Is there a place for Bill Clinton in the next democratic administration?

[ringmastery]

Secretary of State?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. I hope not

I am over Bill Clinton. He has a lot to contribute as a consultant and his charisma can be used to do some good in the world but I really want to move our party back to the SUM of its parts than to have it be organized around his personality.

[IrateCitizen]

6. Agreed 100% NSMA

It's quite sad how many people are in the cult of personality surrounding Bill Clinton -- when he was, in fact, far from a "liberal" Democrat -- and miles away from being "progressive".

[lastliberalintexas]

13. Thank you!

I've never understood the Clinton Love Fest here on DU. While I defended him against an unconstitutional impeachment, I never really supported him, his policies, or his think tanks. People seem to forget that Clinton was the one who gave us the DLC, after all (among many other bad things that happened to our party during his tenure).

[formernaderite]

17. You and me both....no thanks we don't need Clinton again.

Clinton's triangulation left me speechless and unable to discern the difference between being a moderate democrat or moderate republican. In other words, most democrats could not argue policy decisions without sounding like a right winger.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Bill is making a lot of money just speaking

I don't see him going into any formal government service ever again.

[ProfessorPlum]

3. special envoy to the middle east? nt

.

[dorktv]

5. Gov. Dean will be sending Clinton and Carter to Israel and Palestine

first thing after he gets inagurated. Might even have a phone at the little podium that he stands on to call them and tell to get their butts out there.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. That seems to be the consensus. The Clinton-Carter Tag Team for Peace.

[Gato Moteado]

4. he'd make a great secretary of state

nt

[ShaneGR]

7. Sounds good to me, look what he accomplished in Ireland and Israel

I think he would make a great SOS, and it would REALLY piss off the Repuglicans.

[John_H]

8. I'd like to see him sitting between Tony and Clarence.

[ShaneGR]

11. Hmmmmmm......

Only if there was a majority Dem Senate, we could only hope!

[ArkDem]

12. Can you be appointed to the Supreme Court

when you are disbarred? Not a flame but a question.

[lastliberalintexas]

14. Pesky detail

After all, Bill and Hillary Clinton are the greatest things to happen to our party since Thomas Jefferson, FDR and Harry S. Surely we could amend the Constitution so as to allow him to serve. Or something. /sarcasm/


Real answer- No, he would be ineligible to serve on any federal bench. He can't even practice before federal courts until/if/when his license is ever restored.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. He was disbarred for five years

While he could be nominated, he would stand a snowball's chance in hell of getting there. Frankly, I'm not terribly impressed with his lawyering skills. The language regarding expropriations that HAS been so damaging in NAFTA that stands to undermine the real intent of the "takings clause" of our constitution was placed there during his term and is undermining regulatory powers of communities around America and the world. I would not want a SCJ that was so derelict that he could not recognize that clause in a bill and it's relationship to our constitution before it passed. Clinton didn't.

( See Grieder's 2001 article regarding NAFTA)

[redqueen]

9. No n/t

[maxr4clark]

15. I'd like to see him be a lightning rod

for the criticism from the Repubs. Get them to continue wasting their effort on him, like they have for the past eight years, and let the rest of the party get on with improving the country.

[youngred]

18. No, and lets hope not

except as an outsider advisor on elections. Keep him away from Policy though

[ChiefJoseph]

19. Secretary of State!

He'd be a good one.

[nancyharris]

20. I don't think he would accept the pay cut . eom

[Monte Carlo]

21. Would he take supporting role after 8 years as the lead?

I'm sure that Bill Clinton would be involved with any Democratic administration, advising him on politics, policy, and pitfalls. I'm not so sure that he'd take a cabinet post, with all the responsiblity and stress that comes with it - he just had the king of all stressful jobs. IMO, he'd more ready for an Ambassadorship or envoy.