If the President-elect were so inclined to ask, here is why I would recommend against nominating Sen. Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State:

The "Experience" Issue: The most significant foreign policy experience Hillary had remain that she acquired as First Lady. Although she traveled the world, she didn't negotiate anything. At best, she was the messenger for her husband. Anything she did as First Lady that was off-message was easily walked back, because her involvment was "unofficial." She was not a member of the State Department, and was more like a "special emissary" whose real powers were limited.

The "Politics of Campaigning" Issue: The most damaging attacks on President-elect Obama's readiness for the Oval Office were delivered by Sen. Clinton. Her comment, "he has a speech he gave in 2002," was picked up by Sen. McCain, not originated by him. (And even when Sen. McCain used it against Mr. Obama, Sen. Clinton's pushback was not nearly strong enough.) By bringing Clinton into the SoS position, an argument can be made that Mr. Obama needs Clinton's "experience" to run foreign policy.

The "What About Bill" issue: What the former President would do remains an enigma. The former President has "interests" in a variety of countries around the world and those may be in conflict with Obama administration goals. In addition, the former President has links to persons with "interesting" business and social connections. For example, it is "interesting" that a Canadian businessman made a trip with the former President to Khazahkstan meet the leadership there in advance of a deal, and "interesting" that the "deal was consummated after the former President's introduced the two men to one another. The former President would also contribute to another problem...

The "Bigfoot Goin' Rogue" Issue: As Secretary of State, the junior Senator from New York would be expected to deliver the foreign policy strategy of the new President. However, if this is a policy that she disagreed with, might she use her husband, the former President, to publicly disagree with the new President? Would her husband be the conduit for her attempts to undo or pursue her -- or the former President's -- foreign policy?

The "Doin the Bare Minimum" Issue: Would a Secretary Clinton work wholeheartedly at the State Department and in an underling capacity when she, in truth, covets the 1600 Pennsylvania address? If she is charged with negotiating an Israeli-Palestinian settlement that is not a plan that she supports, would she negotiate in favor of it in good faith? Or do just enough to be viewed as doing her job, but less than enough to be successful? 

The "2012 Plan" Issue: Contrary to popular opinion that suggests putting Clinton in the Cabinet would keep her on ice and out of the way for 2012, might it do the opposite? Would it give her -- having subtlely undermined her boss -- the platform to run against the President, claiming he wasn't competent?

The 'Super-Secret Early Succession Plan" Issue: Okay, admittedly this one is the stuff of Tom Clancy movies, but what if Clinton -- who as Secretary of State is in the line of succession after the President Pro Tempore of the Senate -- concocted a "Dr. Evil" -like scheme to remove all barriers to her elevation as President, after paying an Austin Powers look-like to do the deed for .... One Million Dollars!!!

Just kidding... But there are some real reasons to go slow and check out all options before annointing the good Senator Secretary of State. And besides, I think the plum job should go to either Bill "Judas" Richardson, who suffered the wrath of the Clintons after he endorsed Obama early, or to John "Don't Swiftboat Me, Bro!" Kerry, who put Obama front and center on the national stage in 2004 at the Democratic National Covention. And if he were not so ill, another choice would be Ted Kennedy, who also came out early in support of Obama. One should also look to Dick Durbin, the senior Senator from Illinois, who backed Obama and promoted his chances when he was a true longshot to win.  

Clinton in the Cabinet -- especially as Secretary of State -- is not something I'd be recommending to the President-elect.