Let me first say that I think Hillary Clinton is FULLY capable of filling the position of Secretary of State. Not only does she qualify on her own merit, but she also has the support of ex-President Bill Clinton who left office with an extremely favorable opinion from the international community.

For the last week, we’ve been waiting to hear if Hillary would continue to represent the state of New York as their Senator or choose to be President Obama’s Secretary of State.  Now, either way, she would wield incredible influence either domestically or internationally as a senior Senator or Sect. of State.

That’s when I find articles like this a little disturbing and, possibly, influential in her decision:

Clinton owes nearly $7.5 million, down from $12 million high at end of June

Of the $7.5 million owed to vendors, nearly $5.4 million was to her former adviser and pollster, Mark Penn. Clinton owed vendors a high of $12 million at the end of June. That was the month she abandoned her presidential campaign and ceded the Democratic nomination to now President-elect Barack Obama.

The amount she owes Penn has been her longest outstanding debt.

She also lent herself nearly $13.2 million. Under federal law Clinton can only repay herself $250,000 with private donations. The report also showed that she had nearly $1 million cash on hand at the end of October.

Obama is considering Clinton for secretary of state. As a Cabinet member Clinton would face fundraising restrictions to retire her vendor debt.

A 2001 advisory opinion by the federal Office of Special Counsel said a federal employee who still had a campaign debt would be prohibited from “personally soliciting, accepting or receiving political contributions.”

Clinton could name an agent from her campaign committee to continue to organize and hold fundraising events to retire the debt. Clinton would be limited to attending a fundraising event and simply stating her appreciation to donors.

Soooo….   apparently, if Clinton accepts the Secretary of State gig, she legally has to PUSH OFF her debt to someone else.   Sounds like a pretty sweet incentive to take the job offer, doesn’t it?

While in New Hampshire, Veep Candidate Joe Biden made the statement that “Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America”, and “She’s easily qualified to be vice president of the United States of America and, quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me”.

Well, those are interesting words from the man recently chosen to be the second in command.

One has to wonder, were these just off handed candid remarks, or are the Dems playing at something here?

If you’ll permit me a moment of indulgence… a theory.

Biden was chosen as the party’s Veep because of all the things he’s not. He’s not different from the norm. He’s not a very provocative figure. He wouldn’t stand out in a crowd of politicans. He’s another older white guy politician.

After Biden is named, the Reps turn around to make their own choice, and in part to capitalize on the disenfranchised Hillary voters, they pick Palin. Their own version of “something different” plus the “women scorned” voters from the Hillary fall-out could be picked off while the wounds of their choice not being anywhere on the ticket are still fresh.

Now Biden says that Hillary might’ve been the better choice. The bitterness of the Primary battle between Obama and Hillary is starting to fade, and the party is uniting.

Something comes up, Biden withdraws from the ticket under whatever pretense makes everyone feel most comfy, and then… Hillary comes back into the fold. In the battle between the two women, Hillary being the more experiences politician and better fighter blazes right past the lighter-weight Palin. Counting on the quality oratory skills of Obama to carry him through McCain, the Dem ticket comes out looking unstoppable and handily picks up the roles of Prez and Veep.

Or, he could’ve just been rambling. Who knows?