Caroline Kennedy wants Hillary Clinton's Senate Spot

Here's some interesting news:

Yes, folks, the oldest daughter of President Kennedy is considering succeeding Hillary Clinton in her U.S. Senate seat in New York.

“I believe that she is considering it,” said her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spoken to Ms. Kennedy about the matter during the past week. “A lot of people the last couple of weeks have urged her to do it.”

Ms. Kennedy called Gov. David A. Paterson on Wednesday to discuss the position, Mr. Paterson confirmed Friday. The governor will choose a replacement for Mrs. Clinton upon her expected confirmation as secretary of state next month.

As much as I like Caroline Kennedy, what exactly qualifies her to be a senator? What will she bring to the state of New York? Will she be half the legislator Hillary Clinton was in her time in the Senate?

Who knows... it may be a popular pick but it makes me a little uneasy. I'd rather have someone who has actually served in the government before.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Terry McAuliffe could sell shit to the zoo

Of all the characters in Hillary Clinton's failed presidential campaign, Terry McAuliffe was easily the most annoying. The dude would go on to TV and just wouldn't shut up. Mind you, being talkative could be a good thing if you have something truthful or interesting to say, but almost every word that came of this guy's mouth was utter bullshit.

Anyway, a few days ago it was revealed that McAuliffe would run for Governor of Virginia in 2010. Here was a particularly interesting part of the article:

Potential opponents dismiss him as a cynical Daddy Warbucks who has long plotted to buy himself a governorship — claiming he even mulled runs in his native New York and Florida, where his wife’s family lives.

McAuliffe’s pals dismiss such criticism and say his unique blend of charm and cash will prove irresistible.

“Terry could sell shit to the zoo,” explains longtime pal Paul Begala. “He’s the best salesman in the world.”

Well, he might be able to sell shit to a zoo, but he couldn't sell the Democratic party as the head of the DNC, and he couldn't sell his candidate, Hillary, over Barack Obama. Or as Kos says:

Terry McAuliffe can obviously sell shit to Paul Begala. He has a harder time selling it to people outside his circle of shit-buying friends.

Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State?

The big rumor out there is that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama met yesterday about the Secretary of State job. Andrew Sullivan thinks it's an inspired move:

It is a senior enough position not to be fobbed off; it really does take advantage of the Clinton name abroad; it could even put Bill to good use and keep him out of mischief; and Obama has kept telling us that his cabinet model is "Team Of Rivals." Giving Hillary that kind of position is straight out of Lincoln.

Unlike the vice-presidency, a secretary of state has real constitutionally-designated things to do. From Clinton's point of view, it would be a natural position from which to run to succeed Obama in 2016 (or to make an inside push to oust him in 2012). The emergence of Max Baucus as the front senator for healthcare seems to me a sign that Obama might have already been signaling this maneuver. If Clinton isn't the lead player on healthcare, what is she going to do?

So here's hoping he offers and she accepts. It's an elegant and shrewd move; both public spirited and yet coldly calculating at the same time. Pure Obama.

I mostly agree with Andrew. Obama seems to be following the Lincoln/Kennedy model for building a cabinet where a president puts the best minds possible in a room together and lets them argue it out. (This, of course, is the opposite of the George W. Bush cabinet.)

But I feel unease with putting a Clinton anywhere near the White House for the same reasons I never thought Hillary should be VP: Obama's campaign is about change, and putting a Clinton near the White House is the opposite of change. But in the end, Hillary is a great politician and would probably be a great asset to the Obama administration.

If Hillary Clinton was the nominee, she would have beaten John McCain by more than Barack Obama

From CBS news:

As voters left the polls on Election Day, many were asked how they would have voted if the election match-up were between Hillary Clinton and John McCain rather than Barack Obama and McCain. 52 percent said they would have backed the former Democratic candidate; 41 percent would have voted for McCain, wider than Obama’s 7-point margin over McCain.

All I can say is what a bunch of horseshit. Fivethirtyeight.com is a little more articulate about it than I am:

Would her campaign have had the same steely confidence as Obama's did after the Republican convention bounce? Unlikely. Would she have delivered as strong a speech as Mr. Obama did in Denver? Iffy. Would she have catalyzed near-universal turnout in the black community? No.

If Hillary Clinton had headed the Democratic ticket, would John McCain have been dumb enough to name Sarah Palin as his running mate? One would hope not. Might McCain have been smart enough to hire Mike Murphy rather than Steve Schmidt, campaign on themes of bipartisanship, honor, and good government, and appeal as much as possible to independent voters (as the political climate dictated that he ought to have done in the first place)? Who knows. He just might have figured it out.

And what would Clinton's numbers have looked like after the Republicans had gotten done accusing her of being a socialist, a puppet for her husband, and an all-around conniving you-know-what?

Hillary Clinton might have beaten John McCain by more than Barack Obama did. She also might have lost to him. I doubt you'll find too many Democrats who would be willing to take that trade.