Appointing New Yorkers

The last five days, the news has been racked with a big story: Senator Hillary Clinton, former presidential candidate and political powerhouse, as a possible secretary of state. Leaks about vetting and a secret meeting have fueled speculation that President-Elect Obama is seriously considering Clinton for the role of top diplomat. International correspondents claim that her appointment would be wildly well received in the international community, and like Obama's election and upcoming inauguration, will have an immediate impact on the image of the United States around the world. I have no objections to this move, as long as Obama can keep the Clinton's in check. They have mighty large egos of their own, and he needs to make sure (as it has been pointed out) that her appointment and subsequent actions don't present the picture of a co-presidency.

If Clinton is appointed to Obama's cabinet and accepts, thus resigning her senate seat, it would be up to our governor, David Patterson, to appoint her successor. The name that has been floated? Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. I honesty don't know much about Mr. Cuomo, other that what I hear in the news about his legal actions, but he seems like a very driven person trying his best to look out for the well-being of New Yorkers.

On a completely hypothetical topic, I had a conversation yesterday with some people over the possibility of Rudy Giuliani being given a position in Obama's cabinet. Barack Obama has stated that there will be at least one Republican in his cabinet, and since Giuliani's only focus is national security, the idea of secretary of homeland security was floated in our discussion. An interesting thought, but I have my doubts. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Yes, but Giuliani said some pretty insulting, petty things about Barack Obama at this year's Republican National Convention, and I'm not sure Obama would be willing to jump in bed with him after that. It would get Giuliani out of Obama's way in terms of 2012, but I honestly don't think a 2012 Giuliani presidential campaign would be any more successful than his 2008 turn. Furthermore, I'm afraid that Giuliani would be an empty shirt, as was evidenced very earlier on during this year's primaries.