MORNING READ

The two ladies who starred in the presidential election dominate the blogosphere on Friday morning. Appointing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) to become Secretary of State splits bloggers, with some saying that it could boost the Obama administration and others saying that it doesn’t make much sense. The unnamed governors complaining about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s (R) speech at the Republican Governors Association meeting has peeved Palin’s blogging backers.

President-elect Barack Obama is considering Clinton for the top State Department post, according to two Obama advisers who spoke to NBC News. If Obama chooses Clinton, he would be creating the “Team of Rivals” that both he and Clinton talked about during the campaign, writes Taylor Marsh. Clinton would be a strong surrogate abroad for Obama and would underscore Obama’s determination to put together the best Cabinet possible, writes MyDD’s Jonathan Singer.

But it doesn’t make sense why Clinton would want to take a Cabinet post that usually lasts for just one term when she could remain in the Senate for the rest of her career, writes TalkingPointsMemo’s Josh Marshall. Obama can’t pick Clinton if he wants to make his transition all about transparency, since her husband hasn’t released fundraising records about his foundation, writes Townhall’s Amanda Carpenter. Picking Clinton could undermine Obama’s message of “Hope and Change,” especially after he has already added Clinton administration retreads Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) and John Podesta to his staff, writes Hot Air’s Allahpundit.

After Palin gave her speech, unnamed governors said it was “awkward” and that it “unfortunately suggested” she was the party’s leader, reports CNN. The anonymous governors’ backbiting at their own conference merely shows their incompetence about messaging, writes Allahpundit. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) showed that he’s more shrewd than others by shrugging off the suggestion that Palin’s sucking up all the oxygen in the room, writes Robert Stacy McCain.

FROM THE BLOGS:
Team of Rivals Realized – Taylor Marsh
Foggy Bottom for Hillary? – Jonathan Singer, MyDD
Obama’s Vetting and Hillary – Amanda Carpenter, Townhall
Don’t Get It – Josh Marshall, TalkingPointsMemo
Clinton for Secretary of State? – S. Clemons, Washington Note
Special, Special Lady Being Considered – Allahpundit, Hot Air
GOP Govs. Unhappy With Palin – Gottalaff, Political Carnival
Unbelievable: GOP Govs. Sniping at Palin – Allahpundit, Hot Air
Haley Shrugs – Robert Stacy McCain, The Other McCain

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Chances Dwindle on Bailout Plan for Automakers – New York Times
FDIC Details Plans to Alter Mortgages – Washington Post
Hillary Clinton as Mrs. Foggybottom? – Washington Post
Treasury Draws Fire For Shift in Rescue – Wall Street Journal