DAY’S END ROUNDUP

The possibility of having Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) serve as Secretary of State is scrutinized by an old Clinton foe on the left but supported by new friends on the right. If President-elect Barack Obama adds Clinton to his Cabinet, he risks undercutting his “no-drama” reputation, bloggers write. And conservative bloggers go after former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) for attacking fellow Republicans in his upcoming book.

Obama would be playing with fire by naming Clinton to head the State Department, since he would be perpetuating the “Clinton dominion” in U.S. politics, writes The New Republic’s Marty Peretz. Clinton, who is more hawkish than Obama, would be a better fit for Secretary of Defense, according to The Plank’s Noam Scheiber. But The Weekly Standard’s Michael Goldfarb suggests that her hawkishness and the potential for her being a nuisance to the president make her a good choice.

The “exasperation” expressed by Obama sources over vetting Clinton’s husband doesn’t mesh with the “No-Drama Obama” theme, writes TalkLeft’s Big Tent Democrat. But the idea that Obama’s disciplined campaign has anything to do with governing is wrong, writes Contentions’ Jennifer Rubin. Obama won’t be able to rely on his ability to “look thoughtful” when he’s actually the president, Rubin writes.

Huckabee knocks former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), Christian conservative leaders and anti-tax groups in his book, which hits shelves Tuesday. The book provides a nice jolt of post-election campaign drama and presages a potential 2012 showdown for evangelical voters between Huckabee and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), writes Hot Air’s Allahpundit. Huckabee’s tough attacks, however, will make it hard for him to smooth things over with Republicans in time for the next campaign, writes Townhall’s Matt Lewis. What’s worse is that Huckabee’s criticism of small-government, libertarian positions is in opposition to the views of Ronald Reagan, notes AmSpecBlog’s John Tabin.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Kissinger is For Her! I’m Not. – Marty Peretz, The Spine
Make Hillary Defense Secretary – Noam Scheiber, The Plank
Hail Clinton – Michael Goldfarb, Weekly Standard
The Lion is Back – Taylor Marsh
Vetting [Bill] Clinton – Alex Koppelman, War Room
The Campaign Was the Easy Part – Jennifer Rubin, Contentions
High Drama ObamaNOTS – Big Tent Democrat, TalkLeft
Huckabee Reflects, Picks His Targets – Steve Benen, Political Animal
Huckabee Hits in New Book – Matt Lewis, Townhall
Huckabee Rips Pretty Much Everyone – Allahpundit, Hot Air
Huckabee’s Heartless, Soulless Conservatism – J. Tabin, AmSpecBlog

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Obama, McCain Vow to Work On ‘D.C.’s Bad Habits’ – Associated Press
Obama-Pelosi Stimulus Mail Fail to Reignite Economy – Bloomberg
Ted Kennedy Returns to Work – The Hill