I think the recent task force assignment is a bit telling for HRC.  Much noise has been made about her influence and her effectiveness, etc, but truthfully, she wasn't going to have an agenda setting role. She wasn't given a committee assignment that would give her power.

Realistically, if HRC wants a position that will give her a true role in setting policy, SOS is better.  The Senate doesn't work on fame.  There's a misapprehension about that HRC was going to be a powerful force in the Senate...not so true.  She's truly knowledgable about healthcare, but they didn't give her a position of power; her task force has none.  Now, an arguement can be made that she wasn't given more because of the potential SOS appointment, but I don't think so.  The Senate is still a pretty traditional place; you've got to put your time in to get a gavel.

The SOS appointment, while it reeks of mutual compromise, is a good deal for both, moreso for Obama.  The SOS is not an independent actor.  He/she works for and must advance the policies of the President...to not do so invites a loss of position, which would be horrible for HRC in the very unlikely event she broke from the administration.  No Senate seat, no cabinet position...bad.  

Of course, the thing that we miss about HRC is her pragmatism...she is a team player.  So she will do well as SOS.  Team play isn't so important in the Senate, while dickering over legislation.  The ultimate goal might be shared, but not necessarily method.  

it's interesting to see Reid et al try to throw her a few bones to see if she'll stay in the Senate, after they thought they could just pretend that her Pres campaign didn't matter, she'd just meekly go back to sitting in the 4th row. not so fast. healthcare subcommittee? cold leftovers. now if they'd offered her Homeland Security, that might have meant something. this looks like an afterthought.

after everything she's done for the party, they still gave her less respect than they gave to Loserman.

it forestalls tons of future "investigation" by the loony right

At the same time, our nation's international prestige has taken a monstrous nose dive over the last 8 years, and we can't afford to turn our back on the world while we deal with our internal problems.

A further complicating factor: the new President has virtually no foreign policy experience at all, with his experience pretty much confined to a single tour of the Soviet Union under Dick Lugar's charge, focusing on the no-brainer issue of nuclear disarmament.

subject to the Bill Clinton financial stuff.........

some horrid person might donate money to bill's foundation, to help eradicate AIDS in africa. obviously, that would be a clear conflict of interest!

give me an f*ng break already! every time i think the obama people couldn't get any more pretentious or arrogant, they rise to the occasion and prove me wrong. exactly what is they think they (and anyone else who's been conscious for the past 16 years) don't know about the clintons, short of (maybe) the size of her cervix? they have to be the two single most vetted people in history.

I disagree with the opinion that it would be better if she stay in the senate.  There are 59 of them there, while there is only one SoS. She should not be their babysitter, the one that shakes their conscience: let them take on their responsibilities and perform.  That's what we should demand of them, period.

I believe we need Hillary in the SoS position more than we need her as the Democratic Senators' Peter Piper (hot peppers they are not, that's for sure, but let earn their own heat).

There is more to the SoS job in this global economic mess than the traditional foreign policy negotiation duty.  We need the best possible international cooperation to get out of our economic mess.  Foreign governments own our horrendous debt.

But there ARE considerations to give one pause.

The "Bill factor," which I needn't go into in detail since everyone knows all about it.  Tho Bill helped kickstart her political career, she is no longer just an "adjunct" of a former president, but a vital, talented, knowledgeable and hardworking politician in her own right by now.

The A-personality and ambition factor, however, is another matter.  She's accustomed to being at the head of any conference table, and won't take graciously to Obama being there.  He's going to be sitting in the chair she still feels he stole from her.  Despite their two very obvious statuses, she will still try to steal his thunder for her own political gain.  THAT is not going to help Obama's administration utilize her talents, knowledge and experience maximally.  She could conceivably become more an irritant than a help.  If THAT could be avoided, though, I'd stand up and cheer for her as Secretary of State.  She'd be a true force to contend with.  I don't doubt that Obama has taken this, and the "Bill factor" fully into consideration, and has probably demanded certain things from her regarding them.  If he appoints her, it would surely mean she has agreed to concede to those requirements.

I feel sure he knows how valuable she could be.  He undoubtedly WANTS her as SOS, but these reservations must be considered and, if need be, dealt with in advance of offering her the post.

There's also the fact that many international leaders are aware of any and all "dirt" that our politicians have dug up about her over the years, and they might use that to be less than cooperative, too.  But only those close to the people involved can gauge the importance of that.  Obama is a very canny person, so I feel confident he'll take that into consideration in his decision.  If he's content with it, who am I to tell him otherwise?  I voted for him in large part because I found his judgment to be extremely good, levelheaded, realistic, rational and fairminded.

So while I have my concerns about Hillary as SOS, my confidence in Obama's research and judgment is strong enough to accept her, if he finds her acceptable.

I'm sure he's also taken her lobbyist support into consideration.  She DOES tend to be more hawkish and more right-leaning than the average Dem, but while the former isn't desirable, the latter can have its good points at times.  A moderate, responsible conservative is no monster.  I doubt Obama will be influenced by her into hawkish policies.

Also, the minute she's appointed SOS, the right wingers will begin to chew on her for all they're worth.  That may not thwart policies, but it can certainly demoralize the people, and confuse them, too.  Which, of course, is the whole purpose of chewing on her - to sap the public's confidence in the entire administration.

All that's left, then, is whether or not Hillary still feels animosity toward Obama, for beating her to the nomination.  Nobody can know for sure whether she still has any, and if so, how much it might affect her performance.  All we can do is hope she won't try to sabotage Obama somehow.