Sec of State Clinton: Obama's First Failure

[BIG PIZZLE]

I hate this bitch.

[UNC]

nice post

[Alcestis]

^ Simple and straight to the point.

Here's a story to follow his anger... www.msnbc.msn.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27983003/)

On Monday, Obama introduced Clinton first, saying of his former presidential rival, "She possesses an extraordinary intelligence and toughness, and a remarkable work ethic. ... She is an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who knows many of the world's leaders, who will command respect in every capital, and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world."

Clinton will give up her seat as a senator from New York to join the Obama Cabinet. Her appointment was preceded by lengthy negotiations involving her husband, the former president, whose international business connections posed potential conflicts of interests.

Sen. Clinton had scarcely finished speaking when her husband issued a written statement. "She is the right person for the job of helping to restore America's image abroad, end the war in Iraq, advance peace and increase our security, by building a future for our children with more partners and fewer adversaries, one of shared responsibilities and opportunities," he said.

To make it possible for his wife to become secretary of state, party officials said, former President Bill Clinton agreed to:

*Disclose the names of every contributor to his foundation since its inception in 1997 and all contributors going forward.

*Refuse donations from foreign governments to the Clinton Global Initiative, his annual charitable conference.

*Cease holding CGI meetings overseas.

*Volunteer to step away from day-to-day management of the foundation while his wife is secretary of state.

*Submit his speaking schedule to review by the State Department and White House counsel.

*Submit any new sources of income to a similar ethical review.

Speaking at the news conference Monday, Clinton pointed to recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai and elsewhere, saying, "America cannot solve these crises without the world and the world cannot solve them without America."

She said to Obama, "I am proud to join you ... and may God bless you and our great country." *gag*

Obama's choice of Hillary Clinton was an extraordinary gesture of good will after a year in which the two rivals competed for the Democratic nomination in a long, bitter primary battle.

They clashed repeatedly on foreign affairs. Obama criticized Clinton for her vote to authorize the Iraq war. Clinton said Obama lacked the experience to be president and she chided him for saying he would meet with leaders of nations such as Iran and Cuba without conditions.

The bitterness began melting away in June after Clinton ended her campaign and endorsed Obama. She went on to campaign for him in his general election contest against Republican Sen. John McCain.

Advisers said Obama had for several months envisioned Clinton as his top diplomat, and he invited her to Chicago to discuss the job just a week after the Nov. 4 election. The two met privately Nov. 13 in Obama's transition office in downtown Chicago.

Clinton was said to be interested and then to waver, concerned about relinquishing her Senate seat and the political independence it conferred. Those concerns were largely resolved after Obama assured her she would be able to choose a staff and have direct access to him, advisers said.

Remaining in the Senate also may not have been an attractive choice for Clinton. Despite her political celebrity, she is a relatively junior senator without prospects for a leadership position or committee chairmanship anytime soon...

[redsox39]

Hey, at least he is trying...

While I can't believe I am about to defend Obama...I have liked his cabinet so far...

[Da Raider]

for all this "change", seems to be a lot of retreads...

[The Batman]

for all this "change", seems to be a lot of retreads...

I don't think anyone can excell at hiring retards the way the Bush admin has.

[}{arlequin]

for all this "change", seems to be a lot of retreads...
'the change is a lie'

[heelsguy]

could the governor appoint bill clinton as the replacement senator from NY? not that he would take it

[TheImpossibleMan]

Obama ran as the man who would bring change, but he also ran as a uniter. Make no mistake, Hillary Clinton is the most serious political rival Obama has ever had and was a far bigger obstacle on Obama's path to the White House than Palin or McCain. Bringing her in is absolutely the right move in terms of uniting the party, nevermind the fact that she's incredibly an extremely competent and capable politician.

Surely I'm not the only one who has read/is reading Team of Rivals?

[Morfin]

This is a good point.

By making her a part of his cabinet, she cannot use her independence in the Senate to constantly press a different agenda from Obama's, thus taking away any realistic chance -- if she has one -- for the Democratic nomination in 2012.

I read one article that mentioned that, as a cabinet member, she would have to disband all of her election organization, meaning that it would be difficult for her to gear up while also being part of the team. Plus, unless Obama has an absolutely horrid first few years and there is something that Hillary can break ranks on that makes her look really good, there is little chance that she could challenge Obama for the 2012 election.

Assuming he is going to get the nomination, then, win or lose, he will be done from any future presidential race -- he will not care about 2016 and Hillary, if she still wants it, can then run.

He looks good for reaching out to her, he basically eliminates any chance that she will challenge him in 2012 a la Kennedy in 1980 with Carter, and he gets the open disclosure on Bill's stuff, which will help him should Hillary try to challenge him in 2012.

[BIG PIZZLE]

Why the fuck would she ever run against an incumbent president? That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. Plus all that "uniting" talk is bullshit. The party is united, the election proved that. Republicans HATE clinton, this does nothing for unity.

[Kilgore]

Clinton is a great choice for this post.

[Genius]

This is a good point.

By making her a part of his cabinet, she cannot use her independence in the Senate to constantly press a different agenda from Obama's, thus taking away any realistic chance -- if she has one -- for the Democratic nomination in 2012.
I disagree. No one calls Hillary one of the "most liberal members of Congress" because she's not. She's a moderate, like Bill was. Which is why I think a much better spot for her is in the Senate, where she can keep the Harry Reids of the world in check, since she has a much bigger set of balls than he has ever had. I don't think this is a terrible choice, as I think she has the capacity to do a good job as secstate, but I would have looked elsewhere.

[mongo]

for all this "change", seems to be a lot of retreads...

[freegood]

The party is united, the election proved that. Republicans HATE clinton, this does nothing for unity.

Republicans might hate her, but Republican Senators respect her. Even if they did hate her, that'd mean they'd want to get her out of the Senate.

It's not that bad a pick.

[taters]

I am not a fan. I would have picked Bill before her. Still, its a good ploy to keep her under his control. Kinda Like Eisenhowers deal with Earl Warren (the last decent republican in history, and the last of lincolns GOP).

[Stax]

To all those bitching about "change": Unity was also a message, and Clinton represents a massive change from how foreign policy has been carried out over the past 8 years.

To all those bitching about "retreads": That is a self-serving argument. Either Obama hires people with experience and time running things and his change message is a lie according to you or he hires brand new people and they're too inexperienced for you. If you're going to just poo-poo anyone I really don't care what you think.

[Captain Insano]

Just don't let her laugh...jeezzz I can't scrub that sound out of my head!

[Morfin]

44zwRfXxi5s

[Mustard]

Can't anyone see this for what it really is?

Payback from the primary for services rendered.

Also, this pick isn't a failure. He could have made far worse choices than Hillary, but that would go against my theory of payback.

[Deadhead Derek]

for all this "change", seems to be a lot of retreads...
yup. we are as fucked as ever, not a god damn thing has, or will change. game over...all we need now is a recurrance of the dustbowl.. and for you youngins, that ain't a football game...

[Claydon]

this whole thing reeks of the back room handshake so that she would not fight him at the convention. Other names were floating like bill richardson, former UN ambassador Holbrook, and former Sen. Nunn, and he chose her.


Change we need?

[Archangel]

So, by picking someone who can hit the floor running on foreign policy, what with Hillary knowing her shit and being comfortable around and familiar to world leaders, is Obama signaling that he is gonna primarily focus on domestic issues?

[Claydon]

So, by picking someone who can hit the floor running on foreign policy, what with Hillary knowing her shit and being comfortable around and familiar to world leaders, is Obama signaling that he is gonna primarily focus on domestic issues?

who knows, Amb. Holbrook was probably one the best UN ambassadors in the last 20 years or so. He should have been put in that position as our top diplomat.

[Genius]

this whole thing reeks of the back room handshake so that she would not fight him at the convention. Other names were floating like bill richardson, former UN ambassador Holbrook, and former Sen. Nunn, and he chose her.


Change we need?
Is that really going to be your rallying cry for eight years? Every time he makes a decision you disagree with, you're going to hit him with the "change we need"? Because that's pretty weak. Whether you agree or not, Hillary Clinton as SecState is a significant change, which is exactly what Obama promised.

[Claydon]

Is that really going to be your rallying cry for eight years? Every time he makes a decision you disagree with, you're going to hit him with the "change we need"? Because that's pretty weak. Whether you agree or not, Hillary Clinton as SecState is a significant change, which is exactly what Obama promised.

a change for douchebaggery?

its such a political move to appease her and her zealots.

btw, how bout that 16 month pull out of US forces in Iraq...guess that changed as well.

[Archangel]

Hypocrisy, thy name is GOP. First, they criticise him for being too inexperienced and thus unable do his job well, and now that he brings in experienced people to help him do his job, he's not progressive enough. Just like he was both too Muslim and too beholden to his preacher.

Pick one, you fucking cunts. What's next, "Obama Wears Blue Tie" - "OMGz, look, he's just like all the others!!!1". "Obama Driven in Black Cadillac" - "Is that really 'Change We Need'?" "Obama Breathes Oxygen" - "Hypocrite!"

It's fucking retarded.

[IdiotBrain]

Archangel blathers on. GO FIGURE!

[Claydon]

Hypocrisy, thy name is GOP. First, they criticise him for being too inexperienced and thus unable do his job well, and now that he brings in experienced people to help him do his job, he's not progressive enough. Just like he was both too Muslim and too beholden to his preacher.

Pick one, you fucking cunts. What's next, "Obama Wears Blue Tie" - "OMGz, look, he's just like all the others!!!1". "Obama Driven in Black Cadillac" - "Is that really 'Change We Need'?" "Obama Breathes Oxygen" - "Hypocrite!"

It's fucking retarded.

I thought his choice for Sec. of Defense was damn solid, his choice for AG seems to be fine, im not so sure about treasury yet, Homeland Security is a decent choice. How the hell is she even competent for this post? Because she attended women's rights meetings in the EU back in the 90s?

[Archangel]

I find it rather awkward when some random jackass who I know nothing about acts like he knows me...

[IdiotBrain]

She'll be wishy washy for 3 weeks out of every month, then the fucking world will cower in fear when she.... oh wait.....


Score one for menopause.

[Archangel]

How the hell is she even competent for this post? Because she attended women's rights meetings in the EU back in the 90s?
Which makes her a bigger authority on foreign policy that Dubfuck ever could be.
She'll be wishy washy for 3 weeks out of every month, then the fucking world will cower in fear when she.... oh wait.....


Score one for menopause.
That's the extent of intelligence in this guy's posts,and he has the fucking gall to judge mine?

[Claydon]

Which makes her a bigger authority on foreign policy that Dubfuck ever could be.



this has nothing to do with bush, NOTHING. Rice is an excellent diplomat, she speaks three languages, for god sakes she just played some classical piano piece for the queen in london last night.

clinton? about as much class and diplomatic prowess as a cat shit. Sen. Nunn (a democrat) or former UN Ambassador Holbrook (under Clinton in the 90s) would have been stellar choices. Arch, this is SUCH an obvious back room handshake during the convention, it makes me nauseated. He campaigned on not doing the same old washington/potomac two step....and this is clearly the same bullshit.

[Archangel]

So why are most world leaders reacting positively to her being picked? Do they know less than you? Or, being foreigners, are they too dumb to understand?

[IdiotBrain]

No, they're simply excited to have a globalist in charge of our foreign policy. Now we can kowtow to the whims of other nations.

[Archangel]

You really ARE rather daft, aren't you.

[Yelram]

No, they're simply excited to have a globalist in charge of our foreign policy. Now we can kowtow to the whims of other nations.

This is exactly what they mean by "foreign policy". Anytime they talk about foreign policy credentials, they basically mean "will suck Brussels cock".

[Morfin]

clinton? about as much class and diplomatic prowess as a cat shit. Sen. Nunn (a democrat) or former UN Ambassador Holbrook (under Clinton in the 90s) would have been stellar choices. Arch, this is SUCH an obvious back room handshake during the convention, it makes me nauseated. He campaigned on not doing the same old washington/potomac two step....and this is clearly the same bullshit.

Maybe you do have a point about this being a political decision. All cabinet positions are political decisions. The President is going to evaluate the qualified people and then, choose who, politically, fits the bill. If the President can choose someone qualified who also gains him or the U.S. a political advantage, then all the better.

So the issue is: Is she qualified? I believe the answer is "Yes."

There are a group of other qualified people, as you mentioned. Maybe some other qualified person is more qualified. But she is still qualified.

[heelsguy]

i think obama did it for 2 reasons, to turn a silent enemy into an open friend, and 2 because globally the name "clinton" make women wet and men hard.

whatever.

i wish obama's team well because he is running MY country. to wish him ill-will would be like hoping an airplane pilot has a stroke mid-air...when no one else knows how to fly a plane

[BIG PIZZLE]

this has nothing to do with bush, NOTHING. Rice is an excellent diplomat, she speaks three languages, for god sakes she just played some classical piano piece for the queen in london last night.My 8 y/o cousin can play the piano and she also speaks 3 languages. That has noting to do with anything. Rice is horrible. She was a token under Bush Sr. And Bush Jr. is a fuckign moron for keeping her on. She was the national security advisor BEFORE 9/11. She pushed for democracies in the Middle East only to have anti-us islamic governments elected. Retard. She's supposed to be an expert in Soviet and East European states and that shit has completely fallen apart on her watch. She sounds like a moron when they let her talk and from what I hear, she cant control her subordinates in the state department.

[Whiffleball]

this has nothing to do with bush, NOTHING. Rice is an excellent diplomat, she speaks three languages, for god sakes she just played some classical piano piece for the queen in london last night.

Clearly, one's ability to play music well is a clear indicator of one's diplomatic prowess. From history, we know that von Metternich could deftly play the most layered of Hendrix's guitar solos and Henry Kissinger could perform each of John Philip Sousa's compositions on the tuba.

clinton? about as much class and diplomatic prowess as a cat shit. Sen. Nunn (a democrat) or former UN Ambassador Holbrook (under Clinton in the 90s) would have been stellar choices. Arch, this is SUCH an obvious back room handshake during the convention, it makes me nauseated. He campaigned on not doing the same old washington/potomac two step....and this is clearly the same bullshit.

I would like to know what you base your criticisms of her abilities on. Have we been any better represented by a classless president shouting "Yo Blair!" with his mouth full (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xq3DobSCKQ)? What major milestones did Condi Rice achieve other than muscling us into a war that has turned into an absolute disaster? And would we be any better off with Sarah Palin cavorting around the globe, who can't name any newspapers she regularly reads and whose foreign policy experience was "I can see Russia from my house"?

I would have preferred to have seen Bill Richardson named as SoS but I am not such a rabid Clinton hater that I throwing a hissy fit like Christopher Hitchens. She had a high profile as First Lady, meeting world leaders and pushing agendas across the world, gaining widespread respect... And she is a strong and decisive personality, who I think will present a resolved but reasonable face on our encounters with foreign nations.

I join those who dismiss these absurd "this isn't change!" arguments, because it would be ludicrous for Obama to appoint out-of-left-field people to these important jobs as change for change's sake. As in filling any job vacancy, you have to pick a person who is qualified and it only makes sense for him to appoint people like Clinton who have lots of experience with foreign relations and who will be in line with the policies of the administration.

[riseabove!]

Obama made a good decision to put her in his cabinet. It's apparent that they are two leading and opposing forces in the Dem Party, and with him bringing her along, the Dems will be stronger in congress without her dissention. "Keep your enemies in front of you" - Chris Matthews

[Whiffleball]

Obama made a good decision to put her in his cabinet. It's apparent that they are two leading and opposing forces in the Dem Party, and with him bringing her along, the Dems will be stronger in congress without her dissention. "Keep your enemies in front of you" - Chris Matthews

I honestly think their "rivalry" has been a bit overblown. Yes, they had a particularly nasty primary race, but when has an election been a nice, fair and purely intellectual affair? On the issues, there isn't a whole ton of daylight between them. Granted, one of their biggest divergences was on foreign policy and the Iraq War, but I think Obama has moved so far to the center during the election and afterward, his positions aren't too substantially different from Hilldog's.

I highly doubt Hillary would have been firing off tirades on the Senate floor against Obama if she was totally left out of the administration... The whole backlash against Obama from her loyalists was never as bad as some tried to make it out to be and Obama is so popular she would be out in the woods going up against him. She had very little leverage to try and force herself into the cabinet.

[heelsguy]

no i disagree. I think obama is totally de-clawing her by bringing her in to his admin. it's like a boxing match where one boxer clinches the other one so he is too close to throw a punch.

[freegood]

Besides, I don't know why the Americans who "don't give a fuck what other countries think" should get upset over Clinton heading up foreign policy.

[Stax]

So, by picking someone who can hit the floor running on foreign policy, what with Hillary knowing her shit and being comfortable around and familiar to world leaders, is Obama signaling that he is gonna primarily focus on domestic issues?

The question is whether he wants a manager or just a strong opinion in the room.

[Okie Medicvet]

yup. we are as fucked as ever, not a god damn thing has, or will change. game over...all we need now is a recurrance of the dustbowl.. and for you youngins, that ain't a football game...


I bet you don't believe in Santa Claus either, you mean, mean man!

[Okie Medicvet]

i think obama did it for 2 reasons, to turn a silent enemy into an open friend, and 2 because globally the name "clinton" make women wet and men hard.

whatever.

i wish obama's team well because he is running MY country. to wish him ill-will would be like hoping an airplane pilot has a stroke mid-air...when no one else knows how to fly a plane

Well, Clinton has never made me wet, but I have had a crush on Obama...

[Stax]

btw, how bout that 16 month pull out of US forces in Iraq...guess that changed as well.

He mentioned that exact timeframe at his speech. AND he has always qualified that statement by saying that he would listen to commanders.

[Claydon]

He mentioned that exact timeframe at his speech. AND he has always qualified that statement by saying that he would listen to commanders.

Thats bullshit, he changed his tune in the last few months of the election cycle. Through 07 and most of 08 he was going on and on about how he was going to save us fiscally by withdrawing troops, even made a big hoopla in the senate when an appropriations bill that came up for continued operations.

[Yelram]

Thats bullshit, he changed his tune in the last few months of the election cycle. Through 07 and most of 08 he was going on and on about how he was going to save us fiscally by withdrawing troops, even made a big hoopla in the senate when an appropriations bill that came up for continued operations.

http://speechology.org/video/obama-on-withdrawing-from-iraq

"The president sets the mission" - Barack Obama.

[freegood]

The question is whether he wants a manager or just a strong opinion in the room.

Why not both?

I doubt Obama would be like Bush, who rubbed Cheney's cock as if it gave him wishes.

[Feng]

Some of you don't see the benefit of Clinton becoming Sec. State...

For one thing, it pretty much guarantees we will never have to worry about her running for president again! She won't be able to run again until 2016, at which time she'll be about 70 years old. Her presidential running days are over.

[provplaya1]

big mistake , many of the middle easter leaders don't respect or acknowledge woman period, why would they with her? but I guess she is pretty butch so maybe they will make an exception.

[BIG PIZZLE]

Hey, it worked great for condoleeza!

[Morfin]

Arab, maybe; Israel already has women in the upper echelon of politics.

[Claydon]

Arab, maybe; Israel already has women in the upper echelon of politics.

that blonde?

id hit it!

[Morfin]

More Than a Good Feeling

Picture, if you will, Hillary Clinton facing a foreign-policy conundrum. With whom will she discuss it first and most intently: with her president or her husband? (I did tell you that this wouldn't be difficult.) Here's another one: Will she be swayed in her foreign-policy decisions by electoral considerations focusing on the year 2012, and, if so, will she be swayed by President Barack Obama's interests or her own?

The next question, and I must apologize in advance for once again making it an un-strenuous one, is: Who else will be approaching Bill Clinton for advice, counsel, and "input" on foreign affairs? It appears from the donor list of the Clinton Foundation that there is barely an oligarch, royal family, or special-interest group anywhere in the world that does not know how to get the former president's attention. Just in the days since the foundation agreed to some disclosure of its previously "confidential" clients—in other words, since this became a condition for Sen. Clinton's nomination to become secretary of state—we have additionally found former President Clinton in warm relationships with one very questionable businessman in Malaysia and with another, this time in Nigeria, who used to have close connections with that country's ultracorrupt military dictatorship.

The Nigerian example is an especially instructive one. Gilbert Chagoury is a major figure in land and construction in that country and has contributed between $1 million and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation as well as arranged a huge speaking fee for President Clinton at a Caribbean event and kicked in a large sum to his 1996 re-election campaign. In return for this, he has been received at the Clinton White House and more recently at Clinton-sponsored social events in New York and Paris. This may have helped to alleviate the sting of Chagoury's difficulties in Nigeria itself. As a close friend of the country's uniformed despot Gen. Sani Abacha, he benefited from some extremely profitable business arrangements during the years of dictatorship but was later compelled, after an investigation of his transactions, to return an estimated $300 million to the Nigerian treasury in exchange for a plea-bargaining arrangement by which his bank accounts could be unfrozen.

Aha, you say, there's no evidence of any quid pro quo here. (Or, in other words, Chagoury gives a fortune to Clinton because he, too, wants to "fight AIDS.") Of course, this may only be seed money for a later "quid" or even "quo" that hasn't yet materialized. And if Chagoury or anyone else had ever received the impression that the Clintons would play for pay, it's easy to see how he got the idea. (See my Nov. 24, 2008, Slate column on the investigations of the Clinton campaign-finance scandals and the shenanigans surrounding the Marc Rich pardon.)

But does a contribution to Bill Clinton's foundation get you any traction with Sen. Clinton, at least in her political and official capacity? Let's see. A recent story in the New York Times managed to begin with some very crisp and clear and fact-based paragraphs:

An upstate New York developer donated $100,000 to former President Bill Clinton's foundation in November 2004, around the same time that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton helped secure millions of dollars in federal assistance for the businessman's mall project.

Mrs. Clinton helped enact legislation allowing the developer, Robert J. Congel, to use tax-exempt bonds to help finance the construction of the Destiny USA entertainment and shopping complex, an expansion of the Carousel Center in Syracuse.

Mrs. Clinton also helped secure a provision in a highway bill that set aside $5 million for Destiny USA roadway construction.

That was another no-brainer question I just asked. So let me stop insulting you, dear reader, and pose a question to which we do not have any obvious answer. Why is Sen. Clinton, the spouse of the great influence-peddler, being nominated in the first place? In exchange for giving the painful impression that our State Department will be an attractive destination for lobbyists and donors, what exactly are we getting? George Marshall? Dean Acheson? Even Madeleine Albright? No, we are getting a notoriously ambitious woman who made a fool of herself over Bosnia, at the time and during the recent campaign, and who otherwise has no command of foreign affairs except what she's picked up second-hand from an impeached ex-president, a disbarred lawyer, and a renter of the Lincoln Bedroom. If the Senate waves this through, it will have reinforced its recent image as the rubber-stamp chamber of a bankrupt banana republic. Not an especially good start to the brave new era.Link (http://www.slate.com/id/2208425/)

[heelsguy]

link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/biden_oprah)


Biden shushes wife after secretary of state slip
WASHINGTON – Vice President-elect Joe Biden's wife said Monday that he had a pick of two jobs in the Obama administration, a slip that Biden immediately tried to shush and that his spokeswoman later disputed. Jill Biden's comment came during an appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on the eve of the inauguration.
"Joe had the choice to be secretary of state or vice president," she said. Her husband blushed bright red, grimaced, laughed and said a loud "shhhh" that sent the audience into laughter. "OK, he did," Jill Biden said.
The vice president-elect didn't deny her claim on the show, but Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander did three hours later in a statement e-mailed to reporters immediately after the exchange aired on television.
"To be clear, President-elect Obama offered Vice President-elect Biden one job only — to be his running mate," the statement said. "And the vice president-elect was thrilled to accept the offer."
The vice president-elect said he only accepted Obama's offer to be his running mate after talking it over with "Jilly," his pet name for his wife. Mrs. Biden said she told him vice president would be better for the family.
"If you're secretary of state, you'll be away, we'll never see you, you know," she said. "I'll see you at a state dinner once in awhile. But I said, if you're vice president, the entire family, because worked so hard for the election, can be involved. They can come to our home. They can go to events, they can be with us all the time. And that's what's important to us."
Joe Biden said he didn't immediately take the vice presidential offer since he wasn't sure it was the best place for him to serve. But Biden, who ran against Obama in the Democratic primary race, said he agreed after getting some assurances from Obama about his role.
"This is a partnership," Biden said. "He's president of the United States, but as I said to him when he asked me, I said, `Barack, don't ask me unless the reason you're asking me is you're asking me for my judgment. I get to be the last guy in the room when you make every important decision. You're president. Any decision you make, I will back.'
"He said he wanted to have a confidant and somebody who wouldn't be a yes man. He's pretty sure about that last part," Biden said with a laugh.
Obama's transition office did not respond to questions about whether he was offered both jobs. Obama gave the secretary of state job to Hillary Rodham Clinton, and her spokesman declined to comment about the suggestion that she was the second choice.
Alexander's statement said, "Like anyone who followed the presidential campaign this summer, Dr. Jill Biden knew there was a chance that President-elect Obama might ask her husband to serve in some capacity and that, given his background, the positions of vice president and secretary of state were possibilities. Dr. Biden's point to Oprah today was that being vice president would be a better fit for their family because they would get to see him more and get to participate in serving more."
The Bidens made a surprise appearance on Winfrey's show, recorded at the Kennedy Center. The celebrity-filled show also included the premiere of "America's Song," performed by Faith Hill, Seal, Bono, Mary J. Blige, Will.i.am and David Foster in honor of the occasion and available for free download on Winfrey's Web site for 24 hours.
Winfrey also interviewed movie star couple Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher about how Obama has inspired them to pledge to help end slave labor around the world and encourage other people to make a pledge to improve their communities. Other celebrities, including Scarlett Johansson, Justin Timberlake and Forest Whitaker appeared by videotape to talk about what Obama's election means to them.
Winfrey, who made her first ever presidential endorsement for Obama, heralded the significance of the moment particularly coming the day after Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
"I feel like I am better because of his being elected," Winfrey said. "And I think that the country is going to be better. I feel like it is a beautiful thing, and we all start to see ourselves differently, the possibility."

makes total sense. I always thought he was a shoo-in for sec of state anyway.

[BIG PIZZLE]

He should have been sec of state and clinton should have been secretary of photocopies and coffee.