Election Central Morning Roundup
The Big Story: Hillary For Sec. of State?
The press is buzzing with reports that Barack Obama is considering Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State. The latest wrinkle: Reuters reports that Hillary travelled to Chicago yesterday, though her office says it was for personal business.
Obama Switching Weekly Dem Address From Radio To YouTube
Barack Obama today will record the weekly Democratic address on video, to be posted on YouTube -- a first for this mode of party communication. Obama's transition office has announced that he will continue to record the weekly address as online video during his presidency, with the audio track also released for radio uses as has been done before.
K Street Becoming A Democratic Neighborhood
The Washington Post reports that lobbying firms are quickly reconfiguring themselves for the new Democratic dominance in Washington, and are recruiting Dem staffers at a rapid clip. "In this climate, Democratic backgrounds are attractive to people," said Laura Sheehan, a former policy director for the DCCC who recently became vice president of marketing and communications for the American Gas Association.
Biden Speaks With World Leaders
The Obama transition office announced that Joe Biden has spoken to several world leaders this week: Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni; Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak; Israeli Likud Leader Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu; Polish President Lech Kaczynski; British Prime Minister Gordon Brown; Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Romney Courting The National Review Cruise
Mitt Romney is meeting with a group of top GOPers: The National Review post-election Caribbean cruise. National Review's 2007 cruise, which went to Alaska, was the venue where Sarah Palin introduced herself to the right-wing media elite, leading to her being placed on the 2008 GOP ticket.
Steele Officially Running For RNC Chair
Michael Steele, the former Maryland Lt. Governor and unsuccessful nominee for Senate in 2006, has officially thrown his hat in the ring in the race to be the next chairman of the Republican National Committee -- and he'll be running firmly from the right. "The core values of our party should not change," Steele told the Washington Post. "We are the conservative voice in America."
Report: Barbour Turns Down Run For RNC Chair
Jonathan Martin reports that a group of Republican governors approached Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour at the Republican Governors Association Conference, asking him to run for RNC chairman. Barbour, who served as RNC chair in the 90s, turned down the offer.
Hillary for Sec. of State? Really?
Here are some pros and cons of that scenario:
http://strategy08.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/secretary-of-state-clinton-really/
November 14, 2008 9:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think Josh is right. Discounting for the moment that she'd probably make a pretty good SS, what incentive does she have to do it? She gives up Senator-For-Life status for what amounts to a short term contract. From the incoming administration's perspective there's no up side either. She doesn't bring any more to the table than Richardson (maybe less) and doesn't flash "non-partisan" like Hagel would.
That and as KO mentioned last night, she wouldn't be able to go to Kosovo ever again...
November 14, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, as you and Josh noted, I don't know why she'd want to do it unless she's not really interested in staying in the Senate and adopting the Ted Kennedy model for what to do after you've lost a race for the presidency.
From Obama's perspective, I'm guessing the appeal would be in forming a Cabinet along Lincoln's lines. Though I wonder what problems would be posed by Bill's foundation work and various financial dealings.
Or maybe this is just a flirtation -- a way to flatter Hillary and reduce any lingering bruised feelings -- that won't actually lead to anything.
November 14, 2008 9:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
It was Bosnia not Kosova.
November 14, 2008 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
It depends on how busy she wants to be. The work part of being in the Senate is pretty dull. Secretary of State would be more interesting if you don't mind traveling all the time. At this point, I'd think she probably would have gotten her fill but who knows...
November 14, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hillary Sets Down ‘Conditions’ for Accepting Secretary of State
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=4821
November 14, 2008 9:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hmm....let's see....she spent months in the primary attacking Obama as naive and flat out wrong for his diplomatic philosophy...so she'd be a good choice to carry out that philosophy why exactly..?
I'm sorry, but a bad choice, doesn't make sense, Hillary is a Senator, she can do the most good there:
http://www.thepersonalispolitical.com/2008/11/hillary-clinton-as-secretary-of-state.html
November 14, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nooooooooooo! No clintons anywhere near the whitehouse. The country can't take them anymore. She would be terrible, especially with Mr. Bill trolling around the whitehouse as well. She has zero credibility, see bosnia sniper fire among other things, and nobody she might be dealing with would believe a word that she would say. NOOOOOOOO! It would be terrible for Obama's foreign policy.
Let her stew in the senate until 2012 and then we all rally around the anti-clinton in the primary. She won't do squat in the senate, like she hasn't for the last 8 years so she should be toast in 2012.
November 14, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's right. Cause the 90's really SUCKED. Once again the non-violent followers of Ghandi respond with violence.
November 14, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Huh? The 90's didn't suck, but they sure weren't good for dems and the country. Remember newt the nazi running the show and trying to screw everyone and mr. bill was on defense? I do.
Also, what violence? What are you talking about?
November 14, 2008 2:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
GOP Governors Insist They Have a ‘Stake’ in Palin
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=4815
November 14, 2008 9:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does Michael Steele realize that he's - um - black?
And if he does, did he listen to a single hateful word spewed by the repug campaign this year?
If so, why hasn't he been named "Self-Hating Negro of the Past 500 Years"?
If the GOP makes Michael Steele chair of the RNC, then I'll believe it's desperate enough to nominate Bobby Jindal for president in 2012.
November 14, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
I live in MD and I can tell you that Michael Steele is black on the outside, dirtbag on the inside. The amount of dirty tricks he and former Governor Ehrlich pulled in a failed effort to get re-elected would shame Steve Schmidt...
November 14, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. Those "sample ballots" implying that he was Democrat that were distributed in Prince George's County by homeless people rounded up in Philadelphia and sent down to Maryland on a bus -- where they were subsequently stiffed on the promised pay -- really took the cake. But that makes him perfect for RNC chair.
November 14, 2008 10:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Eric,
I don't know why you even post 12-24 hrs old news. I read most of it by yesterday afternoon and by the late evening, all of it.
Keep up with the time. Untimely news is garbage. Just a reminder.
November 14, 2008 9:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I never, ever do this, but...
STFU!
It's the MORNING Roundup, Gomer! What else would the stories be except the last 12-24 hours worth of news? Should they tell us how much sleep everyone got?
G.W. Bush
11 hours (Washington, DC)
D. Cheney
2 hours (Suspended upside down from ceiling)
B. Obama
6.25 hours (Chicago)
J. Biden
7.5 hours (Washington, DC)
H. Clinton
5.5 hours (Chicago)
T. Stevens
0 hours
November 14, 2008 9:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
ha.
November 14, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope you're joking. There's a lot to do in a day, and reading the news is one thing. If you don't like the concept of a "roundup," fine, but there's no need to act ugly about it.
November 14, 2008 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. I love having a sane/non-Drudge alternative to Mark Hack Halperin / "The Page" to get a simple round-up of political news. Thank you once again, TPM!
November 14, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
I disagree a bit with Josh and actually think Hillary might want to be Secstate for the following reasons:
--I don't think being a Senator for life was ever her goal. She's done it for eight years now and may be getting tired of it. She's still years away from a real leadership position in the Senate.
--Secstate is a way cool gig. It's probably the second most desirable job, after the Presidency. You hobnob with world leaders and get treated like royalty. You build up unparalled statesmanship cred.
--Even if she only stays four years, her job opportunities on the other side are unlimited: think tanks, pricey law firms, the lecture circuit, etc. Plus she would be superbly postioned for a run in 2016 if she chooses to go that way.
November 14, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree - Hillary was using the Senate spot as a stepping stone (not that there is anything wrong with that as basically all folks who've ran for President have used earlier political positions to pad their resumes) rather than an end in itself.
Hillary is also pretty low on the Senate totem pole, and before she always had her eventual Presidential run (and odds-on favorite status) to have certain stature above her junior Senator position. She doesn't have that now.
I think that she'll take it if offered. I think the Senate could use her voice to help replace Ted Kennedy on social issues, but I don't think that's her ambition.
November 14, 2008 9:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Go read the Newsweek stories. By all accounts, she's greatly enjoyed being a senator and she really had a lot of self-doubt going about whether she really wanted to disrupt the well-settled home life and useful career she'd established to go back to under the lens of the giant White House magnifying glass. And, honestly, once she got past the disappointment, has she not seemed like she's a lot happier to be out of it?
Beyond that, I'm really skeptical about the idea of further depleting the Senate of experienced Democratic senators, particularly the ones who've accumulated a lot of seniority, to fill cabinet gigs. We're going to need those people right where they are. That goes double for Hillary, given Ted Kennedy's health issues.
Doh! Just realized I'm worrying in public about stuff that hasn't happened yet and over which I have control, after having ranted a time or three about people doing that. Never mind.
November 14, 2008 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
On switching to a Youtube presidential address- this is great. I never did understand how the "radio address" worked- what station was it on? Did anyone actually listen to it? etc. I love these small details gradually building up to major change (executive orders here we come!)
November 14, 2008 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
They've been putting up mp3 files on the Democratic party website and--recently--the change.gov site. I tried using the RSS feed to make a podcast on iTunes, but I failed.
November 14, 2008 10:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, chalk me up as another who was hoping Hillary could evolve into the next Ted Kennedy, and who will be disappointed if it turns out she really was only using the Senate as a stepping stone. But if so, she certainly has the makings of a distinguished Sec. of State, so I guess it's all good.
Hey Gov. Patterson, I really like the sound of "Senator Spitzer"...
November 14, 2008 9:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
What interests me is the leak itself, if that's what it was. Who? And why?
So far the Obama campaign has been leakproof, and to all appearances was not inclined to do business this way. Is it the inevitable result of the small tight-knit and disciplined campaign staff being augmented if not replaced by more experienced, perhaps more cynical but certainly more pragmatic Washington hands?
November 14, 2008 10:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think Hillary is more valuable to this new Administration right where she is or possibly making her Senate Majority Leader.
This campaign worked very hard to gain senate seats to aid in the promise of CHANGE
Draw your cabinent from other sources. There are many available who are more than willing to serve their country in this upcoming and exciting challenge.
November 14, 2008 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hillary has zero chance of being elected majority Leader. She's far too junior. She's not even in line for a major committee chair. That would be the reason why she's contemplating leaving the Senate, if indeed she is.
November 14, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
I would love to listen to a President who gave exclusives to NPR.
November 14, 2008 10:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think if Hillary does become Sec of State she will look to replace Joe Biden in 2012 and, who knows, in 2016 maybe run for President again. Vice-Presidents often go on to run for President.
November 14, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
I firmly believe that expanding Medicare and Medicaid health care ins for all and allowing private ins companies for additional ins only it will have a major positive effect on GM and other major corporations to be able to bail themselves out creating jobs all around (in car manufacturers and Medicaid/Medicare ins industry. That kind of national health care ins mixed with removing the tax breaks for the very wealthy and the corporations will be a major step in the right direction.
We also need strict oversight and accountability over "bail out" funds being handed out, but I'm feeling optimistic about the results for our nation. One thing is certain...the republicans are out to discredit and obstruct any improvement efforts as they've admitted to opposition for opposition's sake and encourage failure for personal gain. We will have to battle them for every inch while they scream "partisanship" whenever they are not allowed to disrupt or corrupt success. They are the ones standing in the way of progress while offering nothing to be part of that progress except criticism.
National healthcare ins has much to do with our economic recovery's success which of course requires ignoring the lobbyists and K-(y jelly)street.
November 14, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink