Sen. Hillary Clinton will give up her U.S. Senate seat to accept a position as Secretary of State for President-elect Barack Obama, The New York Times has learned.
Clinton, New York's junior senator, has been in the running for weeks, and came to the conclusion after additional discussion withs Obama, two unnamed Democratic Party figures said on Friday. However, Clinton's spokesman Philippe Reines said in a statement on Friday that the nomination was not final.
"We're still in discussions, which are very much on track" he said. "Any reports beyond that are premature."
Obama's transition team said on Thursday that Clinton's nomination was on track, adding Friday that the announcement would be made after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Clinton's vetting for the position has been hampered by her husband, former president Bill Clinton, and his dealings in international affairs. Lawyers for Obama and Bill Clinton examined the former president's finances, setting up guidelines for his future activities if his wife does take the job. Closely scrutinized were 208,000 donors who contributed to his presidential library and the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation, which funds international initiatives on HIV/AIDS, climate change, the economy, and other issues. Bill Clinton would be asked to restrict his role at his foundation as well as his paid speechmaking.
New York governor David Paterson would have to appoint a replacement for Hillary Clinton in the Senate. While Paterson has yet to name any possibilities, some speculate that state attorney general Andrew Cuomo, congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (whose father was once New York's senator), and others may have a shot at the job. Columbia University political science professor Sharyn O'Hallorain told Fox News that another contender is New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the first openly gay person to hold one of the city's highest ranking posts. (Michelle Garcia, The Advocate)
These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.
If you would like to submit a comment for posting, please fill out the form above.
All comments submitted via this form are subject to posting or publication. (To send a private letter to an Advocate editor or writer, please use the e-mail button at the top of the page, or use snail mail.) If you would like your comment considered for publication in The Advocate magazine, please include your full name, your city of residence, and a phone number where you can be reached during business hours so that we can confirm your identity. Your e-mail address and telephone number are strictly confidential and will not be shared or used for any purpose other than to contact you about your comment.
See the Contact page for sending comments for reasons other than responding to Advocate editorial and news stories.
Please note that comments sent by fax or snail mail are unlikely to be posted, although they will be considered for publication along with all letters received via e-mail or via this Web page. Comments that chiefly concern Advocate.com content will be considered for posting only on the Web site. The Advocate reserves the right to edit submitted comments for grammar, spelling, obscenities, or libel; we will, however, do our best to preserve the original comment's style and intent. Comments considered for publication in The Advocate magazine may also be edited for length.