THE BAMWATCH

Posted at 10:48 p.m. ET

The president-elect clearly dodged a high-powered political bullet today by leaking the nomination of his presumed Treasury secretary, Tim Geithner.  Mr. Obama was beginning to face a firestorm of criticism that he wasn't serious enough about the economy.  That criticism should ease now.

Thus far his appointments are center-left.  That's fine, and the best we can hope for.  However, I still am uneasy with things I hear about his national-security policies, especially that he's taking advice from Brent Scowcroft, Bush 41's national security adviser.  Taking advice from Scowcroft is like taking advice from Zbig Brzezinski, Carter's national security adviser.  Brent and Zbig think alike, and often write columns together, as they did for today's Washington Post.  Their track record isn't encouraging.

But let's see, and give the president-elect a chance.  One thing that's particularly intriguing about the Hillary thing - assuming she does wind up at State - is that she and Obama have had fundamental disagreements about foreign policy.  Presumably, they've talked over exactly what Obama's plans are.  Presumably, also, he recognizes how embarrassing it would be if Clinton resigned her position in protest over policies that were too far to the left.  I say "presumably."  There are no guarantees here. 

The record shows that Hillary behaved herself when she entered the U.S. Senate in 2001.  She did not lord it over other senators, and took her place in the seniority chain.  She understands those same rules apply when she's secretary of state.  But we can only imagine what is going through her mind - the photos of her international "triumphs," and maybe a Nobel Peace Prize.  There is no doubt in my mind that she has her eye on 2016, when she'll be only 68, and a presidential candidate once more.  All this assumes, of course, that things go well, and that is a major assumption.

There might also be intermediate steps for Clinton.  She might become governor of New York.  She might have her eye on the secretary generalship of the UN.  There has been talk of a Supreme Court appointment, but I can't see it.  Her legal qualifications are thin.  She could be vice president in a second Obama term, if Biden fades away, or is made to fade away. 

Isn't it something - we're talking more about Clinton than Obama.  But that is the risk Obama is now taking.

November 21, 2008.