The Associated Press is reporting today that Hillary Clinton plans to hire so-called "Clinton loyalists" to run the State Department.

I could swear Barack Obama won the election on a promise of change. So what are we getting? How about more of the same Washington insiders.

Reporter Matthew Lee says Clinton is planning to surround herself with "a cast of die-hard loyalists and veterans of her husband's administration."

From Lee's story:

For her team of foreign policy experts, the nation's third female secretary of state is expected to draw heavily from the staff of the first, Madeleine Albright, who was an early supporter of Clinton's unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

And to deal with internal Obama administration affairs, State Department bureaucratic politics and media pressures, the former first lady appears set to tap current Senate aides and former White House "Hillaryland" stalwarts, whose reputation for insularity and staunch protectiveness has already set off anxiety among career foreign service officers.

Lee says among key staff positions, Clinton is considering her 2008 presidential campaign manager Maggie Williams, attorney Cheryl Mills, personal assistant Huma Abedin, current senior adviser and spokesman Philippe Reines and Clinton's chief of staff when she was first lady, Melanne Verveer.

All retreads. Welcome to the third Clinton Administration.

From Lee's story: "All are known to be fiercely loyal. The prospect of their imminent arrival in Foggy Bottom has been a hot topic of nervous corridor conversation among many in the professional diplomatic corps who fear they will be frozen out of positions of influence."

Never mind that Barack Obama spent more than a year ridiculing Hillary Clinton's foreign policy credentials.

Sen. Clinton is the most qualified person Obama could find to run the State Department.

In case you need a refresher course on some of the things Obama said about Clinton's lack of foreign policy experience, click on the link below:

RNC: Clinton vs. Obama on Foreign Policy

Remember all the hogwash from Barack Obama that electing John McCain would be a third Bush Administration?

So what exactly did voters get when they elected Obama instead? It's beginning to look more and more like a third Clinton Administration.

More than two-thirds of the people named to Obama's transition team are former members of the Clinton Administration. Many are in line to get key posts in an Obama White House.

Obama has already tapped Rahm Emanuel, who worked for Bill Clinton, to be his chief of staff. John Podesta, who is heading the Obama transition, was Clinton's chief of staff.

And now Hillary Clinton is the front-runner to be named Secretary of State?

Didn't voters reject a third Clinton Administration when they passed on Hillary as the Democratic Party nominee?

If Clinton doesn't want the job, it appears that another Clinton retread, Bill Richardson, is in line.

Why is Obama recycling the Clinton White House? You could make the argument that Hillary Clinton is more experienced with foreign affairs than Obama, but I thought the whole point of having Joe Biden on the ticket is because of his foreign policy experience?

Is this change or more of the same?

Barack Obama isn't doing much so far to win support from the 18 million Democrats who vote for Hillary Clinton during the primaries. Some of his comments are downright insulting to Clinton supporters, who tend to be more centrists than the far left Obama. He shouldn't assume every Democrat will automatically vote for him. I've spoken to two lifelong Democrats in recent weeks who told me they'd never vote for Barack Obama. They will sit home in November or vote for John McCain.

Republican National Committee: They Said It! - Obama Suggests That Female Clinton Supporters Will 'Get Over It'