Since Hillary Clinton is retiring and Obama will need a new Secretary Of State

[Tony_FLADEM]

How about Joe Biden becomes Secretary Of State and Obama makes Martin O'Malley his running mate for 2012?

[montanacowboy]

2. Martin O'Malley is one to keep your eye on

I really think he is an up and comer

[LiberalEsto]

3. It's not a bad idea

and I generally like O'Malley

BUT I'm unhappy lately with our governor's effort to increase Maryland's gas tax by 18 cents per gallon at a time when gas prices are skyrocketing, push teacher pensions off onto county school districts, and promote regressive taxes on water use. These are all going to hurt the middle class and the poor.
I think this will hurt him if he becomes a candidate on the national stage.
He should be taxing the 1%.

[Motown_Johnny]

4. No! Any VP switch would be a huge political mistake

It would confuse independents and we don't need that.


I like the idea of appointing Gov. Richardson. I'm a fan.

[GoCubsGo]

10. Yep. There is only one way I'd be happy with Biden as SofS

And, that's if he and Hillary switched places, which is not going to happen. I also agree that Bill Richardson would be one of the best choices for SofS, save for maybe Bill Clinton, who I don't think is interested in the job. Wes Clark might be another great choice. And, Biden has been a good VP. He can talk to "ordinary folk" like few in DC can. That's something the President needs now, given all the false accusations of "elitism" and "snobbery".

[Honeycombe8]

18. Biden has the union vote, which Obama needs. Biden is O's right hand man...

his trusted confidante. Biden ain't goin' anywhere. Look at the White House campaign shop...Biden's name is on the campaign stuff. He's the VP on the ticket for 2012. End of story.

[Motown_Johnny]

24. That would look like an admission that Biden was a bad pick

and it would be huge trouble in the campaign


Any switch is a mistake

[Fawke Em]

35. I think Wes Clark should have been Sec of State a long time ago.

He has far more international experience than Richardson or even Clinton.

Thanks for adding his name to the mix.

[MADem]

34. Richardson threw down a cup o' gasoline before he burned that bridge, though.

There is also a persistent rumor that he was less than honest with the Obama vetters when he was on the short list for VP, and that he had a bit of a skirt problem that allegedly involved payoffs/hush money. As Edwards learned, that "go away/shut up" shit never sticks.

He's very smart, but I don't know if he'd work out. I don't see it as likely, but I might be mistaken.

[Motown_Johnny]

38. It was my understanding that those rumors were untrue

which is why we still have not heard anything about them ~4 years later.


He has already been ambassador to the UN. He would make a great SOS.

[MADem]

40. I am not a fly on the Ambassador's wall, but I would invite your attention to this report

regarding grand jury proceedings: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/us/ex-governor-bill-richardson-is-said-to-be-under-investigation.html

This grand jury was seated just this past November, apparently, so if you have heard nothing about those rumors four years along, that might be because you haven't been reading the papers--this situation was well publicized, and it's not just "fluff" they are looking into. It's somewhat of an "Edwardsian" matter (and how long has all that dragged on with no conclusions as of yet?), without the inconvenient offspring, but with a more contentious paramour, apparently:

...But others close to the case said that several people with links to Mr. Richardson had testified before a grand jury in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

The Albuquerque Journal first reported on the existence of the investigation on Nov. 16, and The Wall Street Journal followed up Thursday with more details about money paid to a woman who had said she had an affair with the governor.

In interviews on Thursday, people with knowledge of the investigation said that a sexual harassment claim might be at the root of the inquiry.

Whether such a surreptitious payment would violate the law is hotly debated by campaign finance experts, because unreported private gifts are allowed, whereas political contributions must be documented.

He is simply not an optimal candidate for the position. He's a very bright guy, but he's got skeletons and ethics shadows dogging him.

He's got too much baggage and he didn't tell the truth to Obama's vetters. I would be very surprised if he was selected for the post.

No shooting the messenger, now.

[nanabugg]

45. I just keep thinking that Hillary will be VP. nt

[hedgehog]

5. Hillary Clinton is retiring?

[Tony_FLADEM]

8. Yes. She won't be serving if there is a 2nd term for Obama

[exboyfil]

12. You do have the admire her timing to give

the Obama administration maximum flexibility in making decisions about a replacement etc.

She has done a nice job as Sec of State. I always felt Albright was grandstanding too much. Clinton has worked behind the scenes in a loyal and dedicated way.

Maybe she will make a go in four years?

[Warpy]

15. Or maybe she'll go to the USSC

and hasten the demise of Thomas, Alito, Scalia and Roberts via apoplexy.

[Shankapotomus]

6. You can't just throw Biden aside

like a cheap suit. He's a person, you know. Lol.

[exboyfil]

9. State is a better job than Vice President

anyday. You do stand a chance of becoming President if the unthinkable happens, but otherwise it is "not worth a bucket of warm piss." as VP Garner put it.

It would not be a throw away. It would be in consultation with Biden. Four years of VP is a lot. State makes a nice capstone to a career. Biden would have to resign in the fourth year if he decides to run for President though.

[MADem]

41. Biden always wanted to be SECSTATE. It was his dream job, actually.

Who knows what will happen? I'm quite sure that Obama's not going to have any public comment about the SECSTATE position until after Nov of this year!

[Shankapotomus]

43. The Obama campaign

is giving out Obama/Biden 2012 bumper stickers. I think it's going to be Biden as the VP pick.

[MADem]

44. I agree. Completely, in fact.

If, in the unlikely event that Obama decided to move Joe over to SECSTATE, he'd do it well AFTER the election.

Once the fix is in, assuming we have a "D" Senate to do the Advise and Consent thing, he can make Bozo the Clown the VP if he'd like--not that he'd do that, but you know what I mean.

People like Change We Can Believe In...but not too MUCH change!

[NYC Liberal]

49. We'd need the House too. If the House is still controlled by the Repugs

then it wouldn't make any sense to do that.

[exboyfil]

7. If he picks a VP like this

that individual will be the presumptive nominee in 2012. Right now Biden is unlikely to contend for the Presidency. Where does the president need the most help:

Florida
Ohio
Virginia
Wisconsin
Colorado

I don't see O'Malley helping in any of those states.

At this point he is probably best staying pat with Biden. I guess some excitement could be made around nomination time by Obama and Biden appear together to talk about the next administration (Biden to State, ? to VP). Clinton did Obama a good deal by stating her intentions. He has maximum flexibility.

[Tony_FLADEM]

11. O'Malley can help in Northern Virginia and also with young voters

Because O'Malley supports gay marriage he would help Obama with the youth vote.

[banned from Kos]

13. Samantha Power for Sec of State

bet on it.

[PragmaticLiberal]

16. It wouldn't surprise me but I've heard that Chuck Hagel might be in the mix as well.

[Warpy]

14. Bill Richardson would be an inspired choice, too

and is probably being considered since there's been a sharp uptick in smears in the local right wing fishwrap in the last couple of weeks.

The far right really doesn't want him in office. He did too much good here and he's too good at diplomacy to suit armchair gunslingers.

[former9thward]

20. Richardson is undergoing a grand jury investigation.

As long as that is going on Obama is not going to touch him for anything.

http://www.newser.com/story/134477/bill-richardson-sex-scandal-grand-jury-investigates-whether-candidate-paid-off-mistress-with.html

[Warpy]

31. "Git Bill Richardson" is the main object of the state Republicans

and he's faced GJs before and the Republican cases have all dissolved into a series of smoke and mirrors.

They just keep throwing mud at him to see if anything sticks. So far it hasn't. However, now he's petitioning the gummint to take a former revolutionary organization off the terror watch list since it's gotten respectable over the last 25 years so the latest howl is that he's "lobbying for terrorists!!!!11111eleventy"

[former9thward]

33. This is not being brought by Republicans.

It is a federal grand jury administered by the Dept. of Justice (Holder/Obama).

[Honeycombe8]

17. Biden is not going anywhere. What is so hard to understand about that?

His name is on the campaign stickers & store stuff. He has the union vote, as well as Obama's compete confidence and trust. Biden is hte VP and will remain so, unless Biden decides he wants to be Sec of State.

[CakeGrrl]

39. I don't get it either. Why the obsession with swapping out the VP?

There's no need.

Carter wasn't a VP.

Clinton wasn't a VP.

Obama wasn't a VP.

Why the need for a 'trainee'?

[Poll_Blind]

19. Where in the name of god does this Biden switch meme come from? What purpose does it serve?

First it was the Clinton switch, now O'Malley? What the hell?

Biden is the VP, and he'll be in a good position to run for President if he so desires it in 2016.

Are the Powers That Be pissing themselves over a Biden run in 2016 or something? What the hell.

PB

[banned from Kos]

21. Its absurd. Plus O'Malley would not help at all. Maryland is in the safe column.

Hillary at least had a small bit of logic to it.

[Tony_FLADEM]

22. O'Malley would help in Northern Virgnina and with the youth vote.

[Tony_FLADEM]

26. Biden is not going to run in 2016

He ran for President twice and did not do well. Someone new will be the Democratic nominee in 2016.

[DinahMoeHum]

23. How about Susan Rice, currently the US ambassador to the UN?

just sayin'.

[banned from Kos]

25. Excellent suggestion. Thank you. n/t

[AtomicKitten]

29. My first choice.

[CTyankee]

32. I just saw her on an MSNBC show. She was so great! Now that makes me wonder

if she is getting airtime because the plan is to appoint her SoS in Obama's second term...

That makes me happy. She is bright and very level headed. A fantastic choice!

[MADem]

42. It would be nice to have a SECSTATE Rice who knew what she was doing for a change! nt

[TheKentuckian]

27. The big payback for the famous plane ride for Kucinich

[jillan]

28. No - Hell NO! Why break up a winning team?

[AtomicKitten]

36. Joe B has been a great wingman for Pres O and deserves a second term as VP.

[julian09]

37. Have to wait to see who are on repug ticket

Will have to start thinking of 2016 dem contenders.The Gop will have their A- Team in 2016.
Biden won't excite the young voters, he and Kerry would be excellent at State dept. Dems need some fighters with vitality. Probably from the govenors pool.

[MADem]

46. Some of the shortlist Veeps on the GOP "Dream ticket" are Condi and the Gov of VA...aaack! nt

[Hutzpa]

47. Did you say Martin O'Malley??

Do you know the amount of fraud taking place in Maryland?? Most of the counties are doing what they
please without any over sight. The last thing this country needs is a weak candidate for president.

[excuse not to write]

48. Ah

No.