Advisers to the onetime rivals for the Democratic nomination confirmed on Friday that President-elect Barack Obama had met with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday evening at Obama's transition office in Chicago to discuss what role Clinton might play in his administration.

Their private session stoked speculation that she was being considered for secretary of state, perhaps the most prestigious Cabinet position in any administration, but associates of both Democrats cautioned that their conversation was mostly general and that no job was offered. Democrats said late Friday that Obama had also met with another oft-mentioned candidate for the post, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico.

Still, the fact that Obama and Clinton had even met to discuss such a possibility left even some of their closest advisers and allies buzzing about the pros and cons of so close a partnership, and about how it would be complicated by a third wheel—Clinton's globe-trotting husband, former President Bill Clinton.

The possibility of Clinton joining Obama in such a role has been bandied about in Washington for several months, usually with the caveat that it was somewhere between unlikely and far-fetched. But on Thursday Clinton was spied boarding a plane to Chicago — on "personal business," one spokesman insisted — and by early evening a small motorcade of black SUVs emerged from the garage of the downtown Chicago building where Obama has his transition office, just minutes before Obama's own motorcade left it. Clinton, as a former first lady, has Secret Service protection and travels in a government SUV.

By Friday morning, amid escalating speculation that she was a serious candidate for secretary of state, associates of both of them were confirming that they had met.

Both Obama and Clinton advisers say that the relationship between the two is much more complex than one simply inspired by a keep-your-friends-close-and-your-enemies-closer philosophy. While Obama never seriously considered Clinton as his running mate, one of his aides described him as "self-confident enough to want to send a message to the world about America and all that it can be—and Hillary Clinton as secretary of state would do that."

The aide said that in the last few months of the campaign Obama came to appreciate the effort she made to rally her supporters on his behalf.

Should he pick her, Obama might further unite and energize his party, make clear to the world that he is serious about diplomacy and send a substantive political signal to women.

That said, there are clear dangers for Obama as well, not least of them any lingering rivalry between the two of them after an often-contentious primary campaign. He would also inevitably be sharing the stage with both Clintons, with all of the attention and baggage that accompany them wherever they go — something that the drama-averse president-elect would no doubt have to resign himself to. And her appointment could undercut his argument that he is bringing true change to Washington.