Ken Fireman and Hans Nichols over at Bloomberg Media (bloomberg.com) provide interesting, updated analysis early this morning that comes to the conclusion that President-elect Obama has moved closer over the weekend to naming Senator Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State; and, as a byproduct of that reality, that the incoming President is also leaning more towards retaining Bush administration Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in the same role within the new administration's cabinet.
It's all right here: "Gates's Odds of Staying Under Obama Rise If Clinton at State."
Gates's Odds of Staying Under Obama Rise If Clinton at State
By Ken Fireman and Hans Nichols
Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates may be closer to being tapped for extended duty by Barack Obama because of the near certainty a Democrat -- possibly Hillary Clinton -- will be named secretary of state and Gates's willingness to accept a new team around him, according to Democratic and Republican experts.
--SNIP--
Republican in Cabinet
Obama told the CBS News program ``60 Minutes'' in an interview aired last night that he plans to name a Republican to his Cabinet.
One potential obstacle to retaining Gates appears to be waning as Clinton, a New York senator, has emerged as the top candidate for secretary of state.
Earlier, two Republican senators close to Obama -- Richard Lugar of Indiana and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska -- were among the candidates to run the State Department. Choosing one of them would likely have scotched a Gates reappointment because Obama, a Democrat, would avoid naming Republicans to the two top national-security positions.
Perhaps the most newsworthy comment in the piece revolved around the Bloomberg report that Obama and Clinton have moved closer to working out a deal over the weekend.
Obama and Clinton aides are trying to work out details of how she could meet Obama's rigorous financial-disclosure requirements for appointees, given the extensive business and philanthropic interests of her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Those include the Clinton Global Initiative, which won $8 billion in pledges at a September conference for worldwide projects to improve the living conditions of about 158 million people through health care, education and microloans.
Closer to Agreement
During the weekend, people close to Obama and to Clinton reported progress in working out this arrangement.
That last sentence in the quote from the piece looks to me like it's a tell if ever there was one!
I think this is very encouraging news, all around!