Over 50 percent Americans favour Hillary as Secretary of State

New York, Nov 21 : Over 50 percent of Americans favour Senator Hillary Clinton as President elect Barack Obama's Secretary of State.

A new Gallup poll found 57 percent of Americans support President-elect Obama appointing Hillary secretary of state, while 30 percent oppose it, the Daily News reported.

Among Democrats, the potential nomination is even more popular, with nearly 8 in 10 hoping the former First Lady will become the nation's top diplomat.

If picked for the job, Hillary would become the third woman to serve as Secretary of State, following Madeleine Albright in President Bill Clinton's Administration and Condoleezza Rice in President Bush's Administration.

Clinton is the first First Lady in history to be elected to the Senate.

While she had strong appeal with women during her failed Democratic presidential bid, the poll found men and women are equally likely to favour her becoming Secretary of State.

The move won a thumbs up from 56 percent of men and 58 percent of women.

New Yorkers are also gung-ho about Clinton joining Obama's cabinet, even though the appointment means the state will lose her in the Senate.

According to a Marist Poll released on Thursday, 55 percent of registered New York voters want Obama to select Clinton, while 31 percent believe she should remain in the Senate.

If selected, 72 percent of New York voters said Clinton would do either an excellent or good job as secretary of state. And just 22 percent said Bill Clinton would hurt her in the new role.

According to sources, Clinton hasn't yet decided whether she will accept the job if Obama formally offers it to her.

On Thursday, Bill Clinton publicly promised to do whatever is necessary to satisfy Team Obama that his private business dealings and foundation work won't pose a conflict.

ANI