Team Of (Ex)-Rivals?

The leak-proof Obama operation spilled the beans last p.m. about HRC as Sec/State, suggesting they want to give this trial balloon a thorough weekend/Sunday show vetting. What else do they want out of his story?

-- Following in the footsteps of Albright and Rice, Clinton wouldn't put any new cracks in this glass ceiling. But this, along with his call for Senate Dems to forgive Lieberman, tell us that Obama's not interested in holding grudges: a smart signal to a world weary of one-way diplomacy.

-- It's also no coincidence that this story and the news of a McCain-Obama sit-down in Chicago come on the same day. Paging Doris Kearns Goodwin ...

-- It is also a nice "thank you" present for her work both during and post-convo. But can Obama really talk about "change" when she becomes one of the many "42" hold-overs in his WH?

-- Much of the drama surrounding Obama-Clinton was blown out of proportion. There were no PUMAs or huge defections of white women on 11/4. So the idea that this is simply a way to dissuade the Clintons from making mischief is just as questionable. Unlike B. Clinton, Obama comes to the WH w/out the cadre of longtime advisers or allies to turn to for key positions. Reaching out to a "team of rivals" then isn't just about a management style, it's about reality.