President-elect Obama continued his reconciliation tour Monday, sitting down with former rival John McCain for the first time since the election, a meeting that resulted in a joint statement promising that they will work together to "change the bad habits of Washington."
Obama and McCain, accompanied by advisers Rahm Emanuel and Lindsey Graham, respectively, flashed broad smiles at the start of their meeting in Chicago. Asked whether he will help Obama once his term in office commences, McCain replied: "Obviously."
Though less than two weeks had passed since their contentious election showdown, the former opponents had a "respectful" discussion that centered on their broad areas of agreement, including climate change, immigration and detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a senior Obama aide said.
They also concurred on the need for an "air of reform" in Washington, the aide said, adding that they chatted amicably about life on the campaign trail and operated on a first-name basis.
Behind closed doors, officials involved in Obama's transition continued to examine the work of former President Bill Clinton to determine whether his business dealings since leaving office would preclude his wife from becoming secretary of state, individuals familiar with the process said.
Officials did not describe Obama as having formally offered Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton the top diplomatic job during their private meeting at his Chicago transition office last week but said that there is an understanding that if she can sort out some of the complications that accompany her husband's global work — which has made him an international philanthropic powerhouse but also earned him millions in speaking fees from foreign companies, creating a potential conflict of interest — she would have a strong, if not completely certain, shot at it.
"There's a lot of momentum in the direction of this happening," close Clinton friend James Carville said. He said that the former president's work — both past and future — remained a complicating matter.
Reports of the possible Hillary Clinton appointment, which surfaced last week, have stunned some Obama loyalists who said they fear that the incoming administration is becoming heavily weighted toward veterans of the Clinton years.
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