# Bill Clinton, Secretary of State? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 14, 2006, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413 "2006-10-14T09:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/21 "2006-10-15T03:47:40Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Would there be any constitutional issues involved, since the SoS is 4th in line to the throne, I mean presidency? I know it would be for VP, but perhaps it’s not for anyone further down in the pecking order. [/QUOTE] Other Secretaries of State have been constitutionally ineligible to succeed to the presidency, most recently Madeleine Albright (born in Prague); Kissinger was also ineligible on account of being foreign-born. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/22 "2006-10-15T03:48:57Z")
I think a much better role for Bill Clinton would be ambassador at large. He could work his magic on certain situations and do a lot to try rebuild the squandered good will that America once had post 9-11 ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/23 "2006-10-15T04:37:46Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] Nepotism is when Bush tried to install his **housekeeper** (or whatever she was) on the Supreme Court. [/QUOTE] Cite, please? ---
**Author:** ![Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/24 "2006-10-15T04:42:02Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] Nepotism is when Bush tried to install his housekeeper (or whatever she was) on the Supreme Court. [/QUOTE] On the off-chance that anyone takes you seriously: Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/25 "2006-10-15T04:48:01Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] Well, when Bill was President many people said that Hillary was running the show, and that didn’t seem to have too negative impact on his Presidency. Would Hillary have as much trouble getting Carter as SoS, I wonder? [/QUOTE] They believed that when he was elected, maybe. Few people believed it eight years later. I don’t think Hillary would make Bill the Secretary of State. If elected, she would need to prove to the country - both the people who voted for her and the people who didn’t - that she was running her own administration; that she was really the one in charge. Bill does have many of the qualities needed to be a good Secretary of State, but if Hillary gave him such a powerful position, people would immediately start to ask who is really running the show. Bush has had to face those questions for years, not that it’s bothered too many people - but it would be more pressing for Hillary, because of Bill’s experience and because she’s a woman. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/26 "2006-10-15T04:59:25Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] Cite, please? [/QUOTE] He’s talking about Harriet Miers, I presume. I guess that was supposed to be funny. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/27 "2006-10-15T06:33:29Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] Cite, please? [/QUOTE] Harriet Miers. I was being sarcastic. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/28 "2006-10-15T17:30:48Z")
[QUOTE=China Guy] I think a much better role for Bill Clinton would be ambassador at large. [/QUOTE] Is there such a post? Or do you mean, in an unofficial or quasi-official capacity? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/29 "2006-10-16T17:03:09Z")
No, no, no … not Secretary of State! Put him on the Supreme Court like Taft! It will drive the wingers crazy for the next 20 years … . ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/30 "2006-10-16T17:28:37Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] He’s talking about Harriet Miers, I presume. I guess that was supposed to be funny. [/QUOTE] I thought it was funny. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/31 "2006-10-16T17:32:10Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] I thought it was funny. [/QUOTE] Credit goes to Bill Maher. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/32 "2006-10-16T17:43:18Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] No, no, no … not Secretary of State! Put him on the Supreme Court like Taft! It will drive the wingers crazy for the next 20 years … . [/QUOTE] Enter Bill Clinton trapped in a White House bathtub. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/33 "2006-10-16T18:16:55Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] I don’t think Hillary would make Bill the Secretary of State. If elected, she would need to prove to the country - both the people who voted for her and the people who didn’t - that she was running her own administration; that she was really the one in charge. [/QUOTE] I disgree. I think that a big part of her campaign would be the same “you’re getting two for the price of one” approach Bill Clinton used when _he_ was running. If she wants to have any prayer of getting elected, she’d better _hope_ that people believe Bill will be a powerful force in her administration. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/34 "2006-10-16T18:35:16Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] I thought it was funny. [/QUOTE] Hmm. I guess I’m unfamiliar with the progressive idea that woman = housekeeper. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/35 "2006-10-16T18:49:29Z")
I think it would be inappropriate for a president Hillary to appoint Bill as Secretary of State. I just don’t think spouses should be in a employer/employee relationship. For any president but Hillary, I think it would be a great idea. Clinton, like Carter before him, has earned a lot of respect world wide for his post-office endeavors. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/36 "2006-10-16T19:41:53Z")
Maybe if Hillary is elected, she will make GW the new SoS… 😛 I don’t see her (IF she wins) give Billy that kind of power…or taking the obvious hit she would take by doing so. I actually Think Bill WOULD make a good SoS (or just about anything else), but you guys have to let it go…that ship has sailed. I’ll be surprised if Bill EVER holds a position of real power in any administration again. Ambassador though…THAT has some realistic possibilities. -XT ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/37 "2006-10-16T19:51:16Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Hmm. I guess I’m unfamiliar with the progressive idea that woman = housekeeper. [/QUOTE] I beleve he was making reference to her being significantly unqualified for the post. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/38 "2006-10-16T20:06:32Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] I disgree. I think that a big part of her campaign would be the same “you’re getting two for the price of one” approach Bill Clinton used when _he_ was running. If she wants to have any prayer of getting elected, she’d better _hope_ that people believe Bill will be a powerful force in her administration. [/QUOTE] I think one of Hillary’s tasks in the general election - and I have waffled more than once on whether or not she can do this - would be to prove to people that she is her own woman, that she didn’t just get where she is because of who she married. That’s not something a lot of other Presidential candidates have had to deal with, and like I said before, I think the fact that she is a woman will be an issue. She has done a lot of across-the-aisle work in the Senate. She might be able to actually pick up moderate votes as a result. If she starts running it “it’s more of the Clinton years,” I think that work gets undone. The more she tries to take advantage of Bill-era successes, the more she’ll have to answer for the failures. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/39 "2006-10-16T20:08:19Z")
I think Clinton would be a good Secretary of State because he has a generally positive view from the rest of the world. I don’t think Hillary would appoint him to such a position, nepotism is probably the least of her concerns. I think she’d want to make sure that she was respected as President in her own right and would not want to be overshadowed by Bill. I think he would definitely be on the short list of any other Democratic nominee. Although it’s entirely possible he wouldn’t be interested. The Presidency is incredibly intense and tiring, most men who come through it come out the other side looking twenty years older versus four or eight and never really serve in any official capacity again (although Taft became a Supreme Court Justice and John Q. Adams a congressman.) Bill has had heart surgeries and has in general seemed to enjoy his time on the lecture circuit and the golf course, not sure I’d blame him for turning down such a position. Plus, the man was the Chief Executive. And while the SoS is congressional confirmed, in general they serve at the pleasure of the President, and I’m not sure someone who has once been top dog would really enjoy being someone’s second fiddle. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413/40 "2006-10-16T20:16:38Z")
[QUOTE=flight] I beleve he was making reference to her being significantly unqualified for the post. [/QUOTE] … and a woman. I can’t imagine anyone saying that about a man. But, whatever… * * * I doubt WJC would want the job, and I doubt any presidential aspirant would want him in that job. He’s got a reputation for hogging the limelight, and it kinda goes with the territory that if you want to be prez, you don’t want someone outshining you. This is the same reason no one would want HRC as his or her running mate (in the VP slot, that is). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-clinton-secretary-of-state/376413.md?page=3)