This makes my head hurt by the way.

One week after the former primary rivals met secretly to discuss the idea of Clinton becoming the nation’s top diplomat, an Obama adviser said Thursday that the two sides were moving quickly toward making it a reality, barring any unforeseen problems.

The senior adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity because the president-elect is not prepared to officially announce the nomination, said Obama believes Clinton would bring instant stature and credibility to U.S. diplomatic relations.

Obama is convinced the advantages of Clinton serving far outweighed potential downsides, the adviser said.

Transition aides said the two camps have worked out financial disclosure issues involving Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, and the complicated international funding of his foundation that operates in more than 40 countries. The aides said Obama and Hillary Clinton have had substantive conversations about the secretary of state job.

Clinton has been mulling the post for several days, but the comments from the transition aides suggested that Obama’s team does not feel she is inclined to turn it down. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines would not comment, except to say that anything about Cabinet appointments is for Obama’s transition team to address.

Clinton would have to surrender her New York Senate seat, which she has held for eight years, to take the job.

The nomination would be a remarkable union between the former first lady who was an early favorite to win the presidency and the first-term senator who upset her in the primary and cruised to a general election victory. Such a high-profile seat in the Cabinet for Clinton also would be another achievement for the most accomplished former first lady in U.S. history, who has been the first presidential spouse to serve in the Senate and run for the White House herself.

Obama was picking other Cabinet posts as well. Obama has informally selected Washington lawyer Eric Holder as attorney general and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as health secretary and is likely to choose Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to be secretary of homeland security, Democrats said.

Any of the plans could be sidetracked by unexpected glitches in the final vetting process, officials note.

How ironic would it be if Hillary Clinton didn’t get the job of secretary of state because of her husband?

Looks like as Team Obama vets the New York senator for the gig, the biggest stumbling block is her husband’s  professional life since he left the White House eight years ago.

No one is accusing Bill Clinton of anything illegal (well Fox News’ Sean Hannity hasn’t opened his eyes yet this morning), but some details of the  “Big Dawg’s” work—the complete list of donors to his foundation—have not been under public scrutiny.

There is also a question of who is paying the former president $425,000 an hour to give speeches.

To repeat there are no charges of impropriety, but there are conflict concerns and it has been floated out that Clinton, Bill that is, might have to give up the speaking fess and foundation work for Hillary to get the gig.

No matter how this turns out, Obama will come off smelling rose perfect. If Clinton turns down the gig (which I doubt), Obama can look to her base and say he made a good effort. If she takes it, then he will have followed that wonderful piece of advice by a certain movie character who runs the family business:

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

Not sure Clinton would take it if offered. She is going to be mighty big in the Senate and what happens if Obama tanks. She can’t run for the office again if she is serving under him. Unless it’s at the end of his second term.

As people who have grown up negotiating a hostile environment, LGBT people are “naturals” at reading others and at diplomacy. 

But more importantly LGBT people in much of the world face horrific conditions including being put to death just for being gay.

Having the most powerful nation in the world represented by an (openly) LGBT Secretary of State would force the issue and perhaps lead to better treatment for some of our less fortunate brethren overseas.

Kevin Jennings is executive director of GLSEN.

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Obama will be a shining light, changing America’s world standing, and having someone from our community in the forefront with him markedly advances human rights and equality for LGBTs around the globe.

Bevan Dufty is a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors representing the Castro and other neighborhoods

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The United States has been locked in combat for almost seven years now, first in Afghanistan and then Iraq, conflicts that have severely diminished this nation’s moral authority.

While I don’t think a gay Secretary of State would be more pussyfooted, I do think that he or she could help re-democratize our dialogue.

The United States claims to be spreading the American ideal in those war torn nations, yet gays and lesbians continue to be persecuted. How can our Secretary of State speak for equal rights when our nation continues to ignore international outcries, as well as its own domestic disturbances?

A gay Secretary of State could – even if just symbolically – put gay rights on the international table, which would no doubt do the ongoing discussion a world of good.

Andrew Belonsky is the editor of Queerty.com

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