Hillary might reject State offer

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-11-19 08:36

Hillary Rodham Clinton isn鈥檛 certain she would accept the Secretary of State post even if Barack Obama offers it to her, several people close to the former first lady say.

President-elect Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton in Orlando, October 20, 2008. [Agencies]

Press reports that portray Clinton as willing to accept the job 鈥� once the Obama transition team vets Bill Clinton鈥檚 philanthropic and business ventures 鈥� are inaccurate, one Clinton insider told Politico.

鈥淎 lot of the speculation and reporting is out ahead of the facts here,鈥� said the person, who requested anonymity. 鈥淪he is still weighing this, independent of President Clinton's work.鈥�

Clinton, the person said, remains deeply 鈥渢orn鈥� between the possibility of serving in Obama鈥檚 cabinet and remaining in the Senate to 鈥渉elp pass health care and work on a broad range of domestic issues.鈥�

That comment jibes with what others close to Clinton have been saying since the Secretary of State chatter began last week: that Clinton is conflicted and the deal far from done, despite screaming headlines in outlets including the U.K.鈥檚 Guardian newspaper claiming the offer was made and accepted.

Most of the speculation about Clinton鈥檚 frame of mind in the last few days has been off-base, sources say, because she鈥檚 played her cards close to the vest, consulting only her husband and two or three kitchen cabinet advisers.

鈥淲e鈥檝e gotten rid of all the other idiots,鈥� joked one Clinton confidant, a reference to the Clinton campaign鈥檚 propensity for leaks.

The Clinton camp鈥檚 effort to downplay her interest in the post might simply reflect her need to create an alternative storyline if the deal falls apart for other reasons, including the possibility that insurmountable problems arise during the vetting process, Democrats not connected with Clinton cautioned.

Another possible motivation: Pushing back against the perception that she鈥檚 at the mercy of Obama鈥檚 team.

鈥淓verybody wants to be perceived as being in the driver鈥檚 seat,鈥� said a top Democratic official. 鈥淪he鈥檚 no different.鈥�

Obama isn鈥檛 likely to make a formal offer of the post to Clinton unless he鈥檚 given assurances that Bill Clinton鈥檚 global charitable foundation won鈥檛 create future conflicts of interest with foreign governments.

The Clinton Foundation has earned praise for its efforts to eradicate AIDS, malaria and poverty in Africa. But it could prove problematic if the former president continues to arrange donations from foreign countries at the same time that his wife serves as secretary of state.

Obama鈥檚 vetting team expressed similar concerns about Bill Clinton鈥檚 overseas fundraising when Hillary Clinton was briefly considered for the vice-presidency.

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