Amyloo

Never thought about the outline aspect. I guess so. Love the characters. All of them (except, because I'm an obedient reader/viewer, the guy you're not supposed to like, Ian). - Amyloo

Top Five Reasons that organizing your life with Top Five lists is an ode to the outline: - Cliff Gerrish

That line popped out at me, too. But not so offensive as the ad for the painted coins, complete with the obligatory direct marketing "But that's not all!" - Amyloo

My kids and I have one of those running family jokes -- you know, the thing you repeat and it's always funny, to us anyway. When one of those commercials come on, for coins or vegamatics or weed weasels or anything, one person will say "That's not all, [mom|adam|aaron]" and the proper response is, "It's never all." - Amyloo

I wonder what he thinks of the image that merges him with Lincoln, which is cool and done well. So wel,l that I kind of wonder if it could get into the community psyche enough for it to become what people think of. - Hilary Talbot

That would be nice. I think he does see himself connected with Lincoln. So do I, actually. I mean, see myself connected with Lincoln. When I'm thinner, I look like him. - Amyloo

A huge mistake -- his presidency is already on the wrong track before he assumes office. - Sean McBride

Fire them! - david beckwith

I think this may be a case of "keep your friends close but keep your [potential] enemies closer." I think he should have tapped her for health care as that was something she was passionate about and something they had more closely-aligned views on - I hope this doesn't come back to bite Obama. - Abby Martin

"By appointing Mrs Clinton, some aides fear the new president will also water down his commitment to withdraw quickly from Iraq, to talk to leaders of rogue states and to get tough with Pakistan, all policies Mrs Clinton has spoken out against." - Sean McBride

I disagree. I saw Hillary speak at Microsoft and she was brilliant. I think we are underestimating her. - Robert Scoble

Give the woman a chance. This is like Limbaugh's "Obama Recession" meme. - Phil Boiarski

Don't underestimate her ability to promote an agenda that is entirely at odds with Obama's campaign promises last spring. She's already put the scenario of "totally obliterating" Iran on the table. That is why the hawkish DLC faction in the Democratic Party lobbied to place her in charge of the State Department (and Rahm Emanuel in the chief of staff slot). - Sean McBride

I think she is going to be a team player because it will be in her best interest to do so. The clout and respect she brings to the job will serve our country well with the issues that face us around the world. In fact I think the Clinton legacy is enhanced with a successful Obama presidency. If she fails and causes problems in the administration it will only hurt the their legacy. - Derek Forrest

It is too early to say, of course, but I am reminded of Roosevelt's "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Perhaps Obama will speak softly, and will use Rahm Emanuel and Hillary Clinton as Big Sticks :-D - Karim

The exact title of this article: "Barack Obama's aides believe he has made a mistake in hiring Hillary Clinton" They aren't speculating about the situation from a distance. - Sean McBride

It'll be interesting to see how she juggles SoS and running a Presidential election campaign against her boss... - Mark VandenBerg

Clinton isn't going to run in '12. That's not how things are done. Unless the incumbent president makes it clear he's not running again (has that ever happened?), the party doesn't field a new candidate. Clinton can only run in '16. - Anika Malone

Mid level Staffers ( during the campaign) let down because they will be further and further from the inner circle the closer and closer it gets to inauguration, slink off to coffee and start bemoaning their loss of self importance to an eager press by blasting the boss. Now there's a story. - David HC Soul

Obama is sitting on the brink of an economic disaster that will make 'stagflation' and 'gas lines' of the 1970s look tame by comparison. And back in 1980, Teddy Kennedy ran against a sitting President of his own party, losing, but setting forth a precedent I'm sure Hillary would follow if in 4 years things are worse. I think this is keep her under your wing so she doesn't try to fly on her own. - Andrew Leyden

It seems entirely plausible to me that this was Clinton's request and reward for finishing her primary campaign when she did, which, although it was rather late in the season, she could have continued contesting. It may be that Obama feels he can afford to give her this post-- that he believes she'll stay in line. As far as her credentials go, she's perfectly capable, as far as being a politician goes, though I personally disagree strongly with her center-right positions (not that Obama isn't right behind). - Sean O'Hanley

Sean, I do think that it is early to already name what she has not yet done. But the fact that there were and perhaps will be some critical differences in their policy conduct, especially in matters of foreign policy, remains a fact. Let's hope that results stemming from their decisions would at least not oppose to what Obama promised in his election campaign, - Hayk

That two aides think he made a wrong choice is still not enough to make a general conclusion considering that these were his aides in election campaign, not necessarily foreign policy experts and strategists. But admittedly, there might arise financial conflicts of interest if/when Clinton undertakes smth using their foundation to conduct government related activity. - Hayk

I think the press, especially British press, often love to make conflict & drama out of everything. I also question the assumption that Hillary Clinton is always motivated only in a self serving way. I feel more inclined to give her and Obama the benefit of the doubt here. There are also positives about her being Secretary of State, It irks me that strong, capable women are still often judged as being power hungry, manipulative and other negative stereotypes that are not held in the same way against men. - Cathryn Hrudicka

Hillary should have been given another portfolio instead of State Dept. - imran

Who bloody well cares when gossipy aides say? Are they in charge, or Obama? I think that's clear. - Chris Baskind

Clinton's appointment to State did surprise me, but she can handle the job and will follow Obama's policies. (Obama has never been as dovish as some want to believe.) I just hope speculation about in-fighting, Bill's activities, etc. don't foster continual distractions. - Marvin Smith

People who are trying to turn disagreements with Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton into a feminist issue -- it just amazes me. The Clinton pick for this position will have as negative an impact on Obama as the Palin pick had on McCain. I am betting on it. She will try to push American foreign policy to the hard confrontational right. She has morphed into a neoconservative during the last few years. Obama will not be able to control her and her powerful network in the Democratic Party. - Sean McBride

Don't think its a mistake as Obama knows this is a post-imperial era and diplomacy won't be top priority of his first administration and besides Biden will be the real policy-making force here. Similar thing happened in France with Kouchner appointed as a kind of "celebrity face" and "token socialist" in Sarkozy govt, with real power devolving to Levitt. I think its actually v. smart as Clinton will be neutralized at State and out of domestic policy sphere. - Denise Young

I don't think he is handing off policy making to her, only policy implementation. I've got a lot of faith in this guy. He's not going to be pushed around by Hillary or anybody else. - Amyloo

I think this is one of those moments when the phrase "we shall see" isn't a cop-out. I don't particularly like the appointment, but it's really all in the playing. - Dan Conover

Denise Young - smart and original analysis. But I am still going with the Palin/McCain analogy. Neoliberal (neoconservative) forces in the Democratic Party will work to undermine, subvert, check and bend Obama to their will every way possible. They have already essentially taken over his presidency -- the appointments tell the tale. What does it tell you that Henry Kissinger and William Kristol, two neoconservative key ringleaders of the Iraq War, are Hillary boosters? - Sean McBride

Hmm. I thought we had three holidays plus three weeks before HRC could DO squat, yet she is already being judged harshly by Mr. McBride and the rollicking British Press, known for "stirring turds." I agree with Cathryn Hrudicka that the BritHype needs a shaker of salt. As for Kissinger and Kristol, that worries me, but I am willing to give a woman a crack at it. If she is half the SOS that Ms. Albright was, she'll be fine. Our foreign policy has been much too confrontational and testosterone-based. - Phil Boiarski

Phil - threatening to "totally obliterate" Iran is a neoconservative/testosterone-based policy. Also, Madeleine Albright played in key role from the neoliberal wing of the Democratic Party in preparing the way for the Iraq War. At one point she even offered apologetics for committing genocide in Iraq. - Sean McBride

Deep vs. shallow political analysis: shallow political analysis looks at personalities and overt policy positions. Deep political analysis looks at the most powerful interest groups and financial controllers behind the personalities and their explicit policy positions, and at the complex shifting alliances and conflicts of these groups. It's not about Obama or Hillary. It's about the interests that control them -- especially the financial interests. - Sean McBride

Mr. McBride, I expect you will be a prod to our future president to move left. I am certain I will be there with you on many issues. That having been said, I want to give the guy a chance, maybe a hundred days, to see if he can put a cup on HRC's balls, rein in the warhorses of the Pentagon, etc. I also would like to see the head of UBL on a stake. And as for Iran, I think they need to be confronted, ideally without military threats, but politically the country is a nuclear theocracy, Kisses wont work - Phil Boiarski

Phil -- I don't think of this battle in terms of right and left. It's all about the neo-crazies vs. the pragmatists. The split cuts across party lines. Many neocons are Democrats (like Joseph Lieberman). Many Republicans and conservatives are anti-neoconservative pragmatists (like most of the Bush 41 administration and Chuck Hagel). The pragmatists were tricked into believing that Obama was on their side. His appointments strongly indicate otherwise. They will be going after him with maximum force, in part out of anger at being snookered by a con man with a slick rap. Regarding Iran: the American military and intelligence establishments believe that a military attack on Iran would be sheer folly from the standpoint of the American interest. - Sean McBride

SMcB: I was thinking he was picking pragmatists. Jim Jones is a callous straight-shooter. Rahm is known for his creative horse trading. I see you as jumping the gun here. I am not ready to characterize these appointments as "strongly" indicative of neocon resurgence. Can we see what he does before shouting betrayal. History indicates he is good at playing conservatives to get progressive business done. If he is playing the progressives as well, we'll know it soon enough. The agenda will show. - Phil Boiarski

Phil - I know this terrain in detail. Emanuel and Clinton represent the neoliberal (neoconservative) wing of the Democratic Party which played the lead role in enabling the Iraq War. They are now agitating to escalate the conflict with Iran. Obama has betrayed his base, slapped it in the face with these appointments. The base will retaliate immediately. The bottom is going to fall out of his administration before it takes power. Check out my previous predictions on a number of issues -- I usually nail it before it becomes obvious. (And, yes, I know this is a controversial and outrageous prediction.) - Sean McBride

SMcB: Outrage and controversy aside, I find it a bit premature. I agree with you that the bottom is going to fall out, but it will be well before Obama is inaugurated. The world will be transformed by this economic shock as it was in the 30's. Pragmatism will outweigh politics and everything will be retro because neo will be dead. We all think we have a crystal ball. - Phil Boiarski

Phil: sometimes events can whiz by much more quickly than one expects. Check out this, just published: "Barack Obama Accused of Selling Out on Iraq by Picking Hawks to Run His Foreign Policy" http://www.commondreams.org/he... My comment: Without the support of an enthusiastic base, the Obama administration will go down fast and hard in the approval ratings. Obama already had many enemies before he kicked his base to the curb. Because of his blatant betrayal and dishonesty, the hostility that is quickly gathering against Obama may even exceed that stirred up by Bush and Cheney. - Sean McBride

Phil: I agree with you about the coming catastrophic economic shock. But keep in mind that many people are going to begin to figure out that many high-level Clinton people played key roles in producing this state of affairs (along with the Bush 43 administration). Obama is making a huge mistake in too closely associating himself with the Clinton administration. He will come to regret it. - Sean McBride

SMcB: This reminds me of how easily the left divides itself to the advantage of the the right. You may use different labels but I would rather accomplish something than fight about everything. The lefties, and others, that I know are willing to give the guy a hundred days worth of hope. It may be stupid. We may all be being manipulated and compromised and deceived, but since the guy isn't even in office for at least two months, we are willing to hold our tongues. If you're right; I'll salute you. - Phil Boiarski