Obama to nominate Clinton for job
President-elect Barack Obama plans to nominate Hillary Clinton as secretary of state as early as next week, a new milestone for a former first lady and a convergence of two political forces who contested mightily for the presidency.
Obama transition aides described a process that appears on track to make Mrs Clinton the top diplomat in an Obama administration, just one week after the two first met in secrecy to discuss the idea.
Mr Obama plans to nominate her after next Thursday's US Thanksgiving holiday, aides said.
The nomination would be a remarkable union between the former first lady who was an early favourite to win the presidency and the first-term senator who upset her in the primary and cruised to a general election victory.
Such a high-profile seat in the Cabinet for Mrs Clinton also would be another achievement for the most accomplished former first lady in US history, who has been the first presidential spouse to serve in the Senate and run for the White House herself.
Some fellow Democrats and government insiders have questioned whether Mrs Clinton is too independent and politically ambitious to be an effective secretary of state.
But a senior Obama adviser said the president-elect has been enthusiastic about naming Mrs Clinton as secretary of state from the start, believing she would bring instant stature and credibility to US diplomatic relations and that the advantages to her serving far outweighed potential downsides.
Transition aides have worked out financial disclosure issues involving Mrs Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, and the complicated international funding of his foundation that operates in more than 40 countries.
The aides said Mr Obama and Hillary Clinton have had substantive conversations about the secretary of state job.