By Richard Miller
Author, “In Words and Deeds: Battle Speeches in History”

Today’s oft-reported rumor — Hillary for Secretary of State — would seem promising, especially if one has missed the circus coming to town. It’s not that she isn’t qualified. Indeed, compared with some recent Democratic and Republican picks—for example, Madeleine “the moralizer” Albright or Colin “CYA” Powell, Hillary would likely do well.

She’s not too bothered by morals, and assuming at least some devotion to U.S. interests, she might combine a pinch of Machiavelli, two shakes of Tallyrand, perhaps and a maybe even a quarter cup of Henry the K.

She’s not too bothered by morals, and assuming at least some devotion to U.S. interests, she might combine a pinch of Machiavelli, two shakes of Tallyrand, perhaps and a maybe even a quarter cup of Henry the K. If Hillary’s moral-free, say-do-and-cry-for-anything standards could be put at the service of U.S. diplomacy (instead of her overweening ambition), the country just might benefit.

The only risk is that last part, the thing about ambition.

First, with Hill comes Dollar Bill, and since leaving the White House, the latter has taken seriously Shakespeare’s observation that, “all the world’s a stage.” Well, maybe more a cash register than a stage. Bill’s been dialing for dollars in Dubai, accepting large sums for various services from Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of that state-let.

More dough for Bill from Canadian Frank Giustra, head of Lion’s Gate Entertainment and a major shareholder in UrAsia Energy, a non- politically correct mining company on whose behalf Dollar Bill may have intervened to secure rights to dig for uranium in the not very free nation of Kazakhstan.

There’s lots more here, but I accept the fact that your eyes are glazing over, you’ve it heard it all before, just one more conservative selectively whining about the absence of mere bourgeois morals in Clintons. Besides, the Democrats now controlling Congress could care less about bourgeois morals, and would easily confirm Hillary with no more than a yawn from their bulletin boards posing as news organizations. And what morals Dollar Bill does have are perfectly French and Italian and he is a great salesman for America. Meanwhile, Hillary could play Lady Macbeth in the Obama cabinet, not altogether a bad thing. Someone ought to be there who can add a dose of cynicism, pure self-interest, and sheer cruelty in dealing with our adversaries; someone not likely to weep at the loss of democratic rights in Country A or the installation of a pro-US dictator in Country B. And there’s a bonus: her unquestioned bravery. Not in lying about being under sniper fire, but for lying about it in the midst of a campaign with living witnesses still walking around. Lots of guys have taken live fire, but what Hillary did took real guts.

I’m already tired of Obama’s stifling moral seriousness. I say bring the two-fer back and let’s have some fun!