Clinton To Bare All For Obama

No, no, nothing as seamy as all that, but I did get your attention. News from the New York Times this morning indicates that Obama advisors have begun looking into the Clintons' finances and other activities in preparation for a possible selection of Hillary Rodham Clinton for Secretary of State.

Two immediate reactions - the first, at this point what else could Bill Clinton be hiding that hasn't already been fodder for Republicans or used by the Obama campaign during the primaries? You know what, on second thought, I don't think I want to know the answer to this question...

The second, from a purely political perspective, I don't think it's an entirely unwise move. As the leader of his party, Obama will need to keep an eye toward the future of his party post-presidency. Joe Biden will be too old to assume the mantle of leadership in four or eight years, so Obama will need to groom a successor. One of the glaring holes in Hillary's candidacy during the primaries was her lack of foreign policy experience. As Secretary of State, Clinton will not only have a hand in shaping policy, but also accumulate a wealth of experience that would not have been afforded her as junior senator from New York. She is also not averse to reason or political reality and perhaps most importantly, she is neither Bill Richardson nor John Kerry.

The potential downside - and it's a big one - it will inevitably be a package deal. Obama will need to manage both Mrs. Clinton and her bloviating, narcissist of a husband Bill. The fact that discussions have gotten even this far indicates to me that Obama does not think this will present a problem.

We'll see....