Obama Announces Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State

Sen. Hillary Clinton will be playing on President Elect Barack Obama’s team since he officially nominated his rival in the primaries to be Secretary of State during a Chicago press conference Monday.

"Hillary's appointment is a sign to friend and foe of the seriousness of my commitment to renew American diplomacy and restore our alliances,” Obama said, adding that she is a "tough campaign opponent" who is familiar with several world leaders and that she "will command respect in every capital."

The former First Lady accepted the nomination saying "America cannot solve these crises without the world, and the world cannot solve them without America.” She added "By electing Barack Obama our next president, the American people have demanded not just a new direction at home but a new effort to renew America's standing in the world as a force for positive change."

Before making Clinton secretary of state, Obama’s team came to an agreement with former President Bill Clinton that he release the names of 208,000 donors to his global foundation and that he also show a willingness to refer questions about conflicts of interest to the State Department ethics office and to the White House counsel’s office, the Washington Post reported.

In a statement following Obama’s nominating Clinton, Bill Clinton issued a statement saying that his wife is “the right person for the job of helping restore America’s image abroad, end the war in Iraq, advance peace and increase our security,” according to the Washington Post. He also commended Obama for choosing her and said “America will be well served.”