Obama eyeing Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State, Democratic officials say
by The Associated Press
Friday November 14, 2008, 9:33 AM
The Associated Press
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., left, delivers a speech supporting Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., at a rally in Orlando on Oct. 20. Two Democratic officials say she is now being considered for Secretary of State.CHICAGO (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is among the candidates that President-elect Barack Obama is considering for secretary of state, according to two Democratic officials in close contact with the Obama transition team.
Clinton, the former first lady who pushed Obama hard for the Democratic presidential nomination, was rumored to be a contender for the job last week, but the talk died down as party activists questioned whether she was best-suited to be the nation's top diplomat in an Obama administration.
Talk resumed in Washington and elsewhere Thursday, a day after Obama named several former aides to President Bill Clinton to help run his transition effort.
One Democratic official said Hillary Clinton met with the president-elect Thursday afternoon in Obama's downtown office.
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."
The Democratic officials who spoke did so on the condition of anonymity to avoid angering Obama and his staff. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines referred questions to the Obama transition team, which said it had no comment.
Other people frequently mentioned for the State Department job are Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and New Mexico's Democratic governor, Bill Richardson.