Clinton insider Sidney Blumenthal did not rule out in a recent interview taking a position in a Hillary Clinton administration.
In an interview last month that received little attention, the Clinton adviser, who emailed off-the-books intelligence reports to Clinton when she was secretary of state, was asked if he would work for his longtime friend. The journalist-turned-operative dodged the question with light banter. But when pressed by Chicago-based talk show host Bruce DeMont, Blumenthal refused to rule out the idea.
“Would you like a role with Hillary, with that administration?” DuMont asked.
“I don’t know why you wouldn’t because obviously if she’s elected she’s going to be the president of the United States, and you have certainly access to her. Why would you not want to return for another four years in Washington?” the host continued.
“The only thing I would say is, I hope always to be her friend,” Blumenthal said cryptically.
Clinton has yet to lay out who she will hire to fill out her administration should she win in November. Such moves are usually announced after the election. But Politico did report earlier this year that Blumenthal has been one of Clinton’s informal advisers during the 2016 campaign and provided her with strategy memos. (RELATED: Sidney Blumenthal Reportedly Advising Hillary Clinton)
That’s a continuation of a role Blumenthal had in Clintonworld while she was at the State Department. Blumenthal provided political advice, gossip and intelligence on geopolitical issues in scores of email exchanges.
He did that even after the Obama White House explicitly told Clinton she could not hire her confidant.
Blumenthal discussed that failed attempt to work for Clinton during the interview.
Clinton wanted Blumenthal to work for her at the State Department, but the Obama White House, at the direction of then-chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, blocked the hire.
“Hillary asked me if I would serve in the State Department with her,” said Blumenthal. “The political team around President Obama was still feeling competitive from the primaries of the 2008 contest. And they did not want people who were part of Hillary’s political team.”
Blumenthal left out a few details about why the Obama team was upset with him, however. The operative, known in some circles as “Vicious Sid,” had circulated anti-Obama opposition research to reporters during the 2008 primary.
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