Citing "several" anonymous people close to Hillary Clinton, Politico reported the Democratic senator is still weighing whether to accept the job of Secretary of State, should it be offered. That contradicts a report in yesterday's Guardian that Clinton planned to accept such an offer from Barack Obama offer once the president-elect's team was done vetting her husband, the former president. Hillary might want to stay in the senate and help fix health care instead, her people tell Politico. Translation: there's no formal offer yet, and also no way in hell Hillary Clinton is going to let people think her future is at the whim of That One's "fairytale" administration:

"Everybody wants to be perceived as being in the driver's seat," said a top Democratic official. "She's no different."

Obama isn't likely to make a formal offer of the post to Clinton unless he's given assurances that Bill Clinton's global charitable foundation won't create future conflicts of interest with foreign governments.

Now that talk of Clinton at State had reached fever pitch, the Obama team faces the prospect of embarrassing a senate leader if it doesn't offer the post. But her people are talking to the press, too, so they couldn't get too sanctimonious about word leaking out. And maybe she's enjoying some time in the spotlight after all the "Barack This" and "Obama That" these past few months? One almost wonders if the president-elect's team is dragging this out on purpose. PR Christmas came early for Hillary!