Only a few months ago the dream Democratic presidential ticket of Obama-Clinton, or Clinton-Obama, seemed possible.

Both candidates embraced the idea during their bruising primaries fight provided the other candidate ran in the vice presidential spot.

Sen. Barack Obama, of course, won and picked Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate. Now, there is the matter of Sen. Hillary Clinton and where she fits into the new administration, or if she does at all.

President-elect Obama is either attempting to build goodwill with his vanquished opponent by designating her to be in serious consideration for secretary of state or he really sees her as an asset to his administration.

While the mention of the Clinton name gives Republicans heartburn, her choice as secretary of state would be popular with a majority of Americans.

Why she would give up a secure Senate seat from New York for a job in which she would serve at the pleasure of the president is understandable. She enjoyed being on the world stage for eight years as first lady. As secretary of state, she would return to that stage as the nation’s top foreign policy spokeswoman, and do so in her own right.

Besides, she’d be good at the job.