OK. Sorry but: The conflict of interest represented by Susan Rice's $300-600k holdings in Trans-Canada tar-sands XL Pipeline interests make her absolutely toxic to this Democrat as a candidate for Secretary of State. In fact, I feel things are such a mess because of this that I now believe Hillary must remain SoS until 2014 so that John Kerry can finish out his current term and help his heir step in to keep his Mass. Senate Seat Democratic before he then moves on to the Cabinet post he really wants.
And well beyond Rice's own $300-600k holdings in Pipeline interests - with her Canadian husband, they together own as much as $1.5 million in Enbridge, which transports Canadian oil sands crude through the United States. Since the SoS is the ultimate decision maker on approval of international pipelines, she cannot now, in my eyes be Secretary of State. The conflict of interest is simply too substantial and significant based on the magnitude of these investments alone. Simply divesting of them will do little to assure me she can act impartially in the matter. The tar sands (and that kind of money) stick too well.
And furthermore, Ms Clinton would seem positively virtuous if she remained as SoS a little longer for what would be in both the best interests of her country as well as her party. And not simply running off to work on her prospects at a 2016 candidacy for president.
UPDATE: Interesting comment from the NYTimes article's comments:
whcampbell Columbia, MD
As a former Federal Senior Executive I am shocked that the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) didn't make AMB Rice divest this investment as a condition of being confirmed as U.N. Ambassador. Individual equities valued at more than $15,000 are usually a red flag, and a potential conflict of interest. OGE dropped the ball!