Does Hillary Finally Get It?
Steve Adubato, Ph.D.
CBS 2 Political Analyst

Barack Obama has been busy getting ready to take over as the country's 44th President. Beyond the massive economic crisis facing our country, President-elect Obama's biggest responsibility is picking a Cabinet and doing it in a thoughtful, strategic and very timely basis.

His pick of Tim Geitner as the country's new Treasury Secretary seems like a good one. Hopefully, that will calm the markets, because there is someone there that knows their world and can appreciate their serious plight.

The Citi bailout is obviously another big part of Obama's world, and while the popular slogan, "The Citi Never Sleeps" may have worked for the now- humbled bank, it's fair to say that Obama's not getting much sleep these days. Bill Richardson seems like a safe enough pick to for US Commerce Secretary, and the election of Janet Napolitano as the head of Homeland Security is interesting to say the least.

But let's face it—the most newsworthy and potentially controversial decision Obama has to make is about Hillary Clinton and whether he will make her the next Secretary of State. First, the fact that Clinton is even being considered for such a prestigious post after savaging Obama in the primary says a lot about him. He is smart, and so far looks like a pretty good winner. As for Hillary, this offers her a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be on the national and international stage doing meaningful things and making a big difference. I just hope she and her omnipresent husband Bill understand what this Secretary of State gig is all about. It's not about them. It's not about Hillary. It's definitely not about Bill. In part, it is about Obama as the chief executive of this country, and Hillary potentially playing a very important role on the Obama team. But more importantly, it's about what's good for the United States of America, on a complicated and unpredictable global stage.

This isn't a post for Hillary Clinton to stay in the limelight to run for President in 8 years. It's not a consolation prize for having come close to winning. It's a chance to use her skills, brains, savvy, and experience to help our country and to help this administration forward it's agenda—not her agenda, and definitely not Bill's agenda.

My fear is that the Clintons see everything in political terms. At the core, they are political animals. They see things in terms of political opportunity and ambition. That's not what being Secretary of State is about. In fact, if that is a motivating force in how decisions are made, and negotiations are pursued, nothing but bad things will happen for our country and Barack Obama.

On one hand, I give Obama credit for extending this olive branch and seeing what potential value Hillary Clinton can bring to his administration. On the other, I wonder if he is being terribly naïve in believing that Hillary (and by extension Bill) can ever really be team players and be a part of something that doesn't have the Clinton brand at its core. They have shown no ability to do this to date. For the sake of our country, one can only hope that finally the Clinton's get that this is not about them, its about something much bigger— our new president, his administration, our country, and our place in the world.

Back to CBS 2 Column