Sources: Secretary of state post is Clinton’s to choose

Chicago —- Associates of Sen. Hillary Clinton said Wednesday the former first lady is weighing whether to leave the Senate and become secretary of state in the Obama administration, a job they say she believes is hers if she wants it.

Transition officials for President-elect Barack Obama said other candidates have been vetted for the job. But the New York senator has emerged as the leading contender and the vetting of former President Bill Clinton has been particularly intense.

Associates say Hillary Clinton has been told that Obama wants her to be secretary of state, although accounts differ on how bluntly and directly Obama made the overture. The associates would speak only on grounds of anonymity because of the private nature of the negotiations.

Democrats close to the negotiations said Wednesday that Bill Clinton has agreed to several restrictions on his future business and philanthropic activities to pave the way for his wife to become the nation’s chief diplomat.

Clinton agreed to disclose some major donors to his charitable foundation and to subject his future foundation activities and paid speeches to ethics reviews, the Democrats said.

They said the former president would also cede day-to-day responsibility for the William J. Clinton Foundation and would alert the State Department to his speaking plans and new income sources while his wife served as secretary of state.

The concessions suggested that the two camps were moving closer to an accord that would team up the leading figures of the Democratic Party just months after they ended one of the toughest, closest presidential nomination fights in modern times.

While the two sides continued their discussions, people familiar with the situation said they did not expect any announcements this week and possibly not before Thanksgiving.

Much like past presidents, Obama wants to announce his major appointments in clusters, so the secretary of state would be disclosed along with figures like the defense secretary and national security adviser.

The New York Times contributed to this article.