Clinton Cold Feet Or More Media Drama?

Today, November 19th, both Politico and the New York Times are reporting that Sen. Hillary Clinton may be reconsidering her interest in becoming Secretary of State under President-elect Obama. Not coincidental, Sen. Ted Kennedy today is reported to have offered Clinton a high-level spot on a Senate health care team, heading a group focussed on insurance coverage. With Kennedy's leverage, Sen. Clinton could rise to a senior level in the Senate, but she faces serious challenges because of seniority rules. Rumors from the usual spate of "anonymous sources" say that Clinton is "agonizing" over the decision, and may reject the offer even if it is given publicly. This seems contrary to events however, as the Associated Press reports today that Clinton herself has hired three lawyers to assist with the vetting process, and Reuters reports that former President Clinton has agreed today to submit to ethics reviews of his financial dealings through the Clinton Global Initiative.

The Associate Press reports further:

[Former President] Clinton has agreed to release the names of several major donors to his charitable foundation and will submit future foundation activities and paid speeches to a strict ethics review, said Democrats knowledgeable about the discussions.

They also said that Clinton would step away from day-to-day responsibility for his foundation while his wife serves and would alert the State Department to his speaking schedule and any new sources of income.--AP

The same article notes that while ex-President Clintons financial dealings and foreign connections have caused a great deal of concern over the course of Sen. Clinton's presidential campaign, and now in the vetting process for Secretary of State, it is not out of the ordinary. The article notes that former President George H. W. Bush has continued to do speaking engagements and raise money for charity and humanitarian relief while his son has been president, with no major fallout or calls of conflict of interest. All credible sources also claim that the Clinton vetting (which some insiders call "the project" due to the sheer volume of information to be scoured) is going smoothly, with all players acting in a cooperative and forward-thinking manner.

Neither President-elect Obama nor Sen. Clinton have made a statement about the situation. Sen. Clinton said Tuesday, "I've said everything I have to say on Friday." --AP. On Friday, Sen. Clinton said in a press conference, after her Chicago meeting with Obama, "I'm not going to speculate or address anything about the president-elect's incoming administration. And I am going to respect his process and any inquiries should be directed to his transition team" --CBS. Similarly, on Sunday, Nov 16th, while Obama confirmed his meeting with Clinton, he remained tight-lipped about their discussion, saying, "You know, she is somebody who I needed advice and counsel from. She is one of the most thoughtful public officials that we have. Beyond that, you’re not getting anything out of me Steve." Additionally, the LA Times reports that Sen. Clinton had no "immediate reaction" to Kennedy's offer to head a Senate working group on insurance coverage, which combined with the outstanding evidence that her SecState nomination is headed smoothly forward, would suggest that the media is jumping at shadows, and capitalizing on headline-grabbers more than on reality. Clinton's star power alone creates non-stop speculation on her motives and means, and Cabinet posts do not happen overnight. Initial reactions that Clinton is a shoo-in for the job, would be well-received internationally, and would excel in the post are more likely to be true. Leaving the Senate, and her independent constituency for the more restrictive environment of a Cabinet post is certainly a factor to consider, however, it seems more likely Clinton (and perhaps Kennedy) are allowing leaks about "reservations" in order to create an alternative narrative in the (unlikely) event that Hillary does not pass the vetting process. It is my feeling that she would not have agreed to it if there was any chance of it failing, and as I have said, that the media is simply creating its own headlines.