Sunday, November 30, 2008

Reactions to Clinton Vary

While Obama's appointment of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State (and her acceptance) have been widely hailed as a measure promoting unity at home, foreign opinions are as diverse as they are numerous. Israel has applauded her nomination, perhaps feeling that her outspoken support of Israeli defense measures, such as a wall dividing Israel and the West Bank, might counter any perceived Arab favoritism the part of Obama. And when combined with Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel, who is Jewish, Clinton's presence becomes even more comforting to the state of Israel. On the other hand, the Palestinian Authority has expressed disappointment that Obama, a figure who is seen as a refreshing figure in US politics, would select the veteran Clinton, whose stances are less dynamic and creative. There are also fears that Clinton's policies might be constructed with an eye toward the pocketbooks of her numerous "pro-Israeli connections". Whatever the positions taken for or against her, Clinton remains a polarizing figure both at home and abroad.

LA Times Article

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Yes Armand, Secretary of State Clinton Indeed

The New York Times announced Friday that Hillary Clinton has reversed her many previous statements and decided to accept the position. Clinton had previously stated many, many times that she would much prefer to stay in the Senate, but after talking with President-Elect Obama about "how she would fit into Mr. Obama's administration" she decided to accept the nomination. Fromer President Bill Clinton has previously stated "I think she'll be really great as Secretary of State" The decision by Clinton was a large surprise to many of even the greatest political minds in the country, among them Jonathan Shulman. Yet, Clinton seems to be a wise decision for Obama who is looking to gain as much support for his administration as possible, and with Hillary Clinton on board many people who were unsure about him will now undoubtedly feel much more comfortable.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton?

On November 13, president elect Barack Obama met with Hillary Clinton along with Bill Richardson to discuss the possibility of either one of them becoming the new Secretary of State. The position would allow Clinton to exercise influence on Obama's foreign policy and could be a stepping stone to a higher position if she were to return to the senate after Obama's presidency. Whether she will take the position is still questionable as her original position on the matter was that she would remain in the senate. And although Bill Clinton has stated that Hillary would make a "great secretary of state", his foreign deals could also cause issues to arise if Obama picks her to be his secretary of state.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Hillary Clinton Promises Return to the Senate

Following President-elect Barack Obama's victory on Tuesday night, the Clinton camp issued a press release praising the Obama campaign and Democratic gains in both the House and Senate. Amid rampant speculation as to what Clinton's role in the new administration might be, Hillary and Bill attended the reopening of the USS Intrepid, where she reiterated her intent to remain in the senate. She also commented on Obama's choice of Rahm Emmanuel for Chief of Staff. Electing not to mention previous contention between them, Clinton praised Emmanuel's vision and strategic skill. As Obama prepares to transition into his presidency, Clinton is poised to return to the Senate, where she looks to accumulate greater influence and power, perhaps positioning herself for Majority Leader after Harry Reid.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Clintons Vote For Obama, Very Optimistic That Real Change Will Come Really Soon

Bill and Hillary Clinton both cast votes for victorious democratic nominee Barack Obama. The Clintons both played a vital role in campaigning for Obama, especially Bill who helped Obama to pick up the previously red state of Florida. Both Clintons were assets to the democratic party and they both greatly helped the democrats cause. The future for Hillary will most likely not include another Presidential run, but many other top positions have been thrown around. There has been mention of her joining Obama's cabinet, but she will most likely decline that due to her senate position. There have also been rumors that she could be the next senate majority leader following Harry Reid's retirement. Although Hillary wasn't victorious last night, her future looks as bright as ever.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Former President Bill Clinton made three stops yesterday in New Hampshire to get voters to help Obama reach the White House. Bill also attacked the Republicans for the failed policies in the past eight years of Bush's presidency. Bill finished off by stating that Obama will become President unless the "country develops collective amnesia in the next 48 hours and forgets what this election is about.
Although campaigning has been beneficial to Obama, Bill Clinton's aid to the potential President goes far beyond what can be seen in the press. According to sources from an aide to Obama, the two speak to each other "regularly". A source close to Bill Clinton specifies that they speak about two or three times a week. During these conversations, Bill and Barack do not speak of the election. Instead, Bill gives Obama advice about being president and they converse about the world. This advice from Bill is valuable and will be very advantageous to Obama if he wins this election.