Who Will Be Obama’s Secretary of State?
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Barack, Foreign PolicyOne of the most important appointments Barack Obama will make is Secretary of State. Naturally, rumors are swirling as to who might be on the shortlist. Let’s look at the contenders.
Richard Holbrooke: A Clinton State Department veteran who also served as U.N. ambassador, Holbrooke would be the establishment choice. He’d be a competent secretary but the only “change” he’d bring is to slide our diplomacy away from the Bush model and back towards the Clinton model.
Bill Richardson: Another well-experienced man with time served as U.N. ambassador. He certainly has the right experience and was one of the tougher figures in Clinton’s circle. He’s known as a skilled negotiator, which is always helpful. His knowledge would be an asset but he’d still be a “reaching back” nomination. There might be a better position for him.
John Kerry: Reports indicate that Kerry is actively seeking this position, even though he was just reelected to the Senate. Kerry would bring a big name to the job and his numerous criticisms of the Bush administration would elevate expectations for some dramatic shifts in policy. While he is not really a beloved figure in America, he does have a good reputation abroad. He speaks French fluently, hobnobs regularly with the global elite and probably could hit the ground running. He might be surprisingly effective. Or he might fail horribly. At least he wouldn’t be a Clinton era retread.
Richard Lugar: Obama would signal he is quite serious about changing politics as usual by picking the Republican Senator from Indiana. With plenty of foreign relations experience in the Senate and a record of moderation (read: not a neo-con), Lugar has a strong relationship with Joe Biden and could provide experience and guidance while tempering Obama’s more blindly conciliatory urges. He is 76, so a longtime stay in this demanding position would be unlikely.
Chuck Hagel: The other Republican rumored to be on the shortlist, Hagel made eyes at Obama throughout the campaign. A critic of Bush’s foreign policies, particularly on the handling of Iraq, Hagel would be a good choice to lead a change in the State Department that is neither Bush-style conservative nor Clinton-style liberal.
However, Hagel is not really a centrist and his record on global warming is poor, potentially hampering his ability to work on international issues outside of war and peace in the way Obama would prefer. Still, like Lugar, Hagel would signal that Obama really is committed to addressing our problems in a different and more inclusive way.
This entry was posted on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 and is filed under Barack, Foreign Policy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Kerry would be a bad choice because he’s a dick! Yeah, a bad word, but nothing else expresses it as clearly and succinctly. I can’t stomach the guy, and I think he would be a divisive choice. At least it would get him out of my state, MA.
How about Colin Powell? As long as it’s not Jimmy Carter.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Please not Kerry. Leave him in the Presidential loser category where he fits so well. We’d have to stomach four (eight) years of nauseating circuitous-Senator-speak. Ugh. Please no, Bam.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I think Lugar has taken himself out of speculation. It is too bad if he is definitely out, looks like he would’ve been a good choice on a few fronts.
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=1&docID=news-000002983799
November 6th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
All these guys may pass the “global test,” but I think Kerry would be the one who would most redistribute the moral high-ground to hostile nations as a good-will gesture, or in the nature of “fairness,” so my guess is Obama picks him.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Why all the spite for Kerry? I agree, he could be spectacular or so-so, as an extremely experienced statesman I can’t see him failing completely.
Is Hillary not in the running? I think she might actually be a good choice. I had kind of figured she was offered a cabinet post back in the summer. In any case I would prefer to see Obama pepper his cabinet with some former nemises.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Wes Clark FTW.
November 6th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I have a feeling the only position Hillary might get offered is ambassador to whatever country is furthest from Washington. How about New Zealand?
The last thing Obama needs is Hillary running a shadow oval office. Keep her out of the white house cabinet and operations. The place where she can be useful is as the leader of the DLC wing of the senate, pushing for tough moderate positions. I’d support Clinton if she were to mount a congressional coup.
November 6th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Kranky, you’re probably on to something. If she’s to be taken at her word, Hillary said herself that she felt she was needed in the Senate. I think she and McCain can still do a lot of good work there. McCain in particular is needed more than ever.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:37 am
I’m late to this conversation, but I think most of you missed the obvious choice here, and one that would satisfy President Elect Obama’s promise to name at least one Republican into his cabinet; that person, Bob Gates.
Yes, he’s Secretary of Defense now, but he has shown a deep understanding of the role of public diplomacy and the changes that State must go through in order to lead in foreign policy as opposed to being led by the Defense Dept. Since he is a Republican, he will mollify many who would expected a timid executive in the White House, while also giving President Obama a proven manager with whom he could work.