Clinton lawyers vetting her for secretary of state

[mzmolly]

Source: Yahoo/AP

CHICAGO – Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has engaged a team of prominent lawyers to help President-elect Barack Obama vet her candidacy for secretary of state even as some insiders criticized the pick and advisers to the former first lady said she was weighing whether to take the job if Obama offered it.

Attorneys Cheryl Mills, David Kendall and Robert Barnett are working with the Obama transition team to review information about the Clintons' background and finances, including Bill Clinton's post-presidential business deals and relationships with foreign governments. Bruce Lindsey, a longtime Clinton adviser who now heads the former president's charitable foundation, has taken a leadership role in the process, aides said.

All represented the Clintons on legal matters in the White House, including President Clinton's dalliance with intern Monica Lewinsky that led to his impeachment in 1998.

Officials knowledgeable about the vetting said it has gone smoothly and that both Clintons were cooperating fully.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081119/ap_on_go_pr_wh/clin...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. Is this usual for SoS?

[joshcryer]

5. This is usual for the Clintons. They're always in the aim of the firing squad.

[JDPriestly]

6. That's the problem. They just seem to draw idiot flack.

I have problems myself with some of the things that were done under Bill's presidency -- such as Jane Mayer's claim that the first renditions of prisoners to other countries occurred under Clinton and also the fact that Clinton apparently pressured the EU countries to allow government eavesdropping on electronic communications and pushed European countries to change their strict privacy protection laws to allow that.

I would like to see Clinton vetted on those issues before Bill's administration's conduct is held over her head.

At the same time, Hillary is strong on women's and children's issues, and the Clintons are loved by ordinary people everywhere. The negatives are awfully important, however, because they involve civil rights abuses and we just can't tolerate those anymore. Bush went too far. The Clinton administration's abuses might have been relatively minor, but we need a zero tolerance for human rights abuses under Obama. It's the only way to regain our dignity as a nation. Unfortunately, Clinton probably won't fit that scenario real well.

It's too bad, because including her in the cabinet would help unify and strengthen our party. Of course, I would like to see her as HHS Secretary. She would be strong in that position.

[Winterblues]

11. Probably the most investigated couple in America and yet always found to be clean.

I am certain that will once again be the case.

[BlueJac]

2. Dirty laundry.......

She could serve a better role in the Senate. I am just worn out with Bill Clinton the trade agreement King, aka NAFTA. We need pro labor leaders and less big business advocates!

[Wilms]

3. This just might have worked...

[Boo Boo]

4. Way too complicated.

If an FBI background check isn't enough... if providing one's financial records isn't enough... if it takes a two teams of fucking lawyers...

Jesus.

C'mon, Barack! Stop fucking around.

[xchrom]

7. recommend

[snot]

8. No special genius/experience/wisdom required to see:

stay the f. away from trouble.

Wish it weren't so, but 'tis.

[peace13]

9. The circus just gets 'circusier'

And America is drug through more of the same.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

10. So, Clinton buddies are vetting Clinton???

WTF?

Walk away, O, walk away as quickly as you can.