Was Hillary Clinton first choice for Secretary of State?

NEW YORK: Hours before her husband Joe Biden is to take oath as Vice President, Jill Biden sent the press in tizzy with her remarks that her husband was given the choice of being either Secretary of State or Vice President.

Jill's remarks that her husband was given the pick to choose the post he wanted during an appearance with Joe Biden on the Oprah Winfrey yesterday startled him and he tried to hush her up.

"Joe had the choice of being secretary of State or vice president," Jill told presenter of the programme as her husband turned his fingers to his lips to say "shhhh" and then the couple and the audience broke into laughter.

She then seemed to realize she'd said something she wasn't supposed to have said.

This revelation came after Biden told Oprah that after Obama offered the job of VP he asked for some time to think about it and talk it over with his family.

The clip telecast by the ABC News showed Dr. Jill Biden interjecting:

Said Oprah, trying to continue the conversation, "You said, 'Joe...?'"

"I said, 'Joe if you are secretary of State you will be away, I'll never see you,'" Jill Biden said.

"We will see you at a state dinner once in a while. But I said if you are vice president, the entire family, because they worked so hard for the election, they can be involved ... They can come to our home, they can go to events, they can be with us and that is what is important to us."