Hillary Clinton was a "fantastic diplomat" and would be a good choice in a senior position in Joe Biden's administration, John Podesta, the former White House chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, said Friday.
"I think she was a fantastic diplomat for the United States and did a wonderful job for the United States," Podesta said on CNN's "New Day." "Whether she wants to come back into public service is obviously her decision, but I think the Biden-[Kamala] Harris team would do well by having her advise them and perhaps put her in a senior position where she can do what she did for many years as secretary of state, a senator, and first lady for this country."
Podesta's comments come after The Washington Post reported that there is talk of naming Clinton as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Podesta, the founder and director of the Center for American Progress, also discussed an opinion piece he wrote with Andy Carr, the former chief of staff for President George W. Bush, claiming that it is a real problem that President Donald Trump's administration is not cooperating with Biden on the transition.
"This was not at all like 2000," Podesta said. "Andy Carr was incoming, I was outgoing. In 2000 we gave access to the Presidential Daily Brief to Governor Bush. We sent the director of intelligence of the CIA down to Texas to give him full access to intelligence."
In that case, the count was only separated by 537 votes, but now, "there is no way for Donald Trump to be inaugurated on Jan. 20," said Podesta.
Instead, he's "impeding the transition" and has blocked the General Services Administration from filing a nonpartisan ascertainment that Biden won the election, Podesta added.
He also noted that the delay is keeping Biden from getting the information needed to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Podesta ridiculed congressional Republicans standing behind Trump's fight against the transition of power. There are some GOP governors who are breaking with Trump, but many in Congress are "really kind of pathetic" and humoring the president, he said.
"It is one more step in delegitimizing not just the incoming Biden administration but democracy generally, and that's a dangerous path," said Podesta.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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