Gallup Poll: 57 Percent Of Americans Support Hillary As Secretary Of State

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Majority of Americans support President-elect Barack Obama naming Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) as secretary of State, the latest Gallup poll said on Thursday.

Fifty-seven percent of Americans favor Clinton being appointed to the Cabinet post, while 30 percent oppose it. Among Democrats, 79 percent support the former first lady becoming the third woman secretary of State after Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright. Fifty-seven percent of independents were of the same opinion.

But 61 percent of Republicans oppose the New York senator serving in the post, despite praise from some from the GOP for Clinton's potential appointment.

"She is a lady of great intelligence, demonstrated enormous determination and would be an outstanding appointment," former secretary of State Henry Kissinger said during the World Economic Forum's India Economic Summit in New Delhi last Sunday.

The same day, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) told Wolf Blitzer on CNN's 'Late Edition,' "I think that she is well qualified. She does have a certain standing in the world that is required in order to be able to demand the respect from other countries to deal with issues that are going to be affecting not only us but other of our allies, our trading partners. And I think that she would be a well placed in that position."

Former President Bill Clinton has reportedly agreed to provide Obama details of his business and philanthropic activities if his wife is appointed. The vetting ill ensure that the there is no conflict of interest between Obama's foreign policy and the former president's numerous global advocacies, such as the Clinton Global Initiative and the Clinton Foundation HIV and AIDS Initiative, and private business dealings, such as his $30 million earnings in speaking fees from 2001 to 2005.

Bloomberg said on Thursday that Bill Clinton has sent the Obama transition team a list of more than 200,000 donors to his foundation and presidential library.

Obama is also said to be considering Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), an early Obama endorser, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. Kerry is a decorated Vietnam War veteran who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East and South and Central Asian Affairs. Richardson served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Energy secretary during the Clinton administration.