Clinton tapped for Secretary of State

As soon as Senator Hillary Clinton’s name started circulating as a possible nominee for President-elect Barack Obama’s Secretary of State post, a long list of possible replacements began to surface.
After Obama’s official announcement in Chicago, IL on Monday, December 1, the chatter about Clinton’s replacement only intensified, but New Yorkers will likely have to wait until after Clinton’s confirmation in 2009 to find out whom Governor David Paterson will tap to serve out her term.
“In order to appoint the best possible candidate to replace Senator Clinton, I am consulting with a wide variety of individuals from all across New York State,” said Paterson, who under state law gets to choose the person to fill Clinton’s U.S. Senate seat. “I expect to announce Senator Clinton’s replacement when the position becomes officially vacant.”
Paterson’s announcement did not throw any cold water on the rampant speculation, which will likely continue for more than a month leading up to Clinton’s expected Senate confirmation in January, and a number of viable candidates from Queens have already emerged as possible successors.
Many believe that Queens/Brooklyn Congressmember Nydia M. Velzquez, who has served in Congress since 1992 and just last week was elected by her peers in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to lead the group for the 111th Congress, will receive serious consideration because of her Congressional experience as well as her appeal to both Hispanics and women voters.
Meanwhile, Queens/Manhattan Congressmember Carolyn Maloney, who has been in the House since 1993 and currently serves as the Chair of the House’s Financial Service Committee’s Financial Institutions Subcommittee and the Vice Chair of the Joint Economic Committee, is also being talked about for the seat. Maloney was one of the first legislators to issue a statement praising Obama for choosing Clinton as secretary of State.
“Hillary Clinton knows the world and its leaders, but she also knows what’s on the minds of her fellow Americans,” Maloney said. “As someone who served as a New York Senator on 9/11, she understands how our homeland security depends on our foreign policy.”
In addition to Velzquez and Maloney, Queens native and New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under former President Bill Clinton, and Queens Congressmember Gregory Meeks are also receiving attention. Other possible replacements include Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and upstate New York Congressmember Kristen Gillibrand.
After running a sometimes bitter primary battle for the Democratic nomination for President against Obama, Clinton threw her support behind Obama and campaigned hard in swing states leading up to the election. Many insiders did not believe that Obama would choose Clinton for his administration and bring both Hillary and former President Bill Clinton back into the Washington spotlight.
“I think 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,” said President-elect Barack Obama.
During the news conference, Senator Clinton paid tribute to New Yorkers, who she said helped prepare her during the past eight years for her new role.
“After all, New Yorkers aren’t afraid to speak their minds and do so in every language,” Clinton said. “Leaving the Senate is very difficult for me.”