But with Mr. Clinton apparently the most important stumbling block, lawyers are trying to scour all aspects of his postpresidency as quickly as possible, one Democratic adviser said. The adviser said the examination was being overseen by the Obama team's personnel counsel, Christine A. Varney, a former Clinton White House aide who is now on leave from Hogan & Hartson.

This is not that. This is repeating Drudge points from the Right Wing. This is Clinton Hate.

Richardson would be an absolute joke.

1. For whatever reason, he loathes the Clintons.

2. His principal audience by far loathes the Clintons and this generates all kind of hits for him.

3. He really does have CDS, which has to be different in kind and have more dimensions than simple loathing.

For years, Clinton has basically been running a shadow private sector foreign policy.  That was great when it served to counteract, if only a little, the Bush foreign policy.  But it was private sector, it was conducted outside of the public purview, and President Clinton does seem intent on keeping certain aspects of it hidden from public knowledge.

If Senator Clinton is going to take on the role of Secretary of State then I think the Obama administration has the right and the responsibility to know about any ongoing  entanglements or potentially embarrassing financial relationships  she may have through her husband to foreign countries or major players on the foreign affairs scene.

I don't think that these will necessarily prove to be disqualifying, but they do need to be vetted.  The more important the job, the more important and exacting the vetting.

I do believe that ought to extend to others also.  I don't know what Craig's history is, or what his spouse or significant other does, but if there are concerns there they do need to be discovered and vetted by the Administration.  That doesn't mean he shouldn't get the job, just that the issues should be examined.

It looks like Hillary does want to be SoS judging from the leaks coming out and I, for one, am ecstatic.

The issue is evenhandedness.

One of the big Sunday papers had a cartoon yesterday portraying a line of people standing in their underwear and holding their clothes, next to a pedestal sign which said "Obama Administration Job Applicants" (or something close to that - I can't get the cartoon online).

Everyone who wants a job will have to fill out the 63 question form which is widely regarded as more intrusive than anything ever, surely more than I have ever seen.  If people, regardless of their past status, job or whatever, are perceived as being able to get around that intrusion, then the next question becomes "why not me, too?"

To be blunt, WJC has not been hanging around Chappaqua sitting on the front porch rocking and playing with the dog.  He's been out and about flying in peoples' private jets, making deals, meeting and greeting people and who knows what else.  IF you want a dirt bath, google "Clinton  Burkle" and watch the toobz' sewers erupt. I would suggest that if the people of New York want HRC to be their senator and not care too deeply about what WJC is doing, that's fine.  But it's one thing.  Obama is not only building a team, but he is also staking his administration's efficacy on the team he picks.  If all his press people do is answer questions about WJC and some cooked-up scandal,  he won't get any of his agenda done.

And, FWIW, let us not forget that the Repugs spent the last decade building an oppo-research file on HRC and her husband in anticipation of her being the candidate in 2008, only to see all that work for naught when That Guy From Illinois wound up in the nominee seat.  You think the CDS Dems are p*ssed?  Think about how the Repugs feel.

Further, I would (speaking for myself) prefer to see HRC remain in the Senate.  Not just because she is an effective senator and can become a lion in that body.  Rather, NY Gov. David Patterson has made it about as clear as it can be made that, if she is made Secretary of State, he will appoint himself to her seat in the Senate and leave the governorship.  The NY Legislature is closely divided:  a trio of Dem senators are taking Lieberman's example to heart and dangling control to the Republicans and Democrats based upon which party gives them the most.  It is entirely possible that, regardless of the electoral results, if HRC goes to SoS, then the NY governorship and Senate will be in Republican hands.

The upshot of that would likely be that Wall Street would never be adequately cleaned up.

Finally, BTD:  a little self-awareness check on your part seems in order.  Whatever the merits of your opinions on Josh Marshall's opinions and posts, I think an objective observer could easily conclude your attitude toward him has crossed from disagreement to hateful derangement.  For sure, he's gotten inside your head.  This is not junior high school, and none of us should act like it still is.

No one is casting aspersions on what it is the Clintons or WJC is doing, it is the potential for financial conflict of interest that must be assessed. And yes, it must be assessed for all high level appointees insofar as their individual areas of responsibility are concerned.

That said, I do not wish to see HRC as Secretary of State regardless of the existence of any conflicts, on the merits as you put it.  She is one of the Democratic Party's leading hawks, and it is her foregn policy positions that led to my decision to support Obama over her.  To now have her in heading up Obama's foreign policy team would be hugely disappointing.  

It is hard to see how the new President can deliver on his expressed desire to "change the mindset that got us into this [Iraq] war" by putting Sen. Clinton at State.  Support on her foreign policy/defense positions from the likes of Sen. McCain and Dr. Kissinger only reinforce my view that she is not suited to change the mindset of our foreign policy and defense/security policies one iota.

Boosterism:

Your blood pressure would probably thank you if you stopped reading him. :)

It's clear to me that Obama's win this year was an Obama-Clinton win. When Obama's big argument in the final days was mostly 'don't we all miss the good ole days when Clinton was president?,' it's understandable that Obama's putting together a Clinton revival for the opening act of his presidency.

I say f*'em. If for whatever reason Hillary doesn't become SoS, She and Obama should make a pact that she will become the "go to" Senator for any bold, innovative initiatives he wants to implement. She has enough star power that she and Obama could bypass the dinosaur hierarchy, and make their appeal directly to the American people. Nancy and Harry will have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to do the right thing.

If we're going to demand fundamental reorganization of the banks, auto industry, etc. wouldn't it be just common sense to begin with Congress itself?