Open Thread - Transition

What do you think about Hillary for Sec of State? Will Bill make it through the vetting process? And Larry Summers. I actually it's good for business for Larry Summers to be around. I want more foot in mouth moments from him. Obama says that there will be a Republican in the White House. Who will it be?

Comments

[Doug]

I think all the talk about HRC at State is very odd. Why give up being Senator-for-as-long-as-you-want from New York in exchange for a job that will probably last less than one term, is clearly subordinate and hasn't led to the Presidency since the Whigs were a national party? And it's not like foreign policy has been her big thing, anyway.

HRC as SecDef, now that I could get behind. Still don't know why she would want it, service on the Armed Forces committee notwithstanding. But I would enjoy it simply for the exploding Republican heads factor.

[bj]

" But I would enjoy it simply for the exploding Republican heads factor."

Also, then folks who complain that she's just being given a job a woman has had before could be happy. Which cabinet posts are still "virginal" (i.e. never had their glass broken by a woman)? Defense & Treasury? Any others?

[MH]

Don't know. Is there a secretary of computer science.

[Amy P]

"But I would enjoy it simply for the exploding Republican heads factor."

HRC has had a lot of "strange new respect" from conservatives since the spring. Of the possible choices, she's certainly not the worst person Obama could choose for Secretary of Defence.

[Sam]

Prediction: neither Clinton nor Summers will wind up in the Obama cabinet. A lot of this is just about giving props to the big dogs. O has to show due respect to Hill to keep the erstwhile PUMAs happy. And Summers might be useful in some other way down the line and needs to be given a polite nod. But I bet this is all posturing and symbolism now.

[jim]

I said this on Coates's blog, but it bears repeating:

I remember 1968. John Lindsay went up to Albany to meet with Nelson Rockefeller about the newly vacant Senate seat. Lindsay later recalled sitting there thinking to himself, "Offer me it, Nelson," while Rockefeller was sitting there thinking to himself, "Ask me for it, John." Rockefeller eventually appointed Charles Goodell to the seat.

I read that Obama didn't actually offer her the position, but "made it clear it was hers if she wanted it." Translation: "Ask me for it, Hillary."

[Alison]

I used to work downstairs from Larry at 1750 Pennsylvania Ave (World Bank). He was my boss's boss's boss. Then he followed me to Cambridge ;) I'm not impressed with him. Maybe he has brains but there's a fair amount of hot air mixed in there too. And, he doesn't think much of women, unless he's changed a lot since then (and Harvard).

[Sam]

OK - I was wrong about Clinton, and a bit surprised that it turned out this way. But I was right about Summers....