1. Hillary Clinton (D) - Secretary of State Former U.S. Senator, New York Former First Lady
Nominated: December 1, 2008
Obama’s comments: Hillary Clinton is an “American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence.” “Hillary’s appointment is a sign to friend and foe of the seriousness of my commitment to renew American diplomacy and restore our alliances. I have no doubt that Hillary Clinton is the right person to lead our State Department and to work with me in tackling this ambitious foreign policy agenda.”
Others’ Comments: U.S. Representative Republican Peter King (NY) said Obama’s surprise choice of former foe Clinton showed “a lot of guts and imagination.” He said Republicans should be pleased: “This is a very right-of-center foreign policy team.”
Salon.com founder and columnist Camille Paglia: “As for Obama’s appointment of Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, what sense does that make except within parochial Democratic politics? Awarding such a prize plum to Hillary may be a sop to her aggrieved fan base, but what exactly are her credentials for that position? Aside from being a mediocre senator (who, contrary to press reports, did very little for upstate New York), Hillary has a poor track record as both a negotiator and a manager.”
Approved: January 21, 2009
Sworn in: February 2, 2009
Appointment Impact: Open U.S. Senate Seat, New York
Replacement: Albany Representative and securities attorney Kirsten Gillibrand