Wigwam Jones

I called this some time ago. In fact, I sent an email to David Axelrod, suggesting this very thing (almost) - way back on June 4h of 2008.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izQosMtCfjNjE1uAP6fQV2...

Democratic source: Obama, Clinton meet in Chicago

By NEDRA PICKLER – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama has met in Chicago with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is under consideration for secretary of state.

A Democratic official says the two former presidential rivals met Thursday afternoon in Obama's downtown office. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to release the information.

The motorcade of Clinton, who receives Secret Service protection as a former first lady, was seen leaving the office complex shortly before Obama left for the day. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines would say only "Senator Clinton had no public schedule yesterday."

Obama has surrounded himself with several former staffers of Bill Clinton's presidency. Some of them are pushing Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. Other senators, including Democrat John Kerry of Massachusetts and Republican Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, also are thought to be under consideration.

This is the email I sent David Axelrod:

Consider Bill Clinton as President Obama's Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton as Secretary of Defense. Bill would make an outstanding Secretary of State - in so many positive ways like Benjamin Franklin - turn his powerful abilities loose on our friends, allies, and even our enemies and he'll bend them to our way of thinking without them even realizing they're doing it. Who could possibly be a better SOS than Bill Clinton? If Hillary had won the nomination and then the election, she could not have used Bill as Secretary of State - it's illegal since just after the Kennedy days - nepotism in the Cabinet and Oval Office - same reason Hillary could not have been HHS during Bill's tenure as President. But with President Obama - no problem. With a Democratic majority in House and Senate, no problem with confirmation, either. And face it, even Bill's enemies would concede there is no better man for that job.

Likewise, consider Hillary not as VP, but as Secretary of Defense. She'd be far too polarizing in the role of VP - all those independent voters that could easily swing left or right would bail to McCain the moment she appeared on the ticket. But as Secretary of Defense, she does not have to be named until after the election. And both she and Bill would work diligently - for real - not that fake 'party line' jazz - for Obama if there was something tangible in it for them.

For Bill, this would be a chance for him to truly rehabilitate his image. The carrot for him is history remembering him as the man who finally did broker a real peace in the middle east - and let's face it, only he could do that now. The carrot for us is what he can bring - peace in the middle east - a Democratic majority for a very long time with that as a talking point.

For Hillary, she gets to swing a very big stick. She's pro-military, always has been. She's the most hawkish dove anyone has ever seen - let her do what she can do with the military. Talk about backing down bluffing four-stars and getting the military's house in order - she could do it if anyone could. I don't think a 30-year Navy man could out-swear her.

Or, as an alternative, think of Hillary as Attorney General. She's be pure dynamite cleaning up corporate corruption too. But really, think of how her as Secretary of Defense would aggravate the Republicans. Hell, I'd do it just for that.

Obama is raw - everybody knows that. It's his strength and his weakness. But with an offensive line in front of him like the Clintons and their entire machine, I think he could pull a Reagan - surround himself with the best of the best, and give himself the benefit of their real-world back-alley experience, combined with his leadership and personality, and the culture of real change could actually happen.

Anyway, that's it for now. Give it some thought, let me know what you think.

He never got back to me, but he clearly considered my email. Unfortunately, now they're talking about Hillary for SecDef. Well, she'd be fine at that, but she's not the schmoozer that Bill is. I still think she'd be far better off as SecDef.

Well, someday people will learn to listen to me.

Smooches,

Wiggy