely a myth, do you have anything other than anecdotal evidence to support that?
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Saying that Bill Clinton because of his “dealings overseas ” is an issue seems pretty sinister. Can you flesh that out?

KT here–

P-NNTO: Well, for starters, he was advising the government of Dubai on the ports deal, and then there’s this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/us/politics/31donor.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

Beyond that, there is the question of who donated to his library. I’m not saying there’s anything nefarious there; I’m just saying they are going to be reluctant to air it all publicly.

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KT: The last thing they would want to do is to rekindle the anger that her supporters felt when they believed that he didn’t give Clinton her due by vetting her to be his running mate.
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True. Obama wouldn’t want to do anything that would negatively affect his chances at getting elected President, like give Hillary supporters another reason to go over to McCain en masse.
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Would the former First Couple really want to undergo a vigorous vetting process that would expose all of his dealings overseas to public scrutiny?
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Yes, we didn’t hear enough about Bill Clinton’s foreign business dealings during the primaries.

I’m not a huge fan of Hillary Clinton, and I’m a bit skeptical of her role as SoS. I didn’t like a lot of her votes and positions as a Senator and candidate, and Bubba will create an international incidence within three months. He can’t help himself, and I don’t know how much the rest of the world understands our government, to get that he really is just a private citizen now. Sort of.
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But that Kennedy news is disappointing. To block her from a committee chair, much less sub committee, because of seniority is just stupid, and the old lion ought to recognize that it’s time to prepare a successor, even if his prognosis is better than generally reported. And even I think she’s the best candidate for that role.
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I think this is largely a myth, do you have anything other than anecdotal evidence to support that?

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My god, have you been to any PUMA blogs? They may be the extreme, but they’ve all but convinced themselves that HRC can cure any disease by the laying of hands.

KT here–

I agree with Jim. The PUMA stuff didn’t keep Obama from getting elected, but Obama would be inviting unnecessary controversy if he were to let this news stay out there, and get their hopes up, if he weren’t serious.

“vigorous vetting process that would expose all of his dealings overseas to public scrutiny”
So BHO’s vetting is done in public? Or is it that during confirmation hearings for Senator Clinton it will be all about Bill Clinton?
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The library stuff sure excited Tim Russert, I’m not sure anyone else cared.
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Simply put I think the American people, if not the media, are weary of the non-relevant attacks. You -not you KT, you the media and republicans-can try but the people have moved on.
The times are too serious.

I think Obama does not want a Ted Kennedy to Jimmy Carter, or 2001-2005 John McCain to George Bush. Better to co-opt.

It also vests Hillary into his success. She will be 69 in 2916. Biden won’t run. She would be even more of a favorite then, despite her age if she helps Obama be successful. The seniority system in the Senate won’t allow her to do what she wants unless she stages a successful coup to replace Reid.

This seems like a good deal for both of them.

I don’t think pacifying the nuts that run PUMA blogs is really high on Obama’s priority list when it comes to possible SoS…

It seems clear, to me, that Hillary is on board with helping Obama push his agenda. And she doesn’t care what Bill thinks or wants in the matter.

KT here–

P-NNTO: This isn’t an election we are talking about here; it’s a confirmation process and a vetting process. And, yes, a lot of stuff that the Clintons have not chosen to make public would become public.

PUMA=7 sad people

KT I’m NOT talking about an election, we just had one. And all the evidence suggests that Wright, Arrogance (remember that one?), Ayers all were ignored by the people.
That’s my point, Bill Clinton’s fundraising does not matter.
Adding, do you think the Clintons are unaware of the process?

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KT: …a lot of stuff that the Clintons have not chosen to make public would become public.
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Such as? I’m sure that there’s a few leftover Republican operatives that would be more than happy to give you a little dirt (or something that can be made to look like dirt) on the Clintons that was prepared in case Hillary won the primary.
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Beyond that, I really can’t remember when selecting a Secretary of State was a big deal outside of DC. Then again, I may not have been paying attention…

Aw dang, Paul NNTO beat me to it.
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What are the PUMAs going to do, vote for McCain? I mean, that was their big chance to spite Obama, and yet here we are.
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How are we supposed to think of them, apart from being utterly inconsequential?

forgot to close the i tag, apologies.

Memphis congress critter Steve Cohen just wrote a diary at Daily Kos saying that he fully supports Hillary as SOS.

It seems clear, to me, that Hillary is on board with helping Obama push his agenda. And she doesn’t care what Bill thinks or wants in the matter.
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It’s not about what Hillary thinks about Bill, it’s about what Bill thinks and feels (for starters that he was owed Hillary’s nomination), and his inability or unwillingness to place a filter between his id and his mouth.

I couldn’t find a news story on Senator Clinton being turned down by Senator Kennedy for the sub committee -does anyone have something on that?

Oh and Valerie Jarrett is officially joining the White House staff. No Senate seat for her. Per CBS in Chicago.

KT
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I have said this on a dailykos blog that brought up the same thing. Unless you believe that Hillary Clinton never really wanted to win the presidency the point about Bill Clinton’s dealings is made mute. The same way that there would be a call for him to open the books so to speak if she were vetted for Sec of State imagine how much MORE vetting there would have been during the general election had she gotten the nomination. It occurs to me that they must have had some kind of exit strategy whereby he could put a firewall up between himself and the CGI as well as the library before Hillary ever announced her candidacy. Now there are plenty of reasons why she might not ultimately be named Sec of State but I just can’t see how in light of the fact that she fought tooth and nail to be the Democratic nominee for president which would have brought all kinds of scrutiny from some pretty unfriendly sources, that Bill Clinton’s dealings will be the particular one that precludes her.

Nate Silver of 538.com fame has a book deal. $700,000 advance. He has earned it.

KT,
When will you and your friends in the MSM get over your insane hatred for the Clintons. This man was one of the most sucessful presidentss of the 20th century and you think she will have vetting problems. Laura Bush might have vetting problems do to her husband’s activities, Hilary Clinton not so much.

dfh, if I ever got somebody like Chris Matthews alone, I would like to talk to him about the Clinton hatred. The blue dress genuinely enraged villagers in a way that torture, suspension of habaeus corpus, a war under false pretenses, etc… never did.

I don’t think the anger is false either. It genuinely upset them more than us torturing people. I find the value system twisted. But, it’s genuine.
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People like Broder, as in the famous Sally Quinn article are just concern trolls. He was penning columns during Watergate on how Nixon could survive, then talking about the Bush bounce in between his rants on how the hicks from Arkansas spoiled his town.
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Folks like Matthews though interest me. So many of the nominally democratic people who were so enraged by Clinton were the MSNBC Irish Catholic east coast demo. I am thinking sexual hangups might have a big deal to do with it. Clinton was a dog. Yet, I have no problem weighing it next to the crimes against humanity that the Bush administration have committed and giving it proper context. We also should expect some more of the Clinton era smear jobs. Hillary was a lesbian who murdered her male lover Vince Foster will be updated for the Obama administration. Cable news will insist they have to cover the rumors. Drudge front paged it! “It’s out there”.

Oh the Clintons… such a complicated subject. While I was very supportive of BC during his presidency and longed for his intellect and judgement during the Bush years, I think in many ways he’s played out. Unfortunately Hillary is connected to that. If he hadn’t been POTUS it would be $exist to say she shouldn’t have her chance at a leading role in an Obama administration. She deserves to be judged on her own merits, but we all know BC loves the spotlight and where there’s a Hill there’s a Bill. The Obama would be wise to avoid that.

” it’s genuine.”
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It is genuine desire for ratings and readers. There was a talk radio host in this market years ago who said when she had no topic for her show would say “Abortion, give me a call”
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Clinton “outrage”=numbers. The bonus is the self satisfaction of being a failed husband (see Will, George) who can look down on someone else’s marriage that works.

Nedra Pickler (yeah I know) is reporting that Obama met with Richardson too. He also is in the running. Linkee here

I’m with PNNTO. The Clintons as corrupt and sex-crazed is a non-start meme. It didn’t have much effect in the 1990s (the man was elected twice) and it didn’t hurt Hillary in the primaries. If the recent election taught us anything, it’s that the public is tired unto death of smear tactics and personal attacks.

And dfh, you’re certainly entitled to your opinions, but I think you’ll be hard pressed to provide details on KT’s ‘insane hatred’ of the Clintons or anyone else. She’s a reporter and she’s reporting information that’s out there. Period.

So now my question is, if Clinton isn’t in serious contention for this post, why is Team Obama letting this idea hang out there?

Because the Obama camp has made it very clear from the onset that it would not comment on the media speculation.

Bernie Sanders says LIEberman can suck it! And comes pretty close to putting it in those terms.
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http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/bernie_sanders_joins_leahy_in.php

KT: I have heard this conjecture about Bill C. wanting to avoid, at all costs, any exposure of his “charity” and library contributions. Is this all just specuation, or is there smoke here? And I mean objective evidence of smoke, not suggestion of such. I can’t understand how this could not have been subjected to serious consideration when HRC decided to run.

Oh and Maliki is now supportive of a new SOFA
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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/55910.html

The reporting on msnbc seems to be that
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1)it’s hers for the asking, which suggests that there’s no specific plan to vet Bill.
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2) that Obama didn’t want this out this early, that he wants to unveil his national security team as a whole.
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3) Ignatius (I think) said that Obama needs to be careful not to dilute the image the world now has of him as the face of America now, and I tend to agree with that.
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4) Except for the Bill problem, I think we underestimate her willingness to be a team player. She apparently was in the senate.
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5) My major concern for her as SOS is that she was unable to stand up to her own campaign staff, so I’m not sure what evidence there is that she would drive a hard bargain with counterparts in other countries.

Bill Richardson would be a very good choice. Experience, demonstrated diplomatic skills, varied public service.
I’m not sure about his wife though.

This is why I hate Michael Steele, and also why I am praying mightily that he gets the RNC post so he can have an EPIC FAIL in two years. Then I will get to watch him squirm as members of his own party accuse HIM of playing the race card. Actually I am sure they will claim that right now as he is trying to get the RNC post but I am just hopint that he gets it in spite of.
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http://townhall.com/blog/g/87a3daa6-2d87-4f5a-a2f3-31aa4be5767f

Maybe Bill is a non-issue (for the most part) because perhaps part of the SoS deal is that Hillary travels and works alone. Bill doesn’t travel with her. She would have no problem with that, is my guess, since she probably feels he’s more of an albatross than the rest of us do. Let him hang out with Steve Bing. This is Hillary’s chance to make a name for herself.
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I too was a pretty skeptical puss when I first heard the rumors. After all, this is the woman who mocked Obama when he suggested diplomacy with our enemies. But politically, putting her there is smart. Hell, even if she turns it down, it’s smart for him. Then he can say he was conciliatory and magnanimous, and he neutralizes any criticism she may have in future by subtly pointing out that she had her chance for input. If she accepts, then she’s invested in his success and he gets her away from domestic policy, as well as being able to send her out of the country half the time.
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That Obama is a wily dude.

Begich, Mark DEM 137527 47.40%
Stevens, Ted REP 136466 47.04%
..
..
New number dump. Lead up to 1061.

Would the former First Couple really want to undergo a vigorous vetting process that would expose all of his dealings overseas* to public scrutiny?
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This seems to be saying that we have a much more invasive vetting process to be Secretary of State than we do to be President. I find this odd.

So how DID this get out there? Anybody remember the primaries and which team had a problem with leaks? I’m quite sure Obama didn’t want this hanging out there, and I would guess he’s not too amused about it, and i’d take it one step further and assume the fact that it is out there is not counting in Clinton’s favor. Now the question is, how to stuff that cat back in the bag.
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That said, I think she would be a good SOS – if she could just get her people to shut up.

kathy: you #5 is so smart. You’re right. She couldn’t control Bill, she couldn’t control her staff. Who knows how she will manage the diplomats over at State.
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Maybe this is Obama’s put up or shut up challenge.

calkate
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Andrea Mitchell has been adamant that this came from two different Obama advisors. And she has said this on more than one show on MSNBC. Mind you in the last week the Obama campaign has shot down other rumors that were untrue and they have yet to do so this time. I am inclined to believe that Obama’s people put this out there so that he is in the lead position. If Clinton says no and the information was never out there Obama could look like a bad guy for not incuding her in his cabinet. Its a smart move really

Oh thanks! Just can’t bring myself to watch Andrea Mitchell, and I’ve been taking a little blog break…I stand corrected. Interesting, interesting. Watching this guy is fun.

PNNTO – You said it better than me, but that’s what I meant. It sounds absurd the other way around. Although Richardson’s wife wasn’t a past POTUS with a knack for getting in trouble.

KT here–

Guys, I’m jammed for time and borrowing a computer in the Washington Week control room. Could someone post a link to Jackie Calmes’ story yesterday in the NYT? It would demonstrate what I mean by the Obama vetting process. Thanks.

kathy, her campaign staff were her friends. The leaders of Iran, OTOH… she’s not so close to them. And reading the Newsweek article, she actually seemed disengaged, not intimidated by her staff. That said, I still think it’s really strange.
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Oh, and MSNBC is just sexist. That’s why they waited so long to give Rachel Maddow her own show, and why they’re so obsessed with troubled young female celebrities and kidnapped white girls. KO’s naming of Katie Couric as “Worse Person in the World” when she dared to mention media sexism after Clinton lost was just one of their embarrassing sexist incidents – it’s not just about the Clintons, it’s about women in general.

I can’t beleive you go that through the MOD BOT Rose83!!

Here’s the Colmes link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/us/politics/13apply.html
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I doubt Bill Richardson would do much better than the Clintons…

Here’s that link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/us/politics/13apply.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=calmes&st

dunedweller, hasn’t the moderation stopped? I’ve been writing normally with no problems.

Here’s the link to the Jackie Calmes story.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/us/politics/15clinton.html?ref=us

Rose83: It has? YAY! I missed a few days… now there’s a reason to drink tonight

Rose, I guess not – the link I just posted is in Mod

“KT here–
Guys, I’m jammed for time and borrowing a computer in the Washington Week control room.”
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And THAT is why KT is the best. She’s working on another job and still cares enough to keep abreast of this. I disagree with this post for a number of reasons but dang she is so, what is the word?, genuine.

ah crap… there’s a reason to drink tonight

Rose – good point about the difficulty of controlling friends vs. opponents.
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By all accounts Rachel has her own show because KO pushes hard for her to get one, and I don’t really think he’s all that sexist. Michelle Bernard deservedly gets plenty of face time on Hardball. Disliking Hillary is really not the same thing as being sexist (sigh. We’ve been there before, haven’t we)

calkate, That’s strange. Perhaps they’ve exempted the most frequent posters… Obviously my earlier post would have been moderated a few days ago.

“I doubt Bill Richardson would do much better than the Clintons…”
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The link is about vetting, what do you know (suspect?) about Richardson Rose?

Pnnto – hear, hear! and Dunedweller, bottoms up! I think I will mix a martini and sip it while watching KT on WW (I gather we have the privilege of seeing her tonight).
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OK, I’ll be honest, I’ll be on my second by the time it is on.

Richard Wolfe also confirming this came from Obama’s side: “my transition sources”
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last comment should have read KO pushed hard for her to get one (past tense)

Moderation has been removed except for the most vile terms however sometimes if you post a link your post will dissappear. I know because i tried to post like 3 times today and it happened. I think it might have something to do with rejecting certain websites or something. But you can say hell now with no fear of retribution and even assume

Rose, as I reflect, it is entirely possible that I posted the link on TPM or one of the other blogs I have open!! Sometimes I am over enthusiastic with the enter key. I have had no other posts delayed.

kathy, if HRC didn’t exist I’d still think KO is sexist. He’s obsessed with Britney, Lindsay, any troubled young woman. And the Katie Couric thing was appalling – Did you see her comments? It was so reasonable and uncontroversial. Even Maureen Dowd would probably be okay with it. And I’m not saying he’s simplistically sexist and thinks no women should be taken seriously. But then, a lot of sexist guys are fans of Palin; Those guys are still sexist.

To his credit, Richardson has racked up a pretty good record in diplomacy already. He helped negotiate the release of a U.S.pilot shot down over North Korea, three Red Cross workers held hostage in Sudan.Last year, he secured the release of three people, including a reporter from the Chicago Tribune, captured in Darfur.If I remember correctly, this was all while he was governor of New Mexico.

Politico has a good story on the SOS rumblings (let’s see if this link makes it): http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15625.html

Regarding the Calmes story – Holy Jeebus. The infomation they are asking for would eliminate anybody I know, and half the talking head people I see on TeeVee. I am not sure the Pope could squeeze through that one.

Great post, this is exactly what I was thinking. This leak essentially eliminates the Clintons from the spoils of Obama in the guise of seeking Hillary for the vast “foreign policy experience” she herself tooted, because Bildo will now have to go into detail suspicious meal tickets such as the following:

Ukraine
http://www.newsweek.com/id/105650

Kazakhstan
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/us/politics/31donor.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

China
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-clintonchina13apr13,0,499290.story

And on and on…

donovong
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You have to remember something. They are asking for information, they arent saying how that information will affect the person as far as whether it will keep them from getting hired. A lot of the time its just a formality because they know they are going to hire the person but they want to be able to get ahead of any potential scandals that may come out later. It also helps to weed out people who want to apply but know in their heart they would never make it past the vetting. In that way it saves time that would be wasted investigating someone who is not a serious candidate anyway.
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Off topic, who came up with the term “inside baseball”? As someone who played organized baseball all through school as a youngster I think the term is frikkin stupid

P-NNTO, Here’s a story from last year on Richardson’s possible problems with vetting: http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=2EB8526F-3048-5C12-009C780BEE19A7E6
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Key passage: The lieutenant governor of New Mexico, Diane Denish was quoted in the Albuquerque Journal saying she avoids standing or sitting near Richardson because of his physical manner, which she said was not improper but was “annoying.” The governor, she said, “pinches my neck. He touches my hip, my thigh, sort of the side of my leg.”
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He may not have done anything that’s technically improper – although I would say needlessly making your colleagues feel uncomfortable is improper – but it raises suspicions. And in retrospect, passing the Kerry vetting process doesn’t say much.

KT’s doing a good job on WWIR, as usual.
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Rose – No, I didn’t see the KO comment on Couric.
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I think the guys on MSNBC are sexist sometimes, but for the most part it’s not malicious or intentional. Scarborough’s the worst, I think.
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And as for KO, I know you don’t like him, but his early and persistent liberalism made it more possible for other liberals to speak their liberal mind on the teevee. He is much more obnoxious as he’s gotten more coverage (what a surprise) but I have a soft spot for the KO of 4 or 5 years ago.

donovong- when I was teaching a supervisor said to the faculty once, “never let me hear from a parent something I should have heard from you.” good advice, and I think it’s what’s in play here.

Rose I find that trivial. If that, weighed against his credentials, is a deal breaker than I weep for this country.

The speculation about the politics of a Hillary appointment is interesting, but an important possibility seems to be getting ignored: Obama may want her because he thinks she’s the best person for the job.
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Maybe, just maybe, this isn’t about politics, but about governing.

KT has been palling around with terrorists because WWIR was sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation!

kathy
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I predict KO will go back to being lower key now that the election is over. I mean he hasnt gone over the top really since two weeks ago. And his prop 8 special comment might have been the best special comment that he has ever done.

sgwhite:
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Baseball
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As with lots of these metaphors, it doesn’t have much to do with the original definition. About the only connection is that inside baseball involved small maneuvers in the infield (we now call it “small ball” – getting someone from base to base rather than counting on home runs, for example) and inside baseball in politics is about the mundane, less flashy moves. They both kind of refer to those things that only true aficionados would be interested in figuring out.

I don’t like HRC for SecState. I like her for SecDef. She’s been on the armed services committee, and is well regarded for her work there. And I would like to put paid to the idea that you need a manly republican to run national security policy.
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But one argument in favor of SecState is that she already has relationships with people. This presumes a very comfortable and confident President Obama. Which looks to be a pretty good chance.

He is much more obnoxious as he’s gotten more coverage (what a surprise) but I have a soft spot for the KO of 4 or 5 years ago.
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I didn’t see him much before this election cycle, but my dad says the same thing. It’s sad to see people decline like that…
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P-NNTO, I don’t care about any consensual activity between adults; I’m actually pretty extreme on that. But this is borderline sexual harassment of a high-level colleague, which is a serious issue. I would not want to work with anyone who behaved in that manner. The Secretary of State needs to work with women, and if that’s sometimes a problem for Richardson, then it’s a serious issue.
That said, my original point was that it’s not just the Clintons who may have problems with the vetting process. And no one says that HRC herself would have difficulties with vetting; Her personal behavior is impeccable.

sgwhite:
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Baseball
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As with lots of these metaphors, it doesn’t have much to do with the original definition. About the only connection is that inside baseball involved small maneuvers in the infield (we now call it “small ball” – getting someone from base to base rather than counting on home runs, for example) and inside baseball in politics is about the mundane, less flashy moves. They both kind of refer to those things that only true aficionados would be interested in figuring out.

Uhmmm rose83
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I am going to reserve comment until I am sure about this. Is this the clip that you are upset about concerning KO making Katie Couric the worst person in the world?
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NNTO–
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My lifestory is downthread, in answer to your question about living in VT, MN and ME.

My understanding of the current connotation of “inside baseball” is that it refers to words, phrases and information that only makes sense to people who are participants in some inner circle.

Not a whole lot of new information, but a couple more quotes, as well as pointing straight at Rahm as the leak.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-14/how-obama-wooed-hillary/

Thanks jay I am off to read it.

rose and sgw:

KO’s worst person tonight was Rick Davis for being sexist and condescending (KO’s right about this) for thinking they didn’t have to prepare for the Couric interview because they’d get soft questions because she was a woman.
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kathy
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I know I was watching it. I pesonally don’t think KO is so bad except for the stream of special comments he started giving in the last 2 months which made him seem way over the top. But he has been the ONLY progressive voice on cable news until Rachel got her show and he has represented us wonderfully all by his lonesome. Thats why I generally will speak up for him because for the longest time he was the ONLY voice speaking up for us. Can you imagine Larry King posting on dailykos?

@kathy & sgw – agreed and understood as such. It’s obvious that only the ones who really, really want it really, really bad – and whose underwear is sparkling clean – will get through the process.

THAT’S change I can believe in!

pnnto
I added a comment for you downthread about Vermont’s Republican governor.

Rachel Maddow just called Joe LIEberman out in the most humiliating way!!!
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I think I am in love lol

donovong
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One thing you have to remember is that some of these people will have to be confirmed by congress. Nobody wants another “anita hill” moment you know

where did rose83 go?

I went out clubbing like any normal Gen-Yer. No, I was actually just eating dinner and watching TV…
I’ll look at the KO clip tomorrow.
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This is going to sound crazy, but what about Mitt Romney for Treasury? He’s very smart (KT says so), he has a fairly centrist record and he’s probably the toughest Republican for 2012. I’d rather see someone like HRC there, but it’s not going to happen. And I’d rather see Romney than Summers; At least he’s not crazy.

Just in case anyone might be interested, MSNBC have today started putting out the full versions of each Rachel Maddow show as podcasts. If you feel the urge, you can even subscribe to her podcasts so you never miss a show. You know it makes sense.

I wouldn’t really mind if she were SOS, but I think she would be better off in the Senate anyway. I’d prefer Richardson at State.

I see that Obama is meeting McCain, too. Maybe he’ll offer him the job.

FWIW, here’s my read:

Hillary is their fist choice, Richardson is their second and Kerry is their third.

They are floating the Hillary balloon over the weekend, and seeing how much heat and play it gets on the Sunday shows, while keeping Richardson just enough in the back pocket to keep the process still open.

I don’t think that John Kerry believes for one second that he thinks he will be the next Sec. State, and why should he? Where’s the upside in that? Far better to be Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations, than answerable to the President.

Why Hillary? Well THIS is the easiest answer ever. The Senate has a every serious problem on its hands and no way whatsoever of solving it quickly. Because of the seniority issue, it is the most sexists and racist institution on the face of the earth. The possibility for a woman of a minority to achieve enough seniority to reflect what they deserve in terms of committee chairmanships is next to impossible. Barbara Boxer is the exception, because California is.s.California. the Democrats have a serious problem in that Hillary clinton is arguably the most powerful female democrat in America and she will go back to Congress as what? The junior senator who isn’t even a ranker on Armed Services?

No, I don’t think so. They have to give her a Cabinet level post. And with the team of Obama, Hillary as Sec State and Kerry, who’s philosophically hand in glove with Obama and has been for the last five years on Iraq, would work very well together. I think that after Obama gets re-elected, Hillary could then leave State, Obama could then appoint Kerry, and put Hillary on the Supreme Court without having to worry about the political blowback.

As far as Bill’s finances…well, that’s what this trial balloon is for. My gestalt says that folks have Clinton fatigue and aren’t going to give a sh!t about Clinton’s library donations, et cetera. First on all, it’s her husband, not her, and that looks sexist right out of the gate. Second, people are going to feel that she is OWED this position. Third, public will feel that Republicans getting in the way of this are being petty and small, and are getting in the way of Obama reaching out to his biggest rival.

So, I beg you Republicans, please be as politically stupid as possible. Make yourselves look even smaller, more petty and meaner. Go after Hillary Clinton. Just. One. More. Time. If Obama puts Hillary up for nomination first, and the Republicans go after the Clintons again in public, while Obama’s trying to bring everyone together, well, the rest of the agenda is easy.

I wonder if Obama is meeting with McCain to offer him VA secretary. Only to have McCain turn it down, and go and campaign for that bastardo Saxby Chambliss. That would make things interesting.

This is like fantasy football for politics. Only geekier. And way more pathetic.

I’m going back to bed. Still recovering from brronchitis/phenmonia (speaking of pathetic geeks…).

Now that I’ve mulled it over and read the links, here’s my take.
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Obama is serious about the offer, and as far as Bill’s business dealings, has decided that the Congress is friendly enough to allow that to slide. After evaluating the election results he’s decided that Republican moaning and whining actually works to his advantage and as long as nothing illegal occured, it should all works out in the end.

OB considering Hillary is nice and maybe some kind of respectful pay back. It is now time for the failed contenders to stand down and do a good job at what they do. IE: being a good senator or watching Russia from their porch.

I look forward to African-looking pantsuits with crazy-ass patterns.

Come to think of it, I bet this whole thing is the work of the Big Pantsuit lobby.

KT here–

Pourme: I was thinking the same thing–more mileage for the Traveling Pantsuits.

she ain’t bout to take a job tat puts her in country’s all over the world and at the same time lettin’ tat limb cigar guy stir bloomer puddin’ inside tat beltway…..this vote for change crap has only turn into four more years of Clinton crap. 300 million people in the USA and all tat is comin’ out of tat Obama’s camp is ex Clinton.

Two women gave a classic rendering of Clinton hate on Hardball last night. I thought it was sexist to criticise Hillary.

sevenoaks07, they weren’t any two women, they were righties. Michelle Bernard was very anti-Hillary, pro-Obama during the primary, but as soon as he won the nomination she began to criticize him. She is not identified as head of a right wing womens group. The other woman is from a very conservative newspaper and is a consistent critic of all things democratic. The two of them present their critiques with lots of smiles, but they can be vipers.

ivb
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I agree with almost all of your assessment about the two women on Hardball except I don’t think Bernard is a rightie. She is not a conservative nor a liberal but sometimes she is just a beeyatch. She didnt have anything good to say about McCain until she felt that Sarah Palin was getting attacked unfairly. At that point she started showing blind loyalty to Sarah Palin in some kind of misguided “girl power” effort and Tweety called her out and made her look pretty silly a time or two for trying to take up for Sarah Palin. But on the whole I didn’t think Bernard’s actual rhetoric could be considered conservative. The other chick is DEFINITELY a conservative and both of them hated Hillary for reasons I think only other women could concieve of. As a matter of fact if you want to talk about pundits hating on HRC I would bet there were two times as many female pundits who unfairly criticized her than men.

[...] I’ve mentioned before, it would seem unlikely to me that Clinton accepts (indeed, the vetting process alone might be enough to discourage her). A better way of sequestering her might be a SCOTUS [...]

ivb3016 and sgwhiteinfla: thanks. I was being sarky. Bernard is with the Independent Women’s Forum and I noticed her dithering when it came to President-elect Obama: a bit reluctant to go into full throat mode; something which she has no problem with when it comes to Hillary. The NH “lady” is classic reactionary-jealous type. Why can’t I get this kind of recognition stuff. Tweety had a good chuckle (and Tweety does like anyone named Clinton).

I think that Hillary’s statements during the primary campaign should not be taken at face value. I don’t think her stands, in reality, are that far away from Obama’s on foreign policy.
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Neither one can be considered a “hawk” in the least, and Hillary is certainly no Neocon. Give her the job.

I was thinking the same thing–more mileage for the Traveling Pantsuits.
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Gail Collins snarked on that this morning, except she made it sound like Clinton had a steamer trunk full of them, rather than four she rotated.
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Is it just me, or is this sexism? I don’t notice people remarking on Obama constantly wearing dark suits. Although there were the Ahmadinejad comments about his tielessness before all the candidates adopted that look.

sgw: Larry Kudlow is currently on the board of the Independent Women’s Forum and check out the Directors Emiritae below.
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Directors Emiritae
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Lynne V. Cheney
Midge Decter
Kimberly O. Dennis
Wendy Lee Gramm
Elizabeth Lurie (deceased)
Kate O’Beirne
Louise V. Oliver
Sally Pipes
Nancy M. Pfotenhauer
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If Michelle isn’t a rightie, they certainly pay her salary.
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It is one of the things that has irked me as she became a favorite of Tweety’s. In the beginning she was identified as having a political leaning, but not any more.

ivb
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I stand corrected. I was going by her words on Hardball which to me for the most part sounded either center or center left except when they were talking about Sarah Palin. But after your post I looked her up and found this article which put to rest any theory that she might not be a rightie. She is in fact a FLAMING conservative who evidently can hide it on TV a little
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http://www.iwf.org/news/show/20050.html

The last thing they would want to do is to rekindle the anger that her supporters felt when they believed that he didn’t give Clinton her due by vetting her to be his running mate.

Um, then by vetting her for Secretary of State, why should it rekindle any anger. And if she were “offered” the job and then refused, wouldn’t that save a lot of face for the Clintons? It may not be anything that Machiavellian but it sure looks like a press story to me.

Why can’t you quit the Clintons?

sgw, she is the sort that I think are the worst of the worst because they do hide it and you have to listen carefully to hear the shivs that are slid in now and then.

[...] remain skeptical over reports that Hillary is Obama’s pick for Secretary of State:  Karen Tumulty/Time and Al Giordano/The [...]

I don’t think there is much danger of inflaming anger. I don’t think this whole thing has played out. There may be several different posts that Hillary and Bill might qualify for.
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There’s a balancing act going on here between who Obama wants where, what those individuals want, and other oprions may be available.
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It seems that Hillary could land one of a several different posts, or, even, one as a senator. Kennedy does not have the last word on everything…

…options…

Quote for the day–dedicated to a young rose:

“There’s no such thing as life without bloodshed. I think the notion that the species can be improved in some way, that everyone could live in harmony, is a really dangerous idea. Those who are afflicted with this notion are the first ones to give up their souls, their freedom. Your desire that it be that way will enslave you and make your life vacuous”

Cormac McCarthy

OK, time for some yakisoba with my wife and then a fat Raymond Carver collection for this rainy afternoon in western Japan

[...] a vigorous vetting process that would expose all of his dealings overseas to public scrutiny? http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/11/14/update-hillsec/?xid=rss-topstoriesYouTube – Bill Hicks on Marketingwatch in normal quality watch in high quality. Rate: 3,655 ratings. [...]

I think everyone can agree that Hillary would be a great pick. During the primaries, she demonstrated her vast knowledge of … everything. It would also continue the healing of the party and bring all the sides together.

Hillary would be an excellent choice.

Steven
http://thenewrepublicans.net – young Americans “reinventing” the Republican party

[...] a vigorous vetting process that would expose all of his dealings overseas to public scrutiny? http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/11/14/update-hillsec/?xid=rss-topstoriesThe Above Politics Show 15A non-partisan political podcast. Martin and Justin sift through the [...]