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Clinton, Richardson Up for Top Post

By NEDRA PICKLER
,
AP
posted: 54 DAYS 5 HOURS AGO
comments: 4951
filed under: Political News, The Obama Presidency
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WASHINGTON (Nov. 15) - President-elect Barack Obama is interviewing some of his one-time political opponents as he ponders building his own "team of rivals" to help him run the country.
Primary election foes Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Richardson both have been interviewed for secretary of state, according to several Democratic officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the secret meetings.
Obama met with Richardson late Friday afternoon, a day after conferring one-on-one with Clinton at his Chicago office, the officials said. He plans to meet there Monday with his Republican opponent, John McCain, but advisers to both of the general election candidates say they don't expect Obama to consider McCain for an administration job.


The meeting with Clinton excited a burst of speculation that Obama would transform the former first lady and fierce campaign foe into one of his top Cabinet officials and the nation's chief diplomatic voice. But where the New York senator stands in contention for the post came into question as other Democrats, also speaking on condition of anonymity about the private discussions, said Richardson was brought in as well.
It's far from clear how interested Clinton would be in the secretary of state job. She would face a Senate confirmation hearing that would certainly probe her husband's financial dealings — something the Clintons refused to disclose in the presidential campaign.
But remaining in the Senate may not be Clinton's first choice, either, since she is a junior senator without prospects for a leadership position or committee chairmanship anytime soon.
Being secretary of state could give Clinton a platform for another run at the presidency in eight years. Obama could also get assurances from her that she wouldn't challenge him in four years.
Embedded video from CNN Video
Richardson is the governor of New Mexico and has an extensive foreign policy resume. He was President Bill Clinton's ambassador to the United Nations and has conducted freelance diplomacy for the U.S. in such hot spots as Sudan and North Korea.
The two are not the only candidates Obama has talked to about the job, Democrats said. One senior Obama adviser said the president-elect has given no evidence whom he is favoring for the post. Obama asked Clinton directly whether she would be interested in the job, said one Democrat, who cautioned that it was no indication that he was leaning toward her.
Obama was deciding on his presidential staff as well, naming longtime friend Valerie Jarrett as a White House senior adviser. Jarrett met Obama when she hired his wife for a job in the Chicago mayor's office years ago and has been close to the couple since.
Obama was silent and out of sight in Chicago. Clinton addressed a transit conference in her home state and said emphatically, "I'm not going to speculate or address anything about the president-elect's incoming administration, and I'm going to respect his process."
Obama's aides say he would like to have McCain as a partner with him on legislation they both have advocated, such as climate change, government reform, immigration and a ban on torture.
All this fits with an idea that Obama often talked about on the campaign trail, as he praised the presidency of Abraham Lincoln as described by presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin in her book "Team of Rivals."
Lincoln appointed three of his rivals for the Republican nomination to his Cabinet. Obama turned to one rival for vice president, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden.
Obama said at one point: "Lincoln basically pulled in all the people who had been running against him into his Cabinet because whatever personal feelings there were, the issue was: How can we get this country through this time of crisis?"
Associated Press writers David Espo, Jim Kuhnhenn and Liz Sidoti in Washington contributed to this report.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-11-13 20:40:55
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Onemileast

04:19 PMNov 30 2008

Forget Palin. She is more into Hollywood than into the White House. Whoever Obama chooses for the Sec. of State will be his choice. We don't need interns running the chores at the presidential cabinet level. Seasoned politicians even are going to be hard pressed to get the United States out of the pit that has been digged.

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WHYAYECA

08:10 AMNov 22 2008

I've been looking forward to the 'Change' President Elect Obama has promised, but with the possibility of Ms. Clinton as Secretary of State, my optimism is turning to pessimism quickly. After witnessing almost two years of the nastiest campaigning in my 70 years, I am aghast that the President Elect should even consider Hillary Clinton as his Sectretary of State. He came out of it a gentleman, but she has only had the title of 'lady' from being married to Bill.A Sectetary of State certainly needs to be brilliant, but also personable. I think Hillary is a 'cold fish' - she smiles with her mouth but not her eyes and I don't think she has the respect or 'class' to have that office. Had she left Bill after 'Lewinsky', I could have had respect for her, but I suppose her lust for power was the main driving force.Please don't have someone who stole from the White House and no doubt had a hand in pardoning criminals to be the United States' representative as Secretary of State.

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DWa8666359

11:06 PMNov 20 2008

please, not that sleazy, beatnick looking, traitor, Richardson for anything important!!

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Samxstreampools

08:40 PMNov 20 2008

"The world needs to hear from the moderate Islamic communities. When the blasphemy laws are applied in countries such as Pakistan and non-Muslims are killed, are those keepers of the law being good Muslims or bad ones? The world needs to hear. When freedoms are so restricted in Islamic countries that no Muslim is allowed to disbelieve in Islam with impunity, is that a good Muslim law or a bad one? The freedom to believe--or not--is one of the most sacred privileges of the human mind. That freedom is taken away in the name of Islam. Statistics that indicate that Islam is growing are not an accurate reflection of the hearts of the people, because they really have no choice. Until those who are not Muslims are free to practice their faith in Muslim countries--and those who seek to become Christians or choose another faith can do so with impunity--Islam will never be free from the fear it can engender. I pray for such a day, when one's ultimate choice in life can be made without fear of te...

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FelixS778

08:39 PMNov 20 2008

RICHARDSON AND MCCAIN.

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Cjb05

05:47 PMNov 19 2008

CHANGE? 2 outof 3 are people who served clinton....and how W got lambasted for picking a lot of his fathers people but now???? pin drop well i HOPE its not true lol

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Cmdr hlamb

03:27 PMNov 19 2008

the difference between Clinton and Palin is one deserves to ride in the limo and the other deserves to drive....and since palin is a hockey mom she's probably used to driving anyway....

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TeafrTwo

09:23 AMNov 19 2008

I'll keep my freedom and my money......YOU keep the change

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DJMac1953

07:21 PMNov 19 2008

DistrOfColumbia 07:45 PMNov 18 2008 C H A N G E means Out with Bush.(the worst President in the history of the universe) and in with a new president. Senator Obama is a breadth of fresh air. He is not vindictive. He is smart, (unlike our last pres.) he is a uniter, not a divider. I doubt if we'll ever see those color-coded alerts again. No scare tactics! Now that is CHANGE I BIG CHANGE...............take a breath...you are in danger of suffocating in the GLORY of Obama

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Thegolfrangedad

07:03 PMNov 19 2008

Bill Richardson for Sec of State, YES!!!

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