When Doris Kearns Goodwin, Michael Beschloss and other, lesser historians write about the earliest days of the Obama administration, they will use just one word (over and over again)about tomorrow's announcement of Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State: Masterstroke.
Taking those you have defeated in a process no one would call easy and converting those individuals to not only campaign allies but key leaders in your administration takes a level of courage, conviction, vision and personal security that we have not seen in 50 years. But ya know what? We're gonna have to adjust, because this kind of thing is going to be the rule, not the exception under President Obama.
Recall those chilling words from Ted Kennedy's eulogy of his brother, Bobby -- about looking at things and asking "why?" and how Bobby looked at things that never were and asked "Why not?"
This is no political maneuver. This is not stunt casting. It will bring the standard of political unity to a level where dummies cannot play -- where your intellect can overwhelm your competitiveness -- where the need of the country trumps your need to score points against any opponent. Most politicians cannot play in this sandbox. They're just not smart enough, haven't read enough, they can't see the horizon. Too many are just plain stuck on stupid.
But not Hillary. She has overcome an enormous burden (her husband's history) to live her own story, find her own voice and subsequently prove that, in fact, it really is Hillary who is the superior politician in the family.
I sleep better these days. The smart kids are about to take over the class again. I'm good with that.
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