Hillary Clinton has moved to "The World of Hillary Clinton"

Hillary Clinton has moved to "The World of Hillary Clinton" dot com

2011-04-16T02:52:00.001-07:00

www.TheWorldOfHillaryClinton.com

Blonde Ambition: How the polarizing politician has successfully reinvented herself. Again.

2010-08-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

Whatever you think about Hillary Clinton, you no doubt think something. Whether you want to pat her on the back or turn your back to her, the woman elicits powerful reactions. She also elicits respect on the world stage, and when she doesn’t get it, she demands it. That is one of the things that make her best suited for her job. (But we’ll get to that.)

Modern America loves its female secretaries of state—maybe the “softer sex” is seen as better suited to issues of diplomacy. And while Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright both brought tremendous experience to the job, neither packed a house like Hillary Clinton. She just brings a bigger microphone to the job, commanding the attention and respect of people and world leaders due in part to her high profile, sure, but also because of her resume. She was the first former First Lady to run for public office, the first female senator from New York, and the first woman to have a real shot at the presidency. She’s also been to more countries (80) and met with more heads of state (exact number unclear, but it’s a big one) than we have space to list. And that was all before she became our chief diplomat.

Clinton took over the State Department at a moment when entire continents seemed to hate the U.S. government. It was also a time when the world had any number of wars that needed ending, peace agreements that needed negotiating, and deals that needed brokering. Her to-do list includes stopping nuclear proliferation in Iran, halting the Islamic insurgency in Pakistan, promoting civilian projects in Afghanistan, getting us out of the quagmire that is Iraq, and alerting the world to the humanitarian crisis in Congo—to name only a few.

She has worked overtime on those relationships that are either tense or outright disastrous. She made nice with Russia, spoke publicly about Kim Jong Il’s successor, told India that climate change is its problem, too, and she quietly and successfully led 33 countries to set binding conditions for Cuba’s re-entry into the Organization of American States. To get all those jobs done, she persuaded the Obama administration to increase the foreign-affairs budget by 10 percent, boosting aid and bringing aboard more diplomats. And it’s only been nine months.

Here’s a theory: All the things about Clinton that rub people the wrong way—her candor, her outspokenness, her gumption, her ambition—are the very things that now make her so good at her job. To put it bluntly, she’s not full of shit. This could not have been made clearer than in that incident in Congo, when a young man asked the secretary of state, “What does Mr. Clinton think through the mouth of Mrs. Clinton?” Hillary was pure Hillary. “My husband is not the Secretary of State. I am. If you want my opinion, I will tell you my opinion. I’m not going to be channeling my husband.” And in one brilliant and honest moment, the point of her entire trip promoting women’s rights was made manifest. It’s not a slogan or a policy speech, it’s the necessity for men and women to be treated equally.

Finally, Clinton is a patriot. Not in that my-patriotism-is-bigger-than-your-patriotism sort of way. She’s the kind of patriot who believes America is an exciting, inspiring country that can be and has been a force for good in the world.

For decades it was as easy to argue against Hillary as it was to argue for her. But in her brief tenure as Secretary of State, a new Hillary Clinton has emerged—a highly intelligent, uncommonly thoughtful, and profoundly erudite leader who grasps the complexities of foreign affairs in a way that honors the job description.

“There is a hunger for the United States to be present again,” Clinton has said. And that’s the best thing about Hillary Clinton—she has a way of making sure everyone knows she’s there.

By Danielle Pergament at www.good.is

At this rate, it could be President Hillary Clinton in 2012

2010-08-24T04:43:00.000-07:00

BY ALAN J. STEINBERG: President Barack Obama is a man whose political fortunes have imploded. The national political rock star of 2008 has become the Democratic political albatross of 2010. Democratic candidates in the 2010 gubernatorial, U.S. Senate, and House of Representatives elections are running away from him, not with him.

Obama's approval rating reaches new lows every day, due to worsening economic conditions and a foreign policy of appeasement of hostile nations and downgrading of alliances with loyal friends. On the two leading 2010 "values" controversies, to wit, the Arizona immigration law and the Cordoba Ground Zero mosque initiative, the President is definitely on the losing side of public opinion.

That is not the worst news for Barack Obama. In August, 2011, his political fortunes and prospects may be far worse.

There are two looming political nightmares for the President. First, a growing number of mainstream economists are predicting a severe recession in 2011. Second, unless the tax reductions enacted during the administration of former President George W. Bush are extended beyond December 31, 2010, the American public will be subjected to the largest income tax hike in American history in 2011.

If either one of these two situations occur, Obama will be in far worse political shape than he is in today. If in 2011 the American public experiences both a severe recession and a huge income tax hike, there is no way that the President will be reelected, regardless of who wins the Republican presidential nomination. Any of the prospective GOP presidential nominees — Mitt Romney, Mitch Daniels, Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, or John Thune — would easily defeat Barack Obama under such a scenario.

The key political question would then be whether Hillary Clinton would challenge Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. If Obama looks like a sure reelection loser, I suspect that many Democrats would actually favor Hillary mounting such a challenge. She is the one Democrat who could possibly defeat any of the above mentioned GOP candidates if Obama's reelection prospects become moribund.

The question then would be how could Hillary Clinton step down from her present position as Secretary of State and then seek the Democratic Presidential nomination against the incumbent President who appointed her. A Clinton resignation from the position of Secretary of State would have to be based upon a fundamental disagreement with President Obama on a major foreign policy issue.

Such an issue might arise if Israel launches air strikes against Iran's developing nuclear weapon facilities.

Obama is less supportive of Israel than any other President since the Declaration of Independence of the Jewish State in 1948. If Israel launches such an attack, Obama will certainly condemn Israel's actions and maybe even seek sanctions against the Jewish State.

By contrast, both Bill and Hillary Clinton have been far more supportive of Israel than Barack Obama. Although they both have had disagreements with Likud Party leaders, they remain on very friendly terms with the major players in Israel's Labor Party. Obama is viewed negatively by an overwhelming majority of Israelis, right and left.

Furthermore, Hillary Clinton has been far more hawkish than Obama against the Iranian Ahmadinejad government. If Obama were to repudiate an Israeli preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, there is a significant chance that this would lead to a Hillary Clinton resignation as Secretary of State.

If Hillary then defeated Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, she would have at least an even money chance of defeating any of the above mentioned GOP Presidential candidates in the general election. The failures of Barack Obama have not adversely affected the standing of Bill and Hillary Clinton with the American public.

As a long time New Jersey GOP stalwart, I have a shameful confession to make. I had a surprisingly good working relationship with the then Senator Hillary Clinton and her staff while I served as Region 2 EPA Regional Administrator during the second term of President George W. Bush. I certainly would never support her for President, but if I had to have a Democratic President, I would far rather have her than a Barack Obama.

Hillary's concern for the environment was genuine, and unlike Obama, she was willing to work closely with Republican members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to achieve bipartisan goals. This was confirmed for me in a conversation I had with my closest friend in the New York State Republican Congressional delegation, the then Congressman Jim Walsh, who represented the Syracuse area.

Jim Walsh and I had similar experiences of bipartisan cooperation with Hillary Clinton. This was in sharp contrast to our working experiences with the disgraced former Governor Eliot Spitzer, a political Sonny Liston, who was a vulgar, offensive and profane cowardly partisan bully, without ethical scruples. Both of us had experienced ugly confrontations with the then New York governor - from which neither Jim nor I backed down. Unlike Hillary, who was gracious and dignified, Eliot Spitzer gave new meaning to the term "political thug".

Another distinguishing feature of the then Senator Hillary Clinton was her Senate staff. On the Democratic side of the aisle, she had the most competent staff of any Senator, with the exception of the late Senator Ted Kennedy's Labor Committee staff. Her record of Senate accomplishment stood in sharp contrast to that of the Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, who established a record of substantial nonachievement.

So in late 2007, I was certain that Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 2008. I had no doubt that she would have a campaign staff as competent as her Senatorial staff. I felt that with the supreme political skills of both her husband Bill and herself, she would easily defeat Barack Obama.

I was therefore shocked by the incompetency of both her campaign and campaign staff. I was even further surprised when she accepted Obama's appointment of her as Secretary of State.

Had Hillary Clinton remained in the U.S. Senate, I am convinced that she could have eventually achieved the stature of the late Senator Ted Kennedy or an Orrin Hatch, senators respected on both sides of the political aisle for their ability to achieve bipartisan cooperation in pursuit of the public good. Instead, she became the spokesperson for a failed foreign policy with which, I believe, she often disagrees.

If the opportunity to wrest the nomination from Barack Obama arises and the Clintons decide to take the political plunge, I am convinced that they would not make the same mistakes they made in the 2008 campaign. The Clintons never make the same mistakes twice.

All the above is a matter of sheer speculation, I admit. Perhaps Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid will find some way to extend the Bush tax cuts in a way to at least hold harmless middle class families. Perhaps the economy will not deteriorate further in 2011.

If my above described possible scenario develops, however, and if Hillary runs against Barack in 2012, remember you read about the possibility of it here first.

Alan J. Steinberg served as Regional Administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush. Region 2 EPA consists of the states of New York and New Jersey, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and seven federally recognized Indian nations.

Climate change responsible for floods: experts

2010-08-23T22:09:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON: Senior government officials have joined scientists in blaming climate change for the devastating floods in Pakistan and other extreme weather events around the globe.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an interview with Pakistan’s Dawn TV, said “there is a linkage” between the Pakistan floods and climate change.

In his address to a special UN meeting on the floods last week, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also said that Pakistan’s flooding “reconfirms our extreme vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change”.

Scientists have said the floods in Pakistan --- and the fires in Russia, the mudslides in China, the droughts in sub-Saharan Africa --- are enunciations of scenarios climate forecasters have long predicted.

“There’s no doubt that clearly the climate change is… a major contributing factor” in this “unprecedented sequence of extreme weather” over the past month, said Dr Ghassem Asrar, the director of the World Climate Research Programme and the World Meteorological Organisation.

Climate experts at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) endorse his claim, saying “this is what global warming looks like”.

“When you have the changes in climate that affect weather that we’re now seeing, I think the predictions of more natural disasters are unfortunately being played out,” agreed Secretary Clinton.

Both the UN International Panel on Climate Change and WMO have reiterated that point in light of the Pakistan floods.

Experts point out that the flooding and forest fires, which followed a historic drought, coincide with record heat elsewhere in addition to downpours and landslides in China.

Scientists warn that man-caused climate changes can contribute to those disasters happening more frequently.

A study published in 2006 in a prestigious journal called Science found the level of heavy rainfall in the monsoon over South Asia had more than doubled in the past 50 years, and the authors predicted increased disaster potential from heavy flooding.

In its 2007 report, the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, a scientific body created by the UN, concluded that “it is very likely that hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation events will continue to become more frequent.”

IPCC chief R.K. Pachauri told Inter Press Service that “the floods of the kind that hit Pakistan may become more frequent and more intense in the future in this and other parts of the world”.

Earlier this month, WMO made a similarly qualified assessment.

“While a longer time range is required to establish whether an individual event is attributable to climate change, the sequence of current events matches IPCC projections of more frequent and more intense extreme weather events due to global warming,” it said.

Source; www.dawn.com

Opinion: The return of President Hillary Clinton

2010-08-19T02:09:00.000-07:00

I’ve always been convinced that Hillary Clinton would find her way back to the Oval Office one way or another.

Therefore, the recently reignited chatter about her being considered as President Obama’s 2012 running mate is the most exciting news I’ve heard since…well, since the news broke that Levi Johnston is running for Mayor of Wasilla.

BUT, hold on just a minute, because it gets way better: Even more titillating than these two juicy nuggets is the less-reported Washington insider buzz that Hillary is actually…drum roll, please…plotting to run against President Obama for the Democratic nomination in 2012.

WOWSA!

Did someone say, “DRAAAAMA!” (Now you’re speakin’ my language.)

My, my, my, which delicious Hillary rumor to devour first? Dare I be so gluttonous?

Let’s dig in: A 2012 hostile Veep takeover would be historic for sure, and even makes sense (though I bet Joe B. would disagree). However, the general consensus seems to be: Why in the world would Hillary want to play second fiddle to anyone?

On the other hand, it would elevate Hillary to savior status as she single-handedly injects Obama’s plunging popularity with much needed adrenaline, and it would allow her to collect another highly coveted title (She’s quite the collector, you know). Most importantly, the Office of the Vice President would naturally position her for a 2016 run.

Then again, that would mean Hillary would have to waste another four years before she could finally have a shot at claiming the real prize. She’s 62 now…While it would be very Reagan of her to kick-off her twilight years with another White House run, she certainly doesn’t want “The Old Gray Mare, She Ain’t What She Used to Be” as her campaign slogan. So why wait?!

ENTER the whisperings of a sizzling rematch:

Talk about a sensational game-changing sequel to 2008 (John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, I hope you’re taking notes here). I’m salivating just thinking about it!

I recently met with my very own Deep Throat who’s perched high up on the Beltway power grid. I was told that Capital insiders are all atwitter with what they consider a Clintonian conspiracy of epic magnitude – the final act to end all and to cap off everything the Clintons have worked for (aka, world domination).

In what is the most underreported, hottest rumor EVER, it’s believed that Bill and Hillary Clinton have spent the last few years setting her up to launch a challenge to Obama in 2012 (As in, SURPRISE, she never actually stopped running for president). When you really think about it, they’ve been doing it in plain sight right under our noses.

Consider how she graciously conceded to Obama after what was anything but a tiptoe-through-the-tulips race for the nomination, and then publicly supported him with unbridled enthusiasm and smiles (What a good sport she is! No sore loser here! WINK-WINK).

Next, Hillary surprisingly accepted the position of Secretary of State, essentially getting in bed with the enemy (Translation: All to gain unprecedented access to the new administration and the world – literally). She then spent the last two years crisscrossing the globe as our top diplomat, gaining critical acclaim and even more followers from abroad and at home – all on Obama’s dime.

And, lest we forget, those 18 million cracks are still in the glass ceiling right above her head waiting for one more teeny-tiny little nudge (while the president’s groundbreaking cracks have long since been shattered and swept away).

Meanwhile, Clinton 42 certainly doesn’t like losing, so no doubt he views the 2008 defeat of his wife (aka, the would-be Clinton 45) as all the more reason to covertly forge ahead to grasp victory, and to seek the ultimate revenge on the campaign trail.

Aaaaand, was it mere coincidence that the Clintons recently hosted THE Wedding of the Year, making the world collectively go “Ahhhhhh”? Cue the wedding photo, showing them ensconced in that rarified Kennedy-esque glow. That pic was worth every penny of the multi-million dollar price tag (which should be reimbursable or at least written off as a campaign expense, or would that be a little too obvious?).

Back to all this recent 2012 Veep talk. What of it then? Isn’t the buzzing that Hillary may be/is challenging Obama much bigger news?

My chatty Deep Throat has a spicy insider’s take on this as well: Perhaps the Veep thing is actually a smoke screen being floated by a nervous Obama administration to maintain control and lessen the impact of any stories about her challenging him for the top spot. After all, something like that could go viral fast, at which point all control will be lost amidst a new tidal wave of Clinton-mania.

OK, Obama White House, I can take a hint, so listen up:

First Bit of Advice: Never-never-EVER underestimate the Clintons (You should know this all too well by now, but it never hurts to be reminded). They’re made of 100% pure grade Teflon and they’ll bite you when you least expect it if you’re not careful.

Second Bit of Advice: Never-never-EVER forget that Hillary wasn’t called “The Lady MacBeth of Little Rock” for nothing! (Somewhere Shakespeare is nodding with approval.)

The looming question then: If this Veep switch-a-roo talk is a diversionary tactic (or, better yet, if it isn’t), exactly who will the joke really be on (because someone here is going to find themselves on the butt end of this one very soon)?

If you’re like me and gobble this poli-drama stuff right up, here’s some parting food for thought on this brewing intrigue:

It’s a win-win-win for Hillary. In this electrifying cliffhanger, she’ll end up as either Vice President or President (or both), or simply remain the most famous woman in the world.

Joe Biden? You can bet your (BLEEP!) that if this mother-(BLEEP)-ing! swap goes down, he’ll be (BLEEP)-ing! paid-off (BLEEP)-ing! BIG-TIME.

Finally, as for President Obama, if he doesn’t continue to keep one eye on the Clintons while turning around his poll numbers, he might just end up becoming so two thousand and late.

John Schlimm is a member of one of the oldest brewing families in the United States, meaning he sees life through sudsy, gold-colored glasses. A former celebrity publicist, educator, and artist, John is the award-winning author of several books, including his latest, Harrah’s Entertainment Presents…The Seven Stars Cookbook as well as The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Cookbook (named “Best Beer Book in the U.S.” and “Best Beer Book in the World” by the international Gourmand Awards).

By John Schlimm - The Daily Caller

Hillary Clinton's Next Stop: Replacing Robert Gates at Defense?

2010-08-18T00:38:00.000-07:00

Speculation is bubbling at the prospect of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton becoming Secretary of Defense upon Robert Gates retirement in 2011.

Gates, the only Republican holdover from the Bush Administration, recently told "Foreign Policy" magazine that he planned to step down next year.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said in an e-mail to reporters, "This is not Secretary Gates announcing his retirement. This is the secretary musing about when it would make sense for him to finally bow out. He has long said he would not serve the whole term and now he has told Foreign Policy that he thinks it best to leave with enough time on the administration's clock for his successor to be effective."

Still, it was enough to set off a name game of possible replacements, including Clinton. If Clinton accepted the position, she would be the first woman to hold it – another milestone in a historic political career.

On CNN Monday, William Cohen, the Republican Defense secretary during President Bill Clinton's second term, said Obama should go for bipartisanship and choose a Republican. That might not set well with Democrats since the last one of them to have the job was the late Les Aspin, a former Wisconsin congressman, who gave way to technocrat William Perry in 1994.

Possible candidates aside from Clinton include former Navy secretary Richard Danzig, who also served as a Obama campaign adviser, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and former Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) have also been touted as possible replacements.

Only one person – George C. Marshall – has held both the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense positions. The Marshall Plan was named for him and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.

Hillary Clinton was an early supporter of the Bush's administration invasion of Iraq. In 2004, she said she did not regret her vote but did regret "the way the president used the authority." She later said that she would not have voted for the war if information on weapons of mass destruction had been clearer.

As Secretary of Defense, Clinton would be in charge of executing policies of military defense including all things Iraq and Afghanistan.

Since becoming Secretary of State, Clinton has certainly won plaudits from generals at the Pentagon and former military leaders.

Leslie Gelb, a onetime senior official at State and former chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations, floated a "Hillary for Defense?" balloon in a Wall Street Journal article in June, saying she had "terrific relations with the military brass."

The controversial Rolling Stone article that cost Gen. Stanley McChrystal his military career quoted one of his advisers as saying, "Hillary had Stan's back during the strategic review. She said, 'If Stan wants it, give him what he needs.'"

Clinton has also been touted as a possible vice-presidential candidate if Obama chooses to replace Joe Biden. Clinton could be ideal for Secretary of Defense, says long-time Clinton watcher, Lara Brown, assistant professor of political science at Villanova University.

"Hillary Clinton's long track record of governmental service and engagement with world affairs – from her UN speech on behalf of women's rights to her position on the Armed Services committee in the Senate to her appointment as Secretary of State – makes her well-positioned to step into the Secretary of Defense position," Brown, told Politics Daily.

"Still, Clinton is likely to experience a learning curve should she move from Foggy Bottom to the Pentagon and from managing career-service diplomats to high-ranking military officers because the cultures of the two departments are significantly different," said Brown.

by Suzi Parker

Hillary at the School of Advanced International Studies Event

2010-08-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

(CNSNews.com) – The Obama administration is focused not just on health-care reform in the United States – but also on improving health care systems around the world, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on Monday.

The new plan has a “woman- and girl-centered approach,” according to an administration fact sheet.

Speaking at Johns Hopkins University, Clinton outlined the six-year, $63-billion Obama administration initiative to bring global health care services “to more people in more places.” The administration’s Global Health Initiative has “everything” to do with foreign policy, she said.

“This is a signature of American leadership in the world today, Clinton said. “ It’s also an issue very close to my own heart.”

Clinton said in her world travels, she’s met “countless people who are proof of what successful global health programs can do.” She mentioned HIV-positive farmers in Kenya who are able to continue farming, thanks to antiretroviral drugs; children in Angola who now sleep under bed nets to ward off malaria; mothers of healthy babies who were delivered by trained midwives; and people who survived into adulthood because of childhood immunizations.

Clinton then outlined the “new approach” to global health care, which is aimed at “saving the greatest possible number of lives” by expanding existing health programs “to help countries develop their own capacity to improve the health of their own people.”

Clinton said the administration’s Global Health Initiative (GHI) would build on the groundbreaking work of the George W. Bush administration’s PEPFAR program (President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief). The Obama administration, Clinton said, will expand the PEPFAR program to provide anti-AIDS retroviral drugs to more people in developing countries.

The new GHI programs will have what the Obama administration describes as a “woman-centered” approach, providing funding for neonatal care, family planning services, and infant health care.

Making global health care local

The centerpiece of the Obama administration’s Global Health Initiative will be to encourage and help developing countries run their own health care systems instead of relying on foreign aid workers. This part of the plan will have U.S. aid workers and diplomats work with foreign governments to design locally administered health care systems that – while funded through international aid networks – will be run by local governments.

Clinton explained that this aspect of global health addresses not just a humanitarian concern but a geopolitical one as well, since poor, weak states often are crippled in part because of poor public health.

“We invest in global health to strengthen fragile or failing states,” Clinton said. “We have seen the devastating impact of HIV-AIDS on countries stripped of their farmers, teachers, soldiers, health workers, and other professionals.”

Clinton said improving health care in developing countries also fulfills other foreign policy goals – such as promoting social and economic progress in countries that may be able to help the U.S. solve regional and global problems. Investments in global health protect U.S. national security, including the threat posed by disease outbreaks; and those investments also serve as a tool of public diplomacy, boosting the U.S. image in the eyes of people who receive health care they might otherwise go without.

The Obama administration’s GHI will develop data-tracking systems to measure the efficacy of U.S. foreign health aid. Part of the $63 billion in new funding will go toward developing ways to test and evaluate existing global health programs to determine which ones are effective and which are not.

Clinton said these initiatives would take U.S. aid programs “to the next level” by making them more efficient and effective and less reliant on foreign workers.

“We’re shifting our focus from solving problems one at a time to serving people by considering more fully the circumstances of their lives and ensuring they can get the care they need most over the course of their lifetimes,” she said.

Family planning

Clinton highlighted the expansion of family planning services, saying that the administration would pressure other countries to reform child marriage laws and would also work to expand access to contraceptives and family planning education.

According to the government’s fact sheet, one of GHI’s goals is to “prevent 54 million unintended pregnancies by meeting unmet need for modern contraception.”

Clinton said family planning – including pregnancy prevention – not only will improve women’s health but also will reduce the poverty that often afflicts large families in poorer countries. She said women must be given more control over when they become pregnant.

“We are scaling up our work in family planning and maternal and child health, areas in which the United States can and must lead,” Clinton said. She noted “Every year, hundreds of thousands of women die from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth – nearly all of them in the developing world.”

“Family planning represents one of the most cost effective public health interventions available in the world today. It prevents both maternal and child deaths by helping women space their births and bear children during their healthiest years and it reduces the deaths of women from unsafe abortions.”

Clinton said that GHI will be “making up for lost time” in funding family planning services – boosting existing programs whose funding has diminished in recent years.

Clinton also said the administration was “moving beyond” the ABC (Abstinence, Be faithful, Correct contraceptive use) anti-AIDS approach adopted during the Bush years to an “A to Z approach to [HIV] prevention” that includes measures such as “male circumcision [and] the prevention of mother-to-child transmission” as well as better HIV screening and education.

The administration’s Global Health Initiative also will address lesser known tropical diseases such as guinea worm as well as increase funding for child nutrition programs and malaria and tuberculosis treatment and prevention.

Three generations

2010-08-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

RHINEBECK, NY - JULY 31: In this handout image provided by Barbara Kinney, (L-R) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, her mother Dorothy Rodham and Chelsea Clinton pose during the wedding of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky at the Astor Courts Estate on July 31, 2010 in Rhinebeck, New York. Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, married Marc Mezvinsky today in an interfaith ceremony at the estate built by John Jacob Astor on the Hudson River about two hours north of New York City.

Congratulations to the Clinton Family!

2010-08-01T00:36:00.000-07:00

It's no state secret anymore: Chelsea Clinton is a married woman.

The former First Daughter, resplendent in a strapless white Vera Wang gown before a star-studded crowd, exchanged vows with longtime beau Marc Mezvinsky at a lavish wedding on a gorgeous summer evening.

"We watched with great pride and overwhelming emotion as Chelsea and Marc wed in a beautiful ceremony ... surrounded by family and their close friends," said Chelsea's parents, former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Clinton, in a statement announcing the marriage.

"We could not have asked for a more perfect day to celebrate the beginning of their life together, and we are so happy to welcome Marc into our family."

Bright sunshine and tight security greeted the 500 A-list guests at the year's most exclusive wedding, held on a 50-acre estate overlooking the Hudson River.

The site was sealed off from the public, but the family released wedding photos late last night.

One shows the newly slimmed-down former President in a dark suit and tie, escorting his daughter arm in arm down the aisle as row after row of relatives and friends look on.

Chelsea's billowing, floor-length gown had silver beading around the waist and she carried a bouquet of white flowers. Her mother wore a fuchsia Oscar de la Renta dress.

The groom wore a black tuxedo, white prayer shawl and yarmulke. A horseshoe of white roses decorated the gazebo where the couple exchanged vows.

The storybook wedding was conducted by a rabbi and a minister - Chelsea is Methodist and Mezvinsky is Jewish - and included the reading of a poem titled "The Life That I Have," the family said.

The poem, by Leo Marks, begins:

The life that I have

Is all that I have

And the life that I have

Is yours.

Actor Ted Danson and his Oscar-winning wife, Mary Steenburgen, dress designer Wang and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright were among those joining the Clintons at the nuptials for their only child.

"I'm sure Bill will be crying," predicted Danson, a longtime friend of the Clintons, after driving to tiny but tony Rhinebeck for the gala affair.

Chelsea's uncle Roger Clinton sidestepped questions about whether his brother teared up during the ceremony, only saying it was touching.

"It was a very emotional moment between a mother, daughter, and a father. Hillary was very emotional," Roger Clinton said.

Other rumored guests for the big day included Clinton pals Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Barbra Streisand.

Security was hyper-tight as the former White House preteen - long used to life in the spotlight - was wed with nary a reporter, news photographer or network camera crew in sight. Security measures for the elegant ceremony at sprawling Astor Courts included the Secret Service, state police cruising for paparazzi on the Hudson, road closings and a no-fly zone over Rhinebeck.

Mezvinsky, 32, got a wedding day shave from a local barber to remove several days of stubble. After 25 minutes with a steaming towel and some hot lather, he was good to go.

"He didn't seem nervous," said Peter Morfea, owner of Iconic Hair. "Marc seemed like a regular nice person. He seemed chill."

Steenburgen, an Arkansas native and friend of the Clintons since Bill's days as governor, said she was thrilled for the newlyweds.

"I've known her since she was a little girl," Steenburgen said of Chelsea. "She's a beautiful girl, and he's a wonderful guy."

Other early arrivals included close Clinton adviser Vernon Jordan and entertainment impresario Steve Bing - a major Democratic Party donor.

Source

CROWLEY: The other Clinton 'Comeback Kid'

2010-07-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

On March 1, 2009,
this panel appeared in
The Washington Times
as part of Alex Hunter's
"The Big Picture."

As Democrats continue to attack and blame each other for their poor poll position heading into November's elections, there is one dog that hasn't barked: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

One year ago today, I wrote about her in these pages:

"As Mr. Obama grows increasingly vulnerable, his poll numbers slide, the economy worsens, and our enemies take advantage of his weakness, she will take notes, keep a record, and then run against him [in 2012]."

I was the first to pose that theory last year, and a lot of people scoffed. Now, many folks are picking it up.

The conditions I mentioned for a possible Hillary run have been bourne out. President Obama's job approval numbers - on everything from his handling of the economy to his administration's lawsuit against Arizona - are tanking. Polls routinely show that majorities of voters oppose his signature legislation, from Obamacare to the stimulus to financial regulatory reform. As a result, his party is gathered in a circular firing squad. Meanwhile, the economy is still shaky, while spending, unemployment, the deficit and debt, the southern border, the Gulf oil disaster and Afghanistan are out of control.

Mrs. Clinton is watching this with a keen eye. Her ambition to be president has not evaporated. She knows she'll be too old to run again in 2016, so she's starting to move now. Consider just some of the evidence:

In most polls, Hillary has a 10- to 25-point favorability edge over Mr. Obama, and some show that voters now believe she's more qualified to be president than he is.

Mrs. Clinton cleverly kept her name out of the Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal debacle, even though her State Department people - ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry and special envoy Richard Holbrooke - were deeply engaged in the infighting.

She also deftly stayed quiet during the debate over Obamacare, sensing the public's rejection of it.

Clinton loyalist James Carville has blasted Team Obama for its mishandling of the Gulf oil spill and just released a poll showing that 55 percent of Americans think Mr. Obama is a socialist.

Mrs. Clinton herself took a swipe at Mr. Obama recently, saying that foreign leaders are complaining to her that the U.S. economy is "in a ditch."

Her political team stays close as they run a foundation, No Limits, dedicated to burnishing her image, supporting her policy interests and maintaining her huge databases of political contacts.

And then there's her husband. Former President Bill Clinton has started to go rogue, endorsing Democratic candidates not preferred by the White House and offering very public - and contrary - advice on the oil spill.

Here's the key to a 2012 Hillary run:

Mrs. Clinton knows that a lot of voters have buyer's remorse about having chosen Mr. Obama. They regret dissing her for him, and they'll want to make it up to her. She'll exploit that brilliantly by creating the illusion that she's the more responsible choice. She'll position herself as the adult who can fix Mr. Obama's messes. Her unsubtle message will be: "You had your fun on the Obama joyride, and now Mama is here to take the keys."

She'll offer herself as the safe harbor for disillusioned Democrats and others. The murmurs have already begun: "Hillary wouldn't have been as bad as he is." And notice: She's neither discouraged that sentiment nor credibly denied that she's running.

Of course, she believes in bigger government, socialized medicine and higher taxes, just as Mr. Obama does, which is why you need to know now how she's going to run the game.

In 2008, Mr. Obama fooled legions of voters into thinking he was a moderate who would govern as a centrist. She'll fool them again with the same faux "centrist" scam. After all, she's described herself as a proud "modern progressive" who's just as far left as he is. But she's letting him get attacked as a socialist so she can look like she's riding to the rescue. And for those who think she can't win the primary without the black vote, recall that she beat Mr. Obama in late 2008 primaries by 30-40 points. She can build a different, winning coalition - all by fooling voters that she's moderate, just as they were fooled by Mr. Obama.

She has one other big weapon in her comeback arsenal. She knows that a woman has the best chance to replace the first black president. As Shelby Steele, the author of "White Guilt," says, many Obama voters didn't actually want this kind of radical, big-government change. Rather, they simply wanted to document the change toward race that had already happened over the past five decades. For them, Mr. Obama was elected as much as a feel-good cultural figure as a political one.

Mrs. Clinton can play the same card on gender. Like Mr. Obama, she will peddle "change," but this time, many voters may want to document that we have risen above gender inequality. She will cast herself as another "first" about whom those same voters can get excited. And by subliminally reminding people of the budget surpluses and relative peace and prosperity of the Clinton years, she'll offer a no-regrets alternative to independents who might otherwise lean Republican.

This is how Mrs. Clinton will run the table, starting after the midterm elections. Mr. Obama has tried appeasing the Clintons with big jobs, campaign trail gigs and White House confabs. He - like the rest of us - should heed Winston Churchill's warning: "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."

Monica Crowley is a nationally syndicated radio host, a panelist on "The McLaughlin Group" and a Fox News contributor.

Comic: Hillary on Monday, July 19, 2010.

2010-07-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

Opinion: Clinton vs. Palin in 2012? Stranger things have happened

2010-07-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

With Democrats headed for a man-made disaster in November and the Obama presidency increasingly looking like a quagmired domestic-contingency operation, speculation about Hillary Clinton running for president in 2012 is on the rise. We know Secretary Clinton has a strong desire to be the president, but will she step down as Secretary of State and challenge Barack Obama, the first African-American president and a fellow Democrat? And if she won her party’s nomination what are her prospects for winning the general election?

The conventional wisdom is that if President Obama begins governing more from the center after losses in the 2010 elections and gets his approval rating up around 50 percent, Secretary Clinton is unlikely to challenge him. If Obama’s approval ratings continue to tank, and he looks more like Jimmy Carter than Bill Clinton, there is a good chance Clinton will challenge Obama as Ted Kennedy challenged an unpopular Carter in 1980. Kennedy, of course, failed to capture the nomination because Chappaquiddick and other issues got in the way; and Clinton is by no means a shoo-in for the nomination in 2012 regardless of Obama’s poll numbers.

Let’s assume, however, for the sake of argument, that Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination in 2012—without the majority of African-American voters that are unlikely to abandon Obama. Could she assemble a winning coalition in November, and who would be the most difficult Republican to defeat?

Assembling a winning coalition following a divisive intra-party struggle in an environment where the majority of Americans are dissatisfied with the way Democrats have been governing won’t be easy. Many disaffected Democrats, especially African Americans, are likely to stay home on Election Day. Many Independents who voted for Obama in 2008, suffered buyers remorse, and believe the country has shifted too far to the left are likely to vote Republican.

Nevertheless, Hillary Clinton would give any Republican a run for their money and indeed could win the 2012 election under the right circumstances. She’s an experienced campaigner, she has a deep reservoir of talented Democratic political operatives she can call on, and she knows every trick in the Democrats’ playbook.

Much, then, will depend on which Republican Clinton is up against. Right now the top four prospects for the Republican nomination are Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Mike Huckabee, and Sarah Palin. A recent poll by Public Policy Polling matched them up against Barack Obama in a 2012 race. “He trails Mitt Romney 46-43, Mike Huckabee 47-45, Newt Gingrich 46-45, and is even tied with Sarah Palin at 46 . . .”

What’s noteworthy about this poll is not that three out of four Republicans beat Obama in these hypothetical matchups, but that Sarah Palin tied him. It’s Palin that Democrats and some Republicans have written off as the least likely Republican to win the 2012 election. The results of this and other polls belie that. Increasingly, she’s looking more like a viable candidate. As I wrote back in February, Sarah Palin’s presidential prospects are not as bad as some would lead you to believe—a judgment others now are coming to.

So how would these four Republicans stack up against Hillary Clinton? Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until someone runs a poll to find out. It’s the matchup between Clinton and Palin, however, which would be the most interesting. Not only would we have two women vying to become the first female President of the United States, making it a foregone conclusion, but, contrary to what many pundits believe, it’s Palin that could be the most difficult for Clinton to defeat.

Clinton’s strategy—or Obama’s for that matter—running against Romney, Gingrich, or Huckabee is to portray them as the same old white-male establishment Republicans the party has been offering up for decades, that they represent the past, not the future, and the failed policies of the George W. Bush administration. In 2008 Obama used that approach effectively against John McCain, and Clinton can use it effectively against them.

Women voters will play an important role in the 2012 with or without a woman on the ballot. Concerns about the economy, health care reform, and other pocketbook issues have them very concerned. More so than in past years, it is women that could cast the deciding votes.

Because the majority of women traditionally vote Democratic, that gives Hillary the advantage with women if she’s running against a middle-aged white-male Republican. If Sarah Palin topped the Republican ticket, however, that calculus doesn’t necessarily hold. The ranks of conservative women are growing, they make up a majority of Tea Party supporters, and many Independent and some Democratic women are drawn to Palin.

Past polling on women’s attitudes toward Clinton or Palin doesn’t necessarily predict how they might vote in 2012 if these two women were on the ballot. Voters won’t view Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin through the same lenses they viewed them through in 2008. Liberalism’s excesses and failures during Obama’s term will have diminished the value of the liberal “Hillary” brand, and the left’s attempt to portray Sarah Palin as dumb and uninformed will have been exposed, as it largely has been already, for what it is—fear of Palin’s appeal.

2012 is still geological ages away in political terms as the cliché goes, but the possibility of a Clinton-Palin contest is not far fetched. Both women are major political forces in their respective parties, and both have their eyes on the Oval Office. Stranger things have happened in American politics.

Ed Ross is the President and Chief Executive Officer of EWRoss International LLC, a company that provides global consulting services to clients in the international defense marketplace. He publishes commentary at EWRoss.com.

Hillary Clinton in Pakistan

2010-07-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton in a classic black pantsuit.
She wears pearl earrings with matching chain and
has an incredible hairdo. Very presidential.

ISLAMABAD — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Sunday called for "additional steps" from Pakistan against terrorism, ahead of talks aimed at bolstering ties and securing firmer support for the Afghan war.

The US top diplomat flew into Islamabad for evening talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari.

"There are still additional steps that we are asking and expecting the Pakistanis to take," she told the BBC after her arrival.

Clinton noted that Washington and Islamabad had "increased our cooperation, deepened our relationship, when it comes to fighting terrorism."

"But there is no doubt in anyone?s mind that should an attack against the United States be traced to be Pakistani it would have a very devastating impact on our relationship," she added.

Clinton is due to hold meetings on Monday with high-level political and military figures to further a "strategic dialogue", and announce details of a huge aid deal aimed at chipping away at anti-American sentiment in Pakistan.

The package will focus on water, energy and health projects, a senior US official said, part of a five-year 7.5-billion-dollar funding approved by the US Congress last year.

Clinton's visit comes ahead of her trip to Afghanistan on Tuesday for a major international donors conference, and as Washington continues to push Islamabad for further steps to rid its western border of Islamist militants.

The United States has long voiced concern that elements of Pakistan's powerful military and intelligence service were supporting Taliban insurgents, despite the government's public anti-terror stance.

But a government adviser travelling with Clinton, Vali Nasr, said a renewed and deeper engagement between the two countries had yielded greater trust on shared security issues.

President Barack Obama's administration has promised to engage more deeply with Pakistan, which has long seen Washington as interested only in securing its military cooperation in the fight against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will meet Clinton on Monday to reconvene the strategic dialogue started during his visit to Washington in March.

Since then 13 working groups covering topics ranging from development to defence have been set up to find areas for possible cooperation, and their progress will be reviewed by Clinton and Qureshi.

The US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke said the dialogue was delivering important changes to the US-Pakistan relationship.

"The evolution of the strategic dialogue and the fact that we're delivering is producing a change in Pakistani attitude, first in the government, and gradually, more slowly in the public opinion," Holbrooke said.

"This change is of strategic importance because it's enabling us to get to move forward on our additional efforts on counterterrorism and in terms of working together in the tribal areas."

In a statement from his ministry, Qureshi said Clinton's visit "would help give further impetus to the Pakistan-US partnership" and welcomed US engagement in development projects.

A senior US official speaking on condition of anonymity said closer ties with Pakistan's powerful army chief General Ashfaq Kayani were helping in the struggle against the militant Haqqani network, one of the toughest foes faced by foreign forces in Afghanistan.

"The amount of engagement we have with General Kayani... is unprecedented. We feel that we're making some slow but steady forward movement (on Haqqani)," the official said.

On Sunday NATO said it had intercepted a letter from fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar -- believed by the alliance to be hiding in Pakistan -- in which he called for any Afghan supporting their country's government to be captured or killed.

Clinton lauded talks in March as a "new day" for relations between the United States and Pakistan, which floundered in the wake of the Cold War as the Western superpower distanced itself until the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Pakistan and the United States had been allies throughout the Cold War years as both helped arm Islamic insurgents who ousted Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1989.

Why should Hillary challenge President Obama in the 2012 Presidential Election?

2010-07-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Let's have some Music and Fun. It's summer 2010!!

2010-07-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Have a sunny summer holiday 2010!

Tifom

Top Ten Signs that Hillary Clinton May Challenge President Obama in the 2012 Presidential Election

2010-07-16T01:21:00.000-07:00

Recently, the Wall Street Journal ran an article which speculated that Hillary Clinton made B president Obama's 2012 running mate, based on the fact that her poll numbers have remained favorable while president Obama's numbers are down. However, could a deeper plot be in the mix? Aides working for the current secretary of state, speaking on the condition of anonymity, has said that Hillary still has her eyes on the oval office and may plan on challenging President Obama for the 2012 democratic presidential nomination. Listed below are ten supporting facts for a a Hillary 2012 presidential campaign.

1. Her 2012 presidential campaign staff recently ordered over 100,000 Hillary-Biden 2012 bumper stickers. The Secretary of State herself dismissed the order as nothing more than something done for "novelty" and added that they would be handed out at White House dinners as " mere party favors."

2. Supposedly, while President Obama was on vacation in Hawaii, her team of advisers measured the oval office for new curtains, and took pictures to help them supposedly decide on a new color scheme for the famous room should she be elected president.

3. Supposedly when she travels abroad in her official capacity as Secretary of State, she has the traditional "Hail to the Chief" presidential band song played for her when she arrives.

4. Her new pet cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, apparently has already begun writing his book about his life as "First Cat" in the White House.

5. Recently, behind closed doors, she has asked whether it would be possible for her to serve as President if she was also nominated to the Supreme Court by President Obama. Constitutional scholars say that although nothing would legally prevent her from doing so, it probably wouldn't look good to the public.

6. President Clinton told media following him on an expedition to the North Pole that he would rather be called the "First Stud" than the "First Dude," in the event that his wife becomes elected president.

7. Vice President Joe Biden apparently submitted his resume to Hillary Clinton's staff months ago in anticipation that she might run for either president, or "Emperor of the United Nations."

8. Although her official government airplane, provided to the Secretary of State free of charge, does not have an official name, she insists that her staff in the State Department refer to it as "Hillary Force One."

9. Her staff have conducted secret phone polls asking respondents if they would favor, "Four more years of President's Obama's misguised leadership, or a brand new and exciting Hillary Clinton presidency?"

10. Although she has no constitutional authority to do so, she has repeatedly asked President Obama that she be allowed to carry around with her a briefcase with a copy of the nuclear launch codes, often called the "football", just "in case there is a military coup." The President has so far declined to do so.

For the top ten surprises in the financial reform bill, click here.

Sources: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704518904575365482705270718.html?mod=googlenews_wsj if

Move Over Sarah, The ‘Hillary For President’ Drumbeat Has Begun

2010-07-16T00:10:00.000-07:00

The rehabilitation of Hillary Clinton has been interesting to watch, and will likely get more so if this is any indication. An op-ed in today’s Wall St. Journal by Pete DuPont is making the case that Hillary Clinton could launch a formidable campaign against incumbent President Barack Obama in 2012.

The question of whether Hillary plans on making another White House run has been casually bandied about since her hard fought 2008 campaign against Obama, but this is the first time I can recall seeing it in a serious publication…though I strongly suspect it will not be the last. The speculation this time around comes as a direct result of Obama’s plunging poll numbers (Hillary, by contrast, rates 45% favorable and only 35% unfavorable) and the approaching mid-terms, which even Press Sec. Robert Gibbs is none too optimistic about. Neither of these things, of course, are remotely new challenges for a incumbent president to face — Bill Clinton in 1994 is obviously the first example to spring to mind. What is new, however, is the wave of euphoria that Obama swept into office on, making this plunge all the more dramatic. But also: Sarah Palin.

First, here are the reasons DuPont thinks Hillary would be a good choice for the Dems:

She is one of the most experienced prospective candidates the Democratic Party has had in a long while: wife of a governor, U.S. first lady [nice that these attributes are now considered boons], senator and now secretary of state. This is a good record to run on as someone who knows how the government works.

Fourth, she is an experienced foreign-policy adviser who understands the threats to our national security: unresolved conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, rising threats of nuclear capability in Iran and North Korea, and uncertainties in Pakistan.

Fifth, experience will be even more important to voters in the 2012 presidential election, whose 2008 gamble on someone with little experience is proving costly.

All good strong, reasons, and ones that are notably lacking on the GOP side. Ironically, what DuPont neglects to include is the fact that Hillary’s a woman could also be a huge selling point, particularly now that Sarah Palin has been banging the Mama Grizzly drum so consistently.

It’s not a secret that Palin of late has been ingeniously cashing in on those 18 million cracks in the ceiling Hillary so notably inspired in 2008. In fact, lest we forget, in the beginning that was Palin’s reason for being: to allow the McCain campaign to capitalize on all those women votes. In the interim however she’s built (in ways no one could have anticipated) enough national clout to be widely considered the GOP’s strongest candidate for Oval Office, which may say as much about the roster of GOP candidates as it says about Palin — who I am still not convinced actually wants to be president — but nevertheless she’s a force to be reckoned with. Likely absolutely nothing could take the wind out of those sails faster or more permanently than Hillary Clinton. A hypothetical I imagine the media is going to harp on in the next few months: could there be a greater gift to the calbers and blogosphere than a Clinton vs Palin election year?

Mind you, there’s also the question of whether Hillary Clinton wants to be president still, or would consider launching a campaign against an incumbent from her own party (the last person to seriously do so was Pat Buchanan in 1992); one imagines Obama’s poll numbers would have to be rock bottom to justify such a decision. And even then it would be tough.

Of course, it’s still early and plenty could happen in the next 12 months that would entirely change the national political stage: the hole could be plugged, the economy could rebound. That said, the media started beating the Obama drum shortly before the 2006 midterms so perhaps it’s not that early at all, if the 2008 political season is anything to go by — and granted Bush was not an incumbent — the presidential debates should begin sometime next April.

Buttons for President: Hillary Clinton 2012

2010-07-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

Source: www.zazzle.com

We all ask ourselves one question: Will Hillary Clinton run in 2012? There are many opinions that are usual advantages and disadvantages of old stories warmed up again. But Hillaryland has changed, and there is much new and good things about Hillary Clinton to report.

Three key points I would like to mention: First, Hillary's incredible campaign on 2008, second, the difficult and tough transition to the administration of Barack Obama and the third, her brilliant performance as Secretary of State.

Why should the American people of the United States does not choose such a woman as President of the United States in 2012?

Takes the opportunity in 2012 - There is only one Hillary Clinton!

Jake Betz: Assessing what's next for Hillary Clinton

2010-07-09T11:57:00.000-07:00

Illustration: Philip Burke

By Jake Betz: Hillary Clinton has already made history. She was the first woman to be a strong contender for the presidential nomination of a major political party, and she is the first wife of a president to earn high office in her own right.

Hillary’s loyal fans would like nothing better than for her to make one more run for the presidency, but prospects for that are unlikely. The fact is, time is against her. So is her age.

In 2012, Clinton will celebrate her 65th birthday; it’s difficult to envision a plausible scenario in which she would challenge her boss, Barack Obama, for the Democratic nomination that year. Such a race would have the potential for splitting the party for a generation, and, in the end, it would be a futile exercise. Although Obama will probably be “beatable” in the 2012 general election, he is popular enough to easily withstand a challenge in the primaries, even from the formidable Hillary. It’s been 126 years since an incumbent president (Chester A. Arthur) has been denied renomination by a party convention.

Four years later, Clinton will be 69. Although that’s not too old by historical standards (Ronald Reagan was 69 at his first election), as a practical matter, it would be a difficult sell for her. She does not have the same easy-going temperament as Reagan, and her years as Secretary of State, First Lady and keeping up with and tolerating Bill will likely have taken their toll. By then, the Democratic Party, long suffering from Clinton fatigue, will want to look at some fresh faces.

Unless a serious policy dispute develops within the Obama administration, Hillary will likely remain as Secretary of State until after the 2012 election. It is unlikely she will serve more than one term at State, since re-elected presidents traditionally like to wipe the slate clean and change the foreign policy/national defense team.

So what’s next for her? Well, there is the possibility of the vice presidency in 2013, if for some reason Obama decides to replace Joe Biden. The vice presidency would be the capstone of an impressive political career, and, again, Hillary would make history if she became the first woman to hold that office. Since, by most accounts, the Obama and Hillary seem to get along well, she would seem a logical choice, especially if Obama needs to strengthen his ties to her former supporters.

If Biden hangs on as Number Two for a second Obama term and Clinton leaves the administration in 2012, she might consider returning to the U.S. Senate. She enjoyed the job, was well-respected by her colleagues and remains popular with her former constituents in New York State. However, for her, it might be a case of “been there, done that.”

Barring any future elective or appointed offices, Hillary will still remain a force within the Democratic Party. Female candidates from coast to coast will welcome her support. She will likely inspire a new generation of young women to get involved in the political process.

Most importantly, Hillary will be revered as an elder statesman. She will receive many invitations for television interviews and major newspapers would be open to occasional op-ed columns from her on issues of national and international significance. As a former Secretary of State, she could be a presidential troubleshooter for future administrations, a good-will ambassador, Secretary General of the United Nations or the founder of a new prestigious think tank. Of course, she will write her memoirs about her tenure as Secretary of State, and these will be a best-seller, especially if she offers any criticism of Obama.

Hillary has “invented” and “re-invented” herself many times over the past four decades, so there is no doubt that no matter what role she fashions, she will remain a significant figure in public life.

The World of Hillary Clinton

2010-07-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

Dedicated to the 67th United States Secretary of State Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947), serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. In the 2008 election, Clinton was a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Harris Poll: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is perceived as doing the best job

2010-07-08T02:16:00.000-07:00

The FINANCIAL -- Dissatisfaction with the state of the country continues to grow, as does some disenchantment with the President and Congress. Because of this, it is not surprising at all that Americans have negative opinions of how members of the Cabinet and other political leaders in Washington are performing.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is perceived as doing the best job. Just under half (45%) of Americans give her positive job ratings while one-third (35%) give her negative ones and one in five (19%) are not familiar enough with her to have an opinion. Not only does she have the highest positive ratings, Hillary Clinton is also the best known of these political figures.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,227 adults surveyed online between June 14 and 21, 2010 by Harris Interactive.

These figures are somewhat reversed for Vice President Joe Biden as 45% of Americans have a negative view of his job performance. Just one-quarter (26%) have a positive view, while three in ten (29%) are not familiar with him.

Two other Cabinet members are on this list, but neither is well-known to the American public. Over half are not familiar (56%) with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, while 23% of Americans give him positive ratings and 20% negative marks on the job he is doing. Greater numbers are unfamiliar with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner (61%), but only 10% of Americans give the job he is doing positive marks and three in ten (29%) give him negative ones.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has definitely been in the news, yet over half of Americans (55%) say they are not familiar enough with him to have an opinion. Those who do have an opinion are more negative as three in ten Americans (29%) give the job he is doing negative marks while 17% give him positive marks. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has the public split, with one in five giving him positive ratings (18%) and 19% giving him negative ratings; however; almost two-thirds (64%) are not familiar with him.

Looking at Congress, half of Americans (49%) give Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi negative ratings while just one in five (20%) give her positive marks and 31% are not familiar with her. The political parties in Congress do the worst as over half of U.S. adults give both Democrats (54%) and Republicans (52%) negative overall job ratings. One in ten (11%) give Republicans positive ratings and 14% give Democrats positive ratings.

So what?

There seems to be enough disenchantment to spread around the political environs. People are unhappy, they need someone to blame and those in power are the ones feeling the heat at the moment. How this translates at the ballot boxes in November is still unknown. The next four months should be interesting to watch as politicians scramble for their political lives. There might be one bright spot for Republicans and Democrats in Congress - they are both at such low points in job approval, there might not be any place to go but up.

Clinton Sends Argentina Independence Day Wishes

2010-07-08T01:47:00.000-07:00

By Hillary Rodham Clinton
U.S. Secretary of State

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Argentina as you commemorate your Independence Day on July 9th.

As Argentines gather with friends and family to celebrate in Tucuman and all around the country, you can be proud of all your country has accomplished. The United States joins them in honoring Argentina’s spirit of freedom, diversity, justice and respect for human rights.

Our countries have enjoyed 200 years of common interests and shared values, and we are partners in a wide array of key issues.

We wish Argentina a happy July 9th, and we look forward to furthering our strong bilateral relationship in the years to come.

Happy Independence Day!

2010-07-04T00:19:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton arrives in Ukraine

2010-07-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

KIEV — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived early Friday in Ukraine, first leg of a trip which is due to take her also to Poland and the Caucasus.

This is Clinton's first visit to Kiev since the February poll win of President Viktor Yanukovych who had reversed the pro-Western stance of his predecessor Viktor Yushchenko.

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Washington wants to "go beyond the notion" that central European countries "need to choose whether they're going to be pro-Russian or pro-American," Phil Gordon, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, said ahead of the trip.

In Kiev Clinton is to open the US-Ukrainian Strategic Partnership Commission, which provides for increased cooperation on a range of issues including energy and trade, security and defense, and cultural exchanges.

She will meet with Yanukovych and Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, as well as members of non-governmental groups and independent media leaders, said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.

On Saturday she is due to depart for Krakow in Poland and then wrap up her voyage in the Caucasus, with stops in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia before returning Tuesday to Washington.

Meet the new President of Germany: Christian Wulff

2010-06-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

On 30 June 2010, the Federal Convention elected Christian Wulff the tenth President of the Federal Republic of Germany

Christian Wulff was born in Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, on 19 June 1959. From 1978 to 1980, he was a member of the National Executive of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU). From 1979 to 1983, he was also a member of the National Executive of the Junge Union, whose Lower Saxony section he led from 1983 to 1985.

A lawyer by profession, Wulff has been a member of the CDU Executive in Lower Saxony since 1984. From 1989 to 1994, he was leader of the CDU group in Osnabrück council.

In 1994 he stood for the first time for election to Lower Saxony's Landtag and became the directly elected member for Osnabrück-West. In the same year, he became the leader of the CDU parliamentary group in the Landtag and remained in this post until 2003. From 1994 to 2008 he was also the CDU chairman in Lower Saxony.

Since 1998 Christian Wulff has been CDU Deputy Federal Chairman.

Since March 2003, he has been Minister-President of Lower Saxony.

On 30 June 2010, the Federal Convention elected him Federal President in the third ballot.

Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel won a victory Wednesday when her candidate Christian Wulff got elected to become Germany's next president in a third round of a closely watched decision.

Wulff secured 625 of the 1,242 votes cast in the third, final ballot, where a simple majority was sufficient. His main opponent, Joachim Gauck, won 494 votes.

The need for a third ballot was an embarrassment to the German leader because her candidate for the largely ceremonial post hadn't managed to secure an absolute majority in Germany's 1,244-member assembly in the previous ballots despite the coalition parties' solid majority. However, the fact that Wulff finally secured an absolute majority will be a relief for the chancellor.

Although it's not the first time that three rounds were necessary, the vote has been seen as a test vote for Merkel after a series of political setbacks.

"This is a defeat for Merkel, that's obvious," said Wichard Woyke, professor for political science at the university of Muenster. It's a blow to her and the center-right coalition parties because Wulff had been their joint candidate.

"The aim was to get a fresh start for the coalition thanks to a clear success for Wulff in the first ballot to help make forget the disappointing first eight months of the government," Woyke said. "But there is now little chance for this. There will be more mistrust in the coalition. The result of the three votes will make the governing of the coalition more difficult."

More about Christian Wulff:

Wikipedia

Homepage of the elected Federal President

Fun & Art: The Presidential Ham

2010-06-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Click the picture to see more Presidents with a ham

The artist been talking about painting all the U.S. Presidents holding hams for a couple years now. He decided to do it this year 2010, finally. The portraits are oil on prepared board and approximately 11″x13″.

The Presidents will debut the month of February 2011 (in celebration of President’s Day) at the Basil Hallward Gallery at Powells City of Books in Portland, OR.

Prints, postcards, t-shirts, zines, and coloring books will be available soon, so check back or follow on twitter, flickr, facebook, or join the mailing list for notifications.

About the artist: bijijoo is a biophysicist, patent agent, oil painter in Portland, Oregon. Current favorite color: pink. Homepage is here: bijijoo.com

Just stop with the Hillary-Obama 2012 talk

2010-06-25T23:54:00.000-07:00

The other day, I wrote that Barack Obama's shaky second-year poll numbers -- his approval rating is now somewhere in the mid-40s -- have been inevitable since he took office and don't really mean anything. The same can be said of the ridiculous chatter we're now hearing about Hillary Clinton challenging Obama in the 2012 Democratic primaries.

Yes, it sort of makes sense at this moment: Obama's numbers are down, his party is facing losses in November, some '12 GOP prospects are running competitively with him in polls, and Clinton's popularity as secretary of state is high. But we've seen this basic dynamic before with two recent presidents.

When his party suffered sweeping defeats in the 1994 midterms, Bill Clinton was, the press and members of his own party agreed, a certain one-termer. He'd either be challenged in the 1996 Democratic primaries or he'd step aside and allow an open race to replace him as the party's standard-bearer. "I don't know a single Democrat in elected office who doesn't desperately want to see Clinton off the ticket," one prominent Democrat declared that December.

For the record, the following individuals were touted (or even touted themselves) as potential Clinton challengers in the '96 primaries: Paul Tsongas, Robert Casey, Bob Kerrey, Bill Bradley and Jesse Jackson. (Those were only the most frequently mentioned.) In January '95, Bradley openly flirted with jumping in: "I think that people are going to look at the president in the next six to nine months and they're going to make an assessment as to whether they believe he can do the job."

Clinton, of course, ended up coasting to renomination without opposition (unless you count the customary Lyndon LaRouche campaign) and then breezed past Bob Dole in one of the least eventful and suspenseful general elections ever.

The story was similar with Ronald Reagan. After his party was drubbed in the 1982 midterms, he faced calls from the right to step aside for 1984 -- or face a primary challenge. "I would think the conservative cause and the Republican Party would be better served if the president doesn't run for reelection," the direct mail pioneer Richard Viguerie said at the time.

There was chatter that Jesse Helms, Jack Kemp or William Armstrong (a conservative Colorado senator) might be coaxed into running to Reagan's right in the '84 primaries. (Yes, it's hard to believe today, but there was a time when conservatives saw The Gipper as a sellout.) At the same time, Bob Packwood, then a liberal Republican senator (whose rampant sexual harassment of staffers hadn't yet been revealed) took a trip to New Hampshire, stoking talk that he'd run against Reagan on the left.

But nothing ever materialized. By mid-1983, the economy showed signs of recovery, Reagan began recovering his popularity, and his party closed ranks behind him. Today, it's laughable to imagine a Bob Packwood-Ronald Reagan 1984 primary campaign.

Hillary, it should be noted, is hardly the first Democrat who's been touted as a primary challenger for Obama. Howard Dean got this same treatment a few months ago. And when he decided to leave the Senate, it was Evan Bayh's turn.

Other names, no doubt, will be advanced. It's a very easy game to play: As long as Obama's poll numbers are down, you can throw the name of just about any reasonably prominent and ambitious Democrat into the 2012 mix and speculate about why he or she might be attractive to Obama-wary Democrats. Why not Mark Warner? He's got business savvy (a job creator!), executive experience (I bet he'd know how to plug that leak!), and he hails from a swing state (Virginia) that the GOP won resoundingly in last fall's gubernatorial race. So will Mark Warner challenge Obama in 2012? And so on.

This speculation, of course, is rooted in the assumption that Obama will look the same in late 2011 as he does today. But, as the Clinton and Reagan examples show, the national mood can shift dramatically in that time. If the economy improves -- and there are fresh signs that it is doing just that -- and if Afghanistan doesn't become an Iraq-like burden for him, Obama will look much, much different to most Americans at this time next year. And then we'll all ask: "Who was the moron who said Hillary would run against him?"

To be fair, primary challenges against sitting presidents aren't unheard of. But they're much tougher to conceive of now, with both parties more ideologically cohesive than ever. In 1976, when the GOP was still heavily populated with moderates and liberals, a full-fledged civil war between Reagan's right-wing flock and Gerald Ford's establishment army ensued. They nearly fought to a draw, with Ford barely prevailing at the convention.

On the Democratic side in 1980, Ted Kennedy was able to rally liberals and organized labor and mount a serious challenge to Jimmy Carter's "conservative" economic policies. In 1992, Pat Buchanan had more limited success in opposing George H.W. Bush, a holdover from the Rockefeller era who had unconvincingly fashioned himself as a Reaganite in the 1980s.

But those kinds of sharp divides don't exist nearly as much anymore, particularly on the Democratic side. The Clinton-Obama fight in 2008 had a lot more to do with personality and leadership style than with ideology and any big issues. (Yes, there was Iraq, but by '08 they were essentially in agreement.) And while Obama's incremental style has irked many on the left, he remains broadly popular with his party's base. In the run-up to '80, the Democratic Party was itching for an internal fight. That's just not the case right now.

By Steve Kornacki

Salon.com

Poll: Hillary Clinton Better Qualified Than Obama to Be President

2010-06-25T23:42:00.000-07:00

Now they tell us!! A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows more Americans believe that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is better qualified to be president than President Barack Obama.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 57% of voters feel Clinton is qualified to be president, but 34% disagree and say she is not. As for President Obama, 51% say he is fit for the job. However, 44% say he is not qualified to be president, even though he has now served 17 months in the job.

Yes, I am one of those diehards who still believes she would have been the much better choice for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. It only took the American public two years to catch up with me. I still believe sexism is much more alive and well than racism in this great nation, and that is why he won the nomination and she did not.

That said, she is now in a job where she does not have to make the hard decisions that presidents must make, and that probably accounts for her popularity with voters more than anything else.

The interesting part about Secretary Clinton’s new popularity is that it is creating a storm of online gossip, discussion, innuendo, and even suggestions by commentators that Secretary Clinton ought to play a different or bigger role in a second Obama administration, including displacing Vice President Joe Biden.

Clinton has already said she does not think she will be part of a second administration and being vice president would seem to me to be sort of a comedown for her if she did give up the State Department job. She would control less of a portfolio and therefore runs the risk of becoming a sort of comic sidekick to President Obama, the way Vice President Biden has sadly become.

Opinion Brief: Will Hillary challenge Obama in 2012?

2010-06-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Conservatives are speculating that Hillary Clinton might mount a White House run against her "snakebit" boss. Are they onto something?

Best Opinion: RedState, Daily Beast, Wall St. Journal

The epic battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination ended two years ago, but the "Clinton-Obama intrigue" is far from over. There has been a sudden burst in speculation that now-Secretary of State Clinton may run on the Democrats' presidential ticket in 2012. Socialite and journalist Sally Quinn says in an online column for The Washington Post that Clinton could replace Vice President Joe Biden as Obama's running mate. But some conservatives are starting to speculate that Hillary might challenge Obama for the Democratic nomination in 2012. Is either scenario plausible?

It could happen — Obama is vulnerable: President Obama has "disappointed his base," says Ben Domenech at RedState, "on health care, on Gitmo, on Afghanistan, on security policy," on Don't Ask Don't Tell. The price for that could be a challenge to his reelection bid. It might be from someone to the left of Hillary Clinton, although her strong points — "competence, foreign policy acumen," and "vindication on the spoiled promises of hope and change" — would be especially appealing to disgruntled liberals. "Could Hillary return in 2012?"
This is just Republican "wishful thinking": It's easy to understand why speculation is "rampant" among conservatives that Hillary Clinton will challenge Obama in 2012, says Peter Beinart in The Daily Beast. "Presidents who face serious primary challenges — Ford, Carter, Bush I — almost always lose." But there is no groundswell of liberal dissatisfaction —the president's approval rating among Democrats is 84 percent — so "the chances that Obama will face a primary challenge are vanishingly slim, and the chances that he will lose re-election only slightly higher."
"Ignore the right's Hillary hype"

Clinton looks better to Democrats every day: "Sooner or later the secretary of state is going to come under fairly consistent pressure to begin to consider 2012," says Peggy Noonan in The Wall Street Journal. With President Obama "starting to look snakebit," it's only natural that Democrats would ask themselves whether they made a mistake by nominating him instead of Clinton in 2008. She probably won't do it — "she has enjoyed being loyal" — but she'll have plenty of support if she decides to go for it.
"A snakebit president"

Source: The Week

Are Democrats ready for a Clinton-Obama rematch in 2012?

2010-06-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

by Mondo Frazier

The rumors are flying that Rahm Emanuel will leave the White House after the 2010 elections. Is this a sign that Hillary Clinton will challenge Barack Obama in 2012? There are other clues that the former First Lady wants a rematch of 2008's bruising Democrat primary in 2012.

Click the Picture (left) to read all about it!

Sally Quinn Insists Clinton-Biden Switcheroo Talk Is Very Real

2010-06-20T00:24:00.000-07:00

In the Washington Post today, writer Sally Quinn argues that Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden should switch jobs before the 2012 presidential race. Despite being derided on Gawker and the Huffington Post, the theory has a certain logic to it, in a political sense. Freed from her nonpartisan post, Hillary could be a boon to President Obama's reelection campaign. Surely she would be a greater draw to the ticket than Biden, who was primarily picked in 2008 because he had 400 years of experience under his belt — and by 2012, Obama himself will have had four years of the best experience of all. Plus, if Clinton does still harbor dreams of the White House, this would set her up nicely for 2016. As for Biden, secretary of State is supposedly his "dream job." Making the suggestion more intriguing is that, according to the story as it was initially posted online, "this plan is being discussed in administration circles."

But the line, which was the only thing in the article pointing to the job swap being something actually under consideration and not just a personal fantasy of Quinn's, was missing from the print version today, and then was removed from the online version. We wondered if this indicated that Quinn, or her editors, weren't confident that "administration circles" (whatever that means) were actually discussing the idea. This would would make it all much less exciting.

On the contrary, though, Post communications director Kris Coratti tells us that, "Upon further review of the article, editors chose to remove that line because we were not going to name Sally's sources," and without attributing the information to someone, they didn't feel comfortable with it in the piece. Quinn herself confirms that, whether or not the line is in there, the ol' Clinton-Biden switch is indeed under consideration by "administration circles." "It is. I'm going to say on television that it is being discussed — which is how I found out about it," she tells us. "But they just felt that since I didn't want to reveal my sources that they would just leave it out." Does she mind that the line was removed, seeing as how its absence detracts from the legitimacy of her theory? "It doesn't matter to me one way or the other," she says.

By: Dan Amira

Hillary Clinton should be Obama's vice president! Really.

2010-06-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

It makes sense for the Democrats, actually. Clinton has done an incredible job as secretary of state.

First of all, she has worked harder than anyone should ever be expected to. She has managed to do the impossible: She is the ambassador of the United States to the world, maintaining her credibility while playing the bad guy to President Obama's good guy, such as with North Korea, Iran and Israel, and still looking good. She has been a true team player. If Clinton is dissatisfied with her role, you would never know it. She has been loyal and supportive to the president and has maintained a good relationship with him and with others in the White House. If she is being left out of the policymaking, or being sent on trips to keep her out of town, she has not shown it. She is cheerful, thoughtful, serious and diligent. There are no horror stories about her coming out of the State Department. Most notable, though, is that Bill Clinton has not been the problem that so many anticipated. He has been supportive of her and of Obama, and he has stayed out of the limelight and been discreet about his own life.

In short, the arguments against Hillary Clinton being Obama's vice president have pretty much evaporated.

So, what kind of running mate would she be? We've seen the team player. Now consider Hillary the Democratic campaigner. She is tireless and relentless. Given the combination of votes that she and Obama got in the 2008 primary campaign, they would be a near-unbeatable team. Clinton also appeals to independents, but importantly, she would neutralize the effect of Sarah Palin. Whatever Palin came up with, Hillary could best her -- and the Tea Party crowd as well. The Republicans would lose their "year of the woman" argument. And based on experience alone, Hillary is far more qualified to be president than any of the Republicans being considered today, including Mitt Romney, Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty and Palin.

Clinton is also young enough to be the Democratic nominee at the end of an Obama second term; she will be in her late 60s in 2016 but still younger than Ronald Reagan was when he was inaugurated in 1981 (just shy of 70) and younger than John McCain, who was 72 when he ran in 2008. Most important, were she vice president and Obama were for some reason not able to fulfill his term, she would be ready to step in.

True, Joe Biden has been rehabilitated. A recent profile in The Post portrayed him as a successful and intelligent man whose foreign policy advice is valued by the president. The gaffe-prone former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee seems to have worked out the kinks. Clearly, he is aware that he is no longer an independent voice but, rather, a representative of the president. But Biden has no intention of running for president in six years. His passion is foreign policy. He would have been an ideal choice for secretary of state had he not been Obama's running mate. And those who know him have said that secretary of state is his dream job.

It would not be out of the question for Clinton and Biden to switch jobs sometime after the midterm elections. After the president announced the switch, majorities in both houses of Congress would have to confirm Clinton to her new position, following the rules laid out in the 25th Amendment. She could then immediately begin campaigning for Obama for 2012, and she would also have at least two years in the White House as vice president to give her unassailable experience, clout and credibility. For his part, Biden would simply need Senate confirmation to get to work in Foggy Bottom.

Another scenario is that Obama could wait and choose Hillary as his running mate for 2012 and then have her step down as secretary of state so she could start campaigning. The catch with that plan, however, is that it would make Biden a lame duck and Obama would probably have to appoint an interim secretary of state.

Take it seriously.

Sally Quinnis a moderator, with Jon Meacham, of On Faith, an online conversation on religion at newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith.

Hillary for Defense?

2010-06-12T02:41:00.000-07:00

The biggest political surprises often hide in plain sight. President Obama might be planning one because his re-election could hinge on it. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would be at the heart of this blockbuster. Here's how and why it could happen.

Step one may come in a year or so when Defense Secretary Robert Gates retires as clouds darken over Afghanistan and possibly Iraq, and brawls erupt over cutting military spending. Mr. Gates has given Mr. Obama credibility on national security, which was why he was asked to stay at the Pentagon after the 2008 election.

But there were other reasons. While Democrats knew they lacked public trust on national security, they couldn't scrape up a plausible Democrat for the job. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a former career military man, was a candidate but reportedly declined the honor. The White House would find itself in the same pickle after Mr. Gates's departure, with no Democrat commanding the necessary bipartisan stature.

That is, no one except Hillary Clinton. Politically, no Democrat is better positioned. She has established herself as right of center or near conservative on national security. With Mr. Gates gone, Mr. Obama would need political cover, and Mrs. Clinton has the necessary hard-line standing in the country and in Congress. She'd give him more political protection for tough decisions on Afghanistan, for example, than would any other Democrat.

She also has terrific relations with the military brass, including Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and retired generals like the highly respected Army four-star Jack Keane. She knows defense issues from her days on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Senate would approve her in two days.

Her position at State could be readily filled by Chuck Hagel. The former Republican senator from Nebraska is generally aligned on foreign policy with Mr. Obama, perhaps more so than Mrs. Clinton herself. His confirmation would be easy. And removing this modest, no-fuss politician later on, if Mr. Obama wanted someone else at Foggy Bottom, would not make waves.

Why would Mrs. Clinton leave the most senior and most prestigious cabinet post for Defense? The most obvious part of the answer is because, while two women secretaries have preceded her at State, she would be the first female defense secretary. She'd like that. And as a former secretary of state and defense, she'd transform herself into something very special in American politics—the only person other than Gen. George C. Marshall to hold both posts.

As the 2012 presidential campaign approached, Mr. Obama could drop another bombshell and announce Mrs. Clinton as his vice-presidential running mate. He would wait until the last minute to see just how badly he needed her on the ticket, but the choice would have obvious advantages.

Most of the voters who'd choose Mr. Obama would do so with or without Mrs. Clinton. But her vote-getting appeal, especially among swing women voters, far exceeds Joe Biden's. A December 2009 Gallup Poll of women most admired by Americans shows Hillary Clinton besting Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Palin, Michelle Obama and Condoleezza Rice. This popularity among women is not of recent vintage; she's been No. 1 14 times since 1993. For good measure, Mrs. Clinton's job approval as secretary of state reached 77% in a Jan. 14-17 CBS News Poll.

Above all other Democrats, Hillary Clinton could help a drooping Obama win in 2012. She seems well aware of this and keeps building, even now, her political indispensability for Mr. Obama. Recently, she's been defending presidential policies not only on foreign policy, but on the economy, health care, and other matters. It's quite unusual for a secretary of state to reach beyond international issues and delve into domestic politics directly. Husband Bill Clinton also has been performing ever increasing services for the White House in places like Pennsylvania and Arkansas, where intraparty contests could weaken election prospects for Democrats necessary to maintain their majorities in Congress.

Surely, the Clintons want the White House for Hillary. And Mr. Obama may reckon that furthering her future ambitions is the best path to his own re-election. If he wins, Mrs. Clinton can run for president in 2016, when she'd be 69. And if Mr. Obama loses in 2012, she could still run for president in 2016.

To sweeten the story, if Mrs. Clinton were to become vice president in the second term, Mr. Obama almost certainly would select Joe Biden as his secretary of state. His position at State would be a fitting capstone to an impressive career in public service.

Mr. Gelb is author of "Power Rules" (HarperCollins, 2009), a former senior official at State and Defense, and president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Everyone loves Hillary Clinton

2010-06-09T00:47:00.000-07:00

There are pictures that you just think "wow". One of these images is the photo with Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa. Take a look at just how literally he takes Hillary in the arm. Not to mention his look. See a photo of genuine sympathy.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa (R) and US Secretary of State Hillary Clintongreet each other during a press conference held at the Carondolet presidential palace in Quito, June 8, 2010. Clinton arrived in Ecuador to discuss with president Rafael Correa about such topics as migration, trade and regional security.

Another photo that has attracted my attention is with a handicapped beggar. While Hillary is seen only from behind, the man in a wheelchair appears to be visibly moved. From another perspective, we see a beaming Hillary. What the man has probably said to Hillary?

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shakes hands with a handicapped beggar shortly after her arrival at the Carondelet Palace in Quito June 8, 2010.

Unfortunately, the photos make me a little sad because our German politicians are not so very charismatic. The United States can be very proud of Hillary Clinton and you should seriously consider here as the next U.S. President in 2012. She has my vote.

Everyone loves Hillary Clinton. Me too!

Have you ever searched for Official White House Photo's of Hillary Clinton on whitehouse.gov?

2010-06-06T04:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends of Hillary Clinton,

it's Sunday morning, the sun is shining, the coffee shows its effect and I look on the Internet for local, national and international news. And of course I also look for Hillary Clinton. About detours I landed on Obama's website (www.whitehous.gov) and was looking for official photos of Hillary Clinton. The result was shocking! There are only 18 official photos of Hillary on the homepage. A scandal. Surprisingly, Obama is not visible on each photo.

Here's the official White House photos of Hillary Clinton. Have fun with the pictures and enjoy the Sunday!

President Barack Obama talks with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Assistant to the President for Climate and Energy Change Carol Browner, and others during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, December 18, 2009.

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, leave the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House following a statement on the earthquake crisis in Haiti, Jan. 14, 2010.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confers with Special Assistant to the President Gary Samore, left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, N.Y., September 23, 2009. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev held a bilateral meeting at the Waldorf during the U.N. General Assembly.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton congratulates President Barack Obama on the House vote to pass health care reform, prior to a meeting in the Situation Room of the White House, March 22, 2010.

President Barack Obama talks with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, following the expanded delegation bilateral meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, April 8, 2010.

President Barack Obama announces the New START Treaty in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House, March 26, 2010. He is joined by, from left, Admiral Mike Mullen, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confers with Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes, and Deputy National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, as President Barack Obama talks with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in the Oval Office, prior to the announcement of the New START Treaty, March 26, 2010.

Jan. 23, 2009 “The President meets with his national security and intelligence team in the Situation Room of the White House for the first time.”

President Barack Obama is seen speaking with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton aboard Air Force One, on their way to Strasbourg, France, April 3, 2009. April 8, 2009.

Dec. 1, 2009 “He and the Vice President were headed for the short walk from the White House to the Eisenhower Executive Office building to brief Congressional leaders on his new Afghanistan strategy that he would publicly unveil at West Point that night. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had just pulled up in her motorcade and the Vice President congratulated her that her daughter, Chelsea, had just gotten engaged.”

First Lady Michelle Obama speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton April 1, 2009, in London.

Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus motions the U.S. delegation to sit down before their bilateral meeting.

White House and United States diplomatic staff members are seen April 2, 2009 in London, prior to a G-20 Summit bilateral meeting with the India delegation. April 8, 2009.


Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets President Hu Jintao of China President following a bilateral meeting during the Nuclear Security Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., April 12, 2010.

President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mexican President Felipe Calderón, and Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa, hold a bilateral meeting in the Private Dining Room, May 19, 2010.

President Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderón talk following their expanded bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, May 19, 2010.

Vice President Joe Biden talks to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and his wife, Kathy LaHood, before the State Dinner in the East Room of the White House, May 19, 2010. At left, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Energy Secretary Steven Chu talk with other guests.

Oops, Hillary sending a birthday message to the Queen a week early.

2010-06-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

An official statement from the US foreign policy chief paid tribute to the "Queen’s life and legacy,” despite the fact that the Monarch does not celebrate her official birthday until next weekend.

The diplomatic faux pas, sent on behalf of President Barack Obama and the American people on Friday, also celebrated the "special relationship" between the British and US governments.

"On this celebratory occasion, we pay tribute to the Queen's life and legacy and honour the special relationship between our two nations," Mrs Clinton said.

“The young princess Elizabeth helped rally her nation in the darkest days of that war, and she has remained a beacon of integrity and resolve ever since. The United States has always been grateful for her friendship and example.

“Once again, I wish Queen Elizabeth II a very happy birthday and peace and prosperity for the people of the United Kingdom in the year to come."

Mrs Clinton added that the “special relationship continues to provide a solid foundation as the United States and Britain”, which worked “side by side to meet the challenges of the 21st century”.

A spokesman for Mrs Clinton attemped to make light of the gaffe. We were a week early," Philip Crowley joked to reporters in Washington.

"As always, it is better to give a greeting a week early than a week late.”

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman added: “It was obviously a genuine mistake and there was no offence taken whatsoever”. She declined to say whether the State Department had apologised.

Although April 21 is her actual birthday, the Queen’s official birthday is celebrated on a Saturday in June, culminating with the annual Trooping the Colour parade.

This year the ceremony, also attended by other members of the Royal Family, is scheduled for next Saturday.

She had earlier celebrated her “real” birthday at Windsor Castle.

The tradition of celebrating two birthdays began under King Edward VII, who was born in November but wanted his birthday parade to take place in June so he could enjoy summer weather.

See also: The American Queen Are Welcomed At London's St James's Palace And Buckingham Palace

She's the iron fist in the velvet glove.

2010-06-03T01:31:00.000-07:00

One of my friends is a classic Republican: Hes a businessman from a Southern red state, and a Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam who earned a Silver Star for heroism at Hue. To put it mildly, he's never been a fan of Hillary Clinton. Yet he recently called to acknowledge a conversion like Paul's on the road to Damascus. He now kind of likes her.

"She's out there doing things ... she's smarter than Bill. If she was [messing] up, the far right would be all over her, and they're not coming up with anything."

He's got a point. Hillary Clinton, the once-hated first lady, appears to have hit her stride as secretary of state. The right wing, even talk radio, deems her the good member of the Obama team.

The right-wing Republican mantra goes something like this: If only the president were more like her. She's pushing him on Iran, pushing for more troops in Afghanistan. He's wobbly. She's the iron fist in the velvet glove.

The right is right that Clinton is tough on Iran, but its wrong to think that there's much daylight between her and the president.

Clinton has been intolerant of Tehran's dissimulation. As the administration hammer, her message is steely: First, Iran must live up to its nuclear nonproliferation treaty obligations or it will find itself globally isolated. Second, if Tehran builds nuclear weapons, it will ignite a nuclear arms race in the Sunni Arab world with more than a few of the Sunni nukes likely to be pointed at Shiite Iran, a historic rival.

Both the president and his secretary knew there was a good chance Obama's initial outreach to Iran would fail, says a Clinton aide who sat down with me recently for an interview on condition that he not be named. But it was part of a long-term calculation.

As the aide explained: "Failure would set us up to pursue the pressure track more effectively ... If Iran didn't respond affirmatively ... on its nuclear program ... then you can bring the hammer down on them with an international consensus you could not otherwise have created."

Indeed, on May 18, a day after Brazil and Turkey announced a nuclear fuel deal with Iran, Clinton said she had secured the support of Russia and China for strong new sanctions against Iran.

Clinton may appear to have been born a diplomatic pro, but at least some of her exemplary patience, discipline, and professionalism were probably forged on the anvil of some bruising blows during the eight years of her husbands presidency.

Her battle-tested political savvy may be one reason today's national security establishment -- the State Department, the Pentagon and the National Security Council -- has shown less backstabbing, bureaucratic rivalry, or policy contradictions than I've seen in 45 years of watching Washington.

In the Nixon, Carter, Reagan and second Bush administrations, infighting between State and the Pentagon, and the National Security Council and State, was at times poisonous.

Today, there seems to be less clamoring for celebrity status amid an overpowering realization the president is the celebrity.

Sure, there is some difference in tone between this White House and Foggy Bottom, but totally similar views between the commander in chief and the secretary of state would smack of redundancy or lack of imagination. Where all people think alike, no one thinks very much.

The Clinton aide says it was Obama who set the harmonious tone for his national security team, insisting he wanted a team without internal rivalries. That's a welcome change from the contentious relations between President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Secretary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates reportedly see the world through the same glasses. Each has a huge number of items on their plate, so there is no time for argument over the grand ideological disputes the kind that hobbled previous administrations.

On the face of it, Obama's team is an odd mix: Defense Secretary Gates is a former CIA director; National Security Adviser James Jones Jr. is a highly decorated retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general. And Clinton is a Midwestern lawyer turned first lady turned New York senator.

Clinton's experience as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee no doubt helps the chemistry. As a member of that committee she became quite close to senior military officials. She also came to understand the workings of the military and the way it fits into the broader national security fabric, says the aide.

Is she in the same league as James Baker, the most recent great secretary of state? Not yet, perhaps. But then the simpler bipolar world that Baker had to manage no longer exists. We no longer live even in a multipolar world. As Clinton put it recently, we now belong to a "multipartner" world. Still, she notes, there is no major global problem that can be solved without U.S. involvement.

Ironically Clinton's greatest diplomatic challenge now may be convincing Israel, an American ally, that Obama is no less a friend of the Jewish state than was her husband. It is not proving easy.

Walter Rodgers, a former senior international correspondent for CNN, is a columnist for the Christian Science Monitor.

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/

Hillary Clinton attends a corporate event for Boeing

2010-05-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends a corporate event for Boeing in Shanghai May 23, 2010. U.S. companies deserve "fair access" to Chinese government contracts and transparent rules from the big Asian economy, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Sunday, pressing for greater commercial access.

A bilateral dialogue between the two powers will begin on Monday.

"For trade to work in any economy, for it to produce the benefits we know it can, there must be a level playing field where domestic and international companies can compete freely," Mrs. Clinton said Sunday morning, without mentioning China specifically.

"That's what drives innovation, benefits consumers and ultimately stimulates broad-based and sustainable growth," she said.

Mrs. Clinton spoke at a Shanghai facility of Boeing Co., which she said serves as a model for how U.S. companies can cooperate with Chinese firms to create jobs for both countries. Boeing has a joint-venture with China Eastern Airlines, and China is Boeing's largest market outside the U.S.

"American companies want to compete in China. They want to sell goods made by American workers to Chinese consumers with rising incomes and increasing demand," Mrs. Clinton said. "This is a win-win for our two countries."

Mrs. Clinton will co-lead, along with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the U.S. delegation to the annual U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. She will be accompanied by 200 American officials, including Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

World Expo 2010 in Shanghai: Hillary greets mascot "Haibao", a cashier and the crouds at the at the U.S. Pavilion

2010-05-21T23:28:00.000-07:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton points out that she is wearing the same color as the mascot of the Shanghai World Expo 2010, named Haibao, while touring China's Pavillion in Shanghai, May 22, 2010. She also greets a cashier as she tours the gift shop of the US pavillion and you can see here note that she signed in the guestbook is viewed.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in China on Friday for a visit set to culminate next week with wide-ranging talks in Beijing, with tensions running high over North Korea.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Japan, China, and Korea, departing Washington, DC, on May 20. Secretary Clinton will visit Tokyo (May 21), Shanghai (May 21-23), Beijing (May 23-26), and Seoul (May 26).

Secretary Clinton will travel to Tokyo on May 21 to discuss regional and global issues with our Japanese ally.

In Shanghai, Secretary Clinton will visit the 2010 Shanghai Expo. While at the Expo, she will attend a dinner in honor of the USA Pavilion sponsors and others who helped develop the USA Pavilion. On May 23, she will participate in a commercial diplomacy event to highlight the importance of U.S. market access and job creation.

In Beijing, Secretary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner will join their respective Chinese Co-Chairs, State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Vice Premier Wang Qishan, for the second joint meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Over a dozen U.S. cabinet members and agency heads will make up the U.S. delegation.

On May 26, the Secretary will travel to the Republic of Korea and meet senior government officials to discuss regional stability and other issues with our Korean ally.

The Secretary will return to Washington, DC, on May 26.

She is my Pink Lady

2010-05-15T02:42:00.000-07:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary William Hague May 14, 2010 at the State Department in Washington, DC.

And here are some lovely facts about my favorite apple called "Pink Lady" (aka Cripps Pink)

Cripps Pink is a variety of apple, from which apples meeting quality standards can be sold under the trade mark name Pink Lady™. The Cripps Pink variety was originally bred by John Cripps at the (then named) Western Australia Department of Agriculture by crossing the Australian apple Lady Williams with a Golden Delicious in order to combine the best features of both apples. The apple is both sweet and crisp. Read more...

Obama is now my pal

2010-05-10T03:04:00.000-07:00

They've come a long way, baby.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she and President Obama - once fierce rivals for the White House - have buried the hatchets and are now the best of buds.

"I ran hard against him, he ran hard against me," she told CBS' "60 Minutes."

"He won. I lost. And then he asked me to work him on behalf of our country."

Now? "We have a great relationship," she insisted.

But the former First Lady also revealed that when Obama asked her to be his secretary of state, she initially balked.

"Just ridiculous," she said in describing her first reaction. "I absolutely did not believe it."

"When he raised it, I said, 'Well, there are so many other people you should consider. I really don't think I wanna do that. I'm not interested in doing it.'"

"I wanted to get back to what I was already doing," said Clinton, referring to her job as New York's junior senator.

Of course, she soon had a change of heart.

"He turned out to be very persuasive," she said of Obama's pitch. Since then, Clinton has traveled to 54 countries for Obama - flying the equivalent of 16 laps around the globe.

"There was just so much when I walked in this door," she said. "There was not only these really high expectations about the President and, to some extent, myself, about what that meant, but you just can't say, 'Okay, we're here ... immediately adopt a new positive view toward us.' It takes a lot of hard work to make that real."

Source: NY Daily News

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T01:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the proud parents of the State Department. We honor and thank each of you for the sacrifices you have made in order to serve our country while raising your family.

I know how challenging it can be to balance the demands of work and family. Whether you're welcoming a new baby, juggling soccer practice and piano lessons, or even helping plan your daughter's wedding - parenting can be more than a full time job.

So today I’m recommitting the State Department to do all we can to support parents, especially new mothers and fathers. We will continue to do all we can to advance paid sick leave to new mothers recuperating from childbirth, family members caring for the mother, as well as those caring for a newborn with a serious ailment or disability, and the employees that are in the process of the adoption efforts that I know can be so difficult.

We will do all we can to support requests for advanced annual leave to care for and bond with a newborn or newly adopted child. Many of you have been taking these steps for years on your own, but I want to encourage all of you to ask for and grant this time - time that I hope will help make you and your families healthier and happier.

We can and should do more to provide public servants with the same maternity and paternity leave benefits that many private sector employers already offer. They’re standard for many other governments around the world. It’s not enough to just talk about the importance of family - our policies must reflect our commitment and our values.

This is something I have worked for over my entire career and I am proud that President Obama shares this goal. And while we work with Congress to take additional steps - steps that are overdue - the State Department will do what we can for you and your families.

Together we are working all over the globe to ensure that children have the health, support and the chance to live up to their God-given potential. Well of course we want the same thing for all the children in the State Department family as well, from Washington to our posts around the world. We say it all the time, but boy we sure do believe it and are reminded of it every day - they are our most precious resource and responsibility.

So once again, thank you to all the parents and I wish all of you a safe and happy Mother’s Day.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Deliver Keynote at CARE's 2010 National Conference and Celebration

2010-05-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

Leading humanitarian organization CARE today announced that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver the keynote address at its 2010 National Conference and Celebration event, May 11-12 in Washington, D.C. Secretary Clinton will join actress and humanitarian Maria Bello, CARE Advocate for Maternal Health Christy Turlington Burns, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), Representative Lois Capps (D-CA), Representative Kay Granger (R-TX), Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY), the First Ladies of Mozambique and Sierra Leone, humanitarian and author Malaak Compton Rock and nearly 1,000 advocates, journalists, students and notables who will use their voices to demand a world without poverty and oppression.

"CARE is thrilled that Secretary Clinton – a tireless champion for women and girls globally – will headline this year's National Conference and bring critical attention to one of the most pressing issues of our time: breaking the cycle of poverty and oppression that keeps millions of women and children from reaching their full potential," said Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE.

As a global poverty-fighting organization with more than six decades of experience, CARE is well aware of the important role that thoughtful programming, effective U.S. policy, vocal advocacy and funding play in the fight against global poverty. During this inspiring two-day conference, hundreds will gather at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center to discuss pressing global poverty issues, such as the importance of improving maternal health, fighting hunger and putting an end to the practice of child marriage globally. Advocates also will meet with Members of Congress and take an active role in influencing U.S. policy that will improve the lives of millions of marginalized women and girls around the world.

"Hundreds of thousands of women die needlessly from complications during pregnancy and childbirth every year globally. We must put a stop to this," added Dr. Gayle. "CARE advocates are joining together in Washington, D.C. to give voice to these women and to galvanize policymakers to act on critical legislation that will save millions of lives."

For more information on the CARE National Conference and Celebration, visit www.carenationalconference.org. To receive press credentials, contact Julie Bernstein at jbernstein@care.org or call (202) 595-2832.

About CARE: Founded in 1945, CARE is one of the world's largest humanitarian aid agencies. Working side by side with poor people in 72 countries, CARE helps empower communities to address the greatest threats to their survival. Women are at the heart of CARE's efforts to improve health, education, and economic development because experience shows that a woman's achievements yield dramatic benefits for her entire family. CARE is also committed to providing lifesaving assistance during times of crisis and helping rebuild safer, stronger communities afterward. Visit www.care.org to learn more.

Source: PRNewswire - USNewswire

Artists Embellish Walls With Political Visions

2010-05-07T00:31:00.000-07:00

CARACAS, Venezuela — Of all the murals and graffiti that adorn this anarchic city’s trash-strewn center, one creation by the street artist Carlos Zerpa fills him with special pride: a stenciled reinterpretation of Caravaggio’s “David with the Head of Goliath,” in which a warrior grasps the severed head of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Mr. Zerpa, 26, a slightly built painter sporting a few days of stubble, shrugged at the possibility that American visitors to Caracas — or Mrs. Clinton for that matter — might find the mural offensive. “It’s a metaphor for an empire that is being defeated,” he said nonchalantly in an interview. “My critics can take it or leave it, but I remain loyal to my ideas.”

So does the government, which supports Mr. Zerpa’s creations and the work of many other street artists, and is increasingly making them a central element of its promotion of a state ideology. Government-financed brigades of graffiti artists and muralists are blanketing this city’s walls with politicized images, ranging from crude, graffiti-tagged slogans to bold, colorful works of graphic art.

The more overtly political images tend to glamorize President Hugo Chávez’s Bolivarian revolution, and his demonization of Washington is a favorite subject.

One stencil painting near the Plaza Bolívar in the old center depicts a smiling President Obama in a Santa Claus outfit distributing missiles labeled with the words Afghanistan and Iraq. Another painting lambastes the government of Colombia, Washington’s top ally in the region, by showing a knife thrust into a map of Colombia by a cherubic right-wing Colombian politician.

Some of these images were painted near billboards advertising American products like Heinz ketchup or Pepsi (the United States remains Venezuela’s top trading partner). The billboards themselves stand above traffic-snarled streets that go almost completely dark at night because of electricity shortages.

Once darkness falls, soaring numbers of murders and kidnappings make many districts a no man’s land. Not even once-esteemed public works of art are safe, with aerosol-equipped taggers carrying out a visual assault on sculptures by renowned artists like Gego and Jesús Soto.

Street artists here, who largely differentiate themselves from the city’s hordes of graffiti taggers, say the slow-burning chaos that increasingly characterizes Caracas makes it an ideal place for them to ply their trade.

“There’s a great deal of freedom here to do what we want,” said Yaneth Rivas, 27, a member of the same street-art brigade as Mr. Zerpa, called the Communications Liberation Army. Her work, mainly posters placed at bus stops, is more nuanced than Mr. Zerpa’s. She explores, for instance, the polarization of Venezuelan society in one image showing two policemen from different districts of Caracas pointing guns at each other.

Their groups, together with other street-art brigades, were created over the past year or so by the Ministry of Communes. Some groups remain part of the ministry, like Guerrilla Communications, which offers graffiti and stencil workshops around the city.

Others, like Communications Liberation Army, operate somewhat autonomously but still get material like spray paint from the government.

“These groups share the objective of reclaiming public space and turning it into a kind of street periodical that can be constantly renewed and painted over to get their message out,” said Sujatha Fernandes, a sociologist at Queens College in New York who has written a book on urban social movements in Venezuela.

Not everyone putting up images on walls here draws support from the government. Saúl Guerrero, a stencil painter who ranks among the city’s most prolific street artists, has painted dozens of melancholic portraits of people around the eastern districts of Caracas, signing them with the nom-de-plume “Ergo.”

Mr. Guerrero, 29, an anthropologist and aid worker who spends part of the year in Africa, opted to forego sharp political statements for simple portraits, often of young Africans or of worn-out faces that reflect a life of destitution. He painted dozens of them on walls and telephone boxes in Chacao, a relatively prosperous municipality here.

“I wanted to get away from the European-looking faces that dominate advertising in Venezuela in an attempt to trigger people into thinking about the reality of the place we live,” Mr. Guerrero said.

But his work, which does not toe the party line, has provoked a backlash among some supporters of Mr. Chávez.

After his full name appeared in a Caracas culture magazine, some progovernment graffiti taggers identified Mr. Guerrero as Jewish (mistakenly, it turned out) and began directing anti-Semitic slurs against him in online forums.

Some scribbled swastikas on his street paintings, reviving concerns of anti-Semitism here. Last year, after a Sephardic synagogue was desecrated by vandals, senior officials insinuated that Jews were responsible. Officials later arrested 11 people, including seven police officers, in connection with the episode.

Mr. Guerrero said the defilement of his work was unfortunate, especially since it stemmed from polarization that he was hoping to assuage. But he also said he expected others to paint over work he viewed as ephemeral.

“I would have preferred for someone to have colored parts of my work, making it 300 times better, but that doesn’t always happen,” he said.

Other street artists here said that they also expected their work to disappear into the chaos of Caracas.

Ms. Rivas, for instance, reacted almost with indifference when she learned that someone had recently pasted campaign posters on top of a multicolored poster at a bus stop that had taken her weeks to design and commented on the ideological tug-of-war on Venezuelan television.

“We’re not looking for immortality with our work,” she said. “Our gallery is the street, and that means we have to hope our images spur passers-by to think a little before they disappear.”

Source: The New York Times

Opening of Shanghai Expo U.S.A. Pavilion and 'Blackwatering' Public Diplomacy

2010-05-05T02:04:00.000-07:00

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton celebrates the opening of the U.S.A. Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo via a digital video conference at a reception hosted by the Office for Global Partnership Initiatives at the Department of State in Washington, DC, April 30, 2010.

'Blackwatering' Public Diplomacy: The US Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo

The US Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo is not the handsomest pavilion at the Expo nor will it be the most memorable. In fact, it is rather pedestrian, inside and out. For this it has rightly been criticized by architects, planners, designers, and its many, many Chinese visitors who, after waiting two hours to enter, are treated to little more than a few short films and corporate promotions.

The questionable quality of the US Pavilion, however, is symptomatic of a larger problem that the critics mostly have ignored, which is the "Blackwatering" of US public diplomacy: the privatization and outsourcing of every device by which America and its people traditionally have connected with other nations and cultures. Read more...

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at U.N. headquarters

2010-05-05T01:41:00.000-07:00


NEW YORK - MAY 03: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at the United Nations 2010 High-level Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at U.N. headquarters May 3, 2010 in New York City. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the conference earlier today.

Remarks at the Review Conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty

SECRETARY CLINTON: I want to thank the Secretary General, Director General Amano, Ambassador Cabactulan, for their outstanding leadership in pulling together this Review Conference and addressing the challenges of nuclear proliferation.

As you know, President Obama has made reducing the threat posed by nuclear weapons and materials a central mission of our foreign policy, and the NPT lies at the core of that mission. I want to begin by reading a section of the message that President Obama has sent to this conference:

“For four decades, the NPT has been the cornerstone of our collective efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. But today, this regime is under increasing pressure. A year ago in Prague, I therefore made it a priority of the United States to strengthen each of the treaty’s key pillars as we work to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and to pursue the peace and security of a world without them. Read more...

Press Availability at the United Nations

SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon. Thank you for coming. I just finished speaking to the 2010 NPT Review Conference. This is the eighth time that parties to the treaty have come together like this over the last 40 years since the NPT came into force. Nearly 190 nations are represented here and almost every one of them has met its nonproliferation obligations and comes to New York with constructive ideas for strengthening the treaty. This conference will provide strong impetus for a reinvigorated nonproliferation regime and the United States is doing its part. Read more...

Hillary Clinton signs the condolence book at the Polish Embassy in Washington

2010-04-12T07:33:00.000-07:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signs the condolence book at the Polish Embassy in Washington on April 11, 2010 before Ambassador Robert Kupiecki (L), one day after Polish President Lech Kaczynski was killed in an airplane crash in Russia. Kaczynski's plane, with 96 people aboard, came down while attempting to land in Smolensk where he was to attend a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre in which 22,000 Polish army officers were killed by the Soviet secret police.

Green ist Hope

2010-04-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends of Hillary, even if the flood of images is once again overwhelming, it can now be just this photo. You may wonder why I do not show you more great photos of Hillary in Prague, but the one photo is simply the most beautiful. The combination of gold and green, the view upward, the light, everything is perfect in this one moment.

But why has Hillary decided to green? Maybe because Green is the life, growing green, green is coming - hopefully again and again! Ancient knowledge tells us that our survival is assured only if re-fresh green sprouts from the earth. Green is the symbol of hope for life and survival. Different areas of the world, races, cultures and religions come together under this sign of hope.

So Hillary is still the ultimate hope!

Tifom

PS: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is pictured during a lunch for U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev following the signing of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) at the Prague Castle

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout and his U.S. counterpart Hillary Clinton meet during Obama's visit

2010-04-08T01:56:00.000-07:00

Prague, April 7 (CTK) - Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout and his U.S. counterpart Hillary Clinton will have a separate meeting during U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Prague on Thursday, Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman Filip Kanda told CTK Wednesday.

Kohout and Clinton will meet at Prague Castle on Thursday afternoon, after the official luncheon Czech President Vaclav Klaus will host for Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

At noon on Thursday, Obama and Medvedev are to sign a new nuclear arms reduction treaty in Prague Castle's Spanish Hall.

Clinton and Kohout may discuss the U.S. effort to increase the number of soldiers in the international mission in Afghanistan in which Czechs also participate.

They may also discuss other topics, such as Washington's new anti-missile shield plan.

Observers say the Czech-U.S. bilateral talks are not expected to bring about any breakthrough.

Klaus and Obama will meet later on Thursday.

The U.S. administration probably wants to start negotiations with Prague on its possible participation in the new anti-missile shield project only with the new Czech government that is to emerge from the May elections.

Some Czech politicians expressed indignation at Washington scrapping its plan to build a missile defence radar base on Czech soil last year. The plan was resented by Russia, therefore its supporters among Czechs might have viewed Washington's withdrawal from it as its concession to Moscow.

The U.S., nevertheless, has asserted that its approach to Central Europe remains unchanged.

The Czech caretaker government recently proposed to increase the number of Czech soldiers in Afghanistan by 55, in addition to the previously approved 535. It is not sure whether the Czech parliament will nod to the proposal.

Kohout and Clinton are expected to continue the strategic dialogue between the Czech Republic and the USA on which the two countries agreed two years ago.

The dialogue is aimed to facilitate mutual consulting issues related to international security, including threats of a missile attack and international terrorism, and also energy security and cooperation in the areas of the economy, science and research.

The dialogue makes the Czech Republic part of a small group of countries with privileged relations with the USA, along with Australia, China, Israel, Japan, Norway and Saudi Arabia.

Kohout and Clinton could also touch on the fact that the post of U.S. ambassador to Prague has remained vacant for over one year.

On Thursday, Klaus will host a luncheon for Obama and Medvedev at Prague Castle, while Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer will meet 11 leading politicians from central and east European countries in the nearby Hrzansky palace before they meet Obama at a dinner in the U.S. ambassador's residence in Prague-Bubenec on Thursday evening.

Fischer and Klaus are to attend the event as well.

Big Hair Returns, via New Jersey

2010-04-08T01:02:00.000-07:00

SHOULD it be interpreted as a sign of the apocalypse, or just a really big trend, that both Hillary Clinton and Snooki have been accused of wearing Bumpits of late?

It is no coincidence that Mrs. Clinton and Nicole (Snooki) Polizzi of “Jersey Shore” — one the secretary of state, the other the stereotype of a succubus — share a fondness for big hair. Voluminous locks have symbolized female power throughout history, from the wealthy Roman women whose elaborate hairstyles were created by their slaves to Marie Antoinette and her four-foot wigs, from the cast of “Dynasty” to the current crop of dandelion-headed women appearing in popular culture at the same moment as a simple plastic device that promises instant volume by “bumping” it up. Jennifer Johnson, the hairstylist of “Gossip Girl,” swears by Bumpits to create the subtle Blair Waldorf bouffant.

Marie Antoinette

Laugh if you must, but Ms. Polizzi had to go on “The Jay Leno Show” to defend the authenticity of her teased tresses. That was in January. Now big bumpy hair is everywhere, and New Jersey, for once, appears to have been at the forefront of a fashion trend. Big hair was all over the runways for fall, from the feathery curls at Oscar de la Renta in New York to the 1960s-inspired poufs at Rochas in Paris (top left), and now it’s showing up in magazines: headbands and upsweeps in Harper’s Bazaar; the full Upper East Side blowout treatment in W.

“These New Jersey TV women are becoming pop icons,” said Eric Alt, the owner of three Garden State salons and stylist to luminaries like Danielle Staub of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” and the figure skater Johnny Weir. Mr. Alt worked on the hair at the DKNY show in February, describing the look as a modified Snooki pouf — big on top, slick on the sides. And yes, he’s getting more requests for bigger hair, but he swears it’s not a Jersey thing.

Indeed, in small towns nationwide, hair is getting bolder. For Stephanie Kocielski, artistic director of John Paul Mitchell Systems, it is a sign of the times. Because many women are resisting fashion purchases, she said, “the only real area where people can influence change right now is their hair.”

“The bigger the hair,” she said, “the closer to God.”

Hillary talks about World Health Day 2010

2010-04-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

Today the United States joins the World Health Organization and countries around the world in commemorating World Health Day.

This year’s theme is “Urbanization and Health: Urban Health Matters.” The rapid rise in the number of people living in cities will be among the top global health issues of the 21st century. The World Health Organization estimates that six out of every 10 people will be city dwellers by 2030, rising to seven out of 10 by 2050. In many cases, especially in the developing world, the speed of urbanization has outpaced the ability of governments to build and maintain essential health, water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure and provide basic services.

Disease is both a symptom of poverty -- with over-crowding, inadequate infrastructure and lack of health care increasing transmission and susceptibility -- and also a contributor to poverty. Poor health shreds communities, undermines economic opportunity, and holds back progress. And it denies children around the world the opportunity to live up to their full God-given potential. We have also seen that oceans and borders are no defense against the pandemics that threaten us all. These are global challenges that demand a global response.

The United States and our international partners are committed to improving health and strengthening health systems around the world. We understand that addressing global health challenges is not just a humanitarian imperative -- it will also bolster global security, foster political stability and promote economic growth and development.

Through our Global Health Initiative, we are investing $63 billion, with an emphasis on women and girls whose health has the biggest impact on families and communities. Efforts such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Safe Water Programs and the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Making Cities Work strategy are focused on public health concerns of urban residents worldwide. Our foreign assistance programs are improving local governance, creating new partnerships with civil society and the private sector, and targeting the urgent needs of the urban poor. From Afghanistan to Zambia, we are helping cities create a better quality of life for their inhabitants through access to higher paying jobs, improved health care, and quality education.

On this World Health Day, let us renew our resolve to work together to meet the global health challenges of the 21st century.

US unveils new, more restrictive nuclear policy

2010-04-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Obama administration is altering its decades-old nuclear weapons policy to reduce the role and number of such weapons. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the change will pave the way toward an eventual nuclear-free world.

The United States, the only nation to ever unleash an atomic bomb during war, would reduce the number of potential U.S. nuclear targets and restrict the circumstances under which strategic weapons could be used.

Officials said the new policy would not compromise the security of the United States or its allies. And Gates said the U.S. would continue to develop missile defense systems. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. "will cooperate with partners worldwide" to combat nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T01:58:00.000-07:00

Typical German Chocolate Easter Bunny.

The chocolate bunny is hiding along with other sweets in the house or garden

and the children have to look for it.

You all a wonderful easter!

Tifom

Hil and Bill's Haiti Gambit

2010-04-01T01:24:00.000-07:00

This time it will be different for Haiti, this time it will work, Secretary of State Clinton promised today at a United Nations-sponsored donors conference for the earthquake-ravaged Caribbean nation.

After a shout-out to husband Bill, the special UN envoy for Haiti who was on the dais, Clinton said the U.S. would put up $1.15 billion toward a $4 billion Haitian recovery fund. The European Union pledged $1.7 billion.

But first, Clinton ran through the long list of previous reform and recovery efforts that failed Haiti in the past. “We cannot do what we’ve done before,” Clinton said.

This time, the focus will be on channeling the reconstruction programs through a rebuilt and reformed Haitian government, Clinton said, rather than through the laundry list of aid and non-governmental organizations who doled out relief in the past.

“The leaders of Haiti must take responsibility for their country’s reconstruction,” Clinton said. “They must make the tough decisions that guide a strong, accountable, and transparent recovery.”

“And we in the global community, we must also do things differently,” Clinton said. “It will be tempting to fall back on old habits — to work around the government rather than to work with them as partners, or to fund a scattered array of well-meaning projects rather than making the deeper, long-term investments that Haiti needs now. We cannot retreat to failed strategies.”

“What we envision today is wholesale national renewal” for Haiti, said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The International Crisis Group think tank noted how hard it will be for the nearly non-functional Haitian government to take on the task.

The earthquake canceled legislative elections and cast doubt on whether presidential elections would be held at the end of 2010 as initially planned, the ICG said in a report.

“After mid-May, the legislature will have left office, and the country will be missing critical parts of its institutional anatomy,” the ICG said.

About that shout-out: After a nod to Haitian President Rene Preval, Clinton added: “To former President Clinton, with whom I first went to Haiti many years ago about two months after we were married, thank you for taking on another assignment from the Secretary General.”

Source: NY Daily News

Clinton Critical of Canada Regarding Arctic Meeting

2010-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticized close ally Canada for leaving several key players out of a high-level meeting regarding the Arctic.

On Monday, Canada hosted a meeting of foreign ministers from five countries with Arctic coastlines for talks on maritime boundaries, disaster response and other issues. The U.S. and Canada were joined by Denmark, Norway and Russia.

But other countries with Arctic interests - Finland, Iceland and Sweden - as well as northern indigenous groups were not invited.

Clinton said in remarks to the meeting that significant international discussions on Arctic issues should include those who have legitimate interests in the region. She said she hopes the Arctic will always showcase the ability to work together, not create new divisions.

Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon told reporters after the meeting that the gathering was not designed to circumvent the broader Arctic Council, of which Finland, Iceland and Sweden are a part.

Canada said the meeting focused on issues such as Arctic research and rescue, and disaster response.

Arctic disputes have intensified in recent years as melting ice makes the region more accessible to shipping and the exploration of energy deposits. The Arctic seabed is estimated to contain about one-quarter of the world's undiscovered oil and gas reserves.

One source of tension is the Northwest Passage to the Arctic. Canada claims it as its own, while the U.S. says it is international territory.

Deciding the Arctic's Future Behind Closed Doors

2010-03-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Diplomats from Finland, Iceland and Sweden are upset; indigenous groups are furious. Five countries bordering the Arctic Ocean are meeting behind closed doors on Monday to discuss the region's future. Many of those who have interests in the Arctic have not been invited.

It is a beautiful location for a not entirely successful inventor. Canadian tinkerer Thomas Willson -- who patented a design for electric arc lamps in the 1880s, built buoys and lighthouse beacons in the early 1900s and set up a plant to manufacture fertilizer shortly thereafter -- built a lovely summer house in 1907 on the forested shores of Meech Lake located northeast of Ottawa.

Artic Region

His getaway didn't serve him for long, however. Willson lost almost all of his money on his fertilizer business before dying of a heart attack in 1915. The summer house, located in present-day Gatineau Park, was bought by the Canadian government and is often used for official talks. In 1987, for example, it was where lawmakers gathered to hammer out a reform to the Canadian constitution.

On Monday, it is once again hosting a high-level delegation. Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon has invited his counterparts from four other Arctic countries -- the United States, Russia, Denmark (representing Greenland) and Norway -- to discuss the future of the far north. No other guests have been invited -- a fact that has enraged diplomats from several northern countries as well as representatives from indigenous peoples who call the Arctic their home.

No Interest in a New Treaty

There is much to discuss. The Arctic is changing unbelievably quickly, with several border disputes continuing to simmer and various competing claims to undersea territories currently being adjudicated by the United Nations. Only recently, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev complained that other countries were attempting to limit his country's access to Arctic resources. At the same time, he alleged, these countries, which he declined to identify by name, were taking "active steps" to increase both their research activities and military presence above the Arctic Circle.

It seems likely, though, that the five countries meeting in Canada on Monday will be able to find agreement on at least one issue: namely that they are not interested in establishing a far-reaching plan to protect the Arctic environment like the accord that exists for Antarctica. The Arctic is full of natural resources, and northern countries are wary of doing anything that might limit their access to those riches.

Environmental activists are concerned. Greenpeace head Kumi Naidoo has written a letter to all five countries gathered in Canada on Monday expressing his criticism. The plan to decide on the future of the Arctic "behind closed doors, is not acceptable," the letter says.

Greenpeace activist Iris Menn would even like to see an "overarching, legally-binding treaty for the Arctic." She demands that no further industrial mining or exploitation activities take place in formerly ice-covered regions until international agreements are in place. It is a demand that is not likely to be heard.

A Solid Reputation

In addition to giving such concerns short shrift, Monday's meeting outside of Ottawa also ignores the Arctic Council, a group which, in addition to the five countries currently gathering in Thomas Willson's former villa, includes several other members, including Finland, Sweden, Iceland and non-governmental organizations. There are also a number of permanent observers, including Germany. The Council is weak when it comes to political issues due to the relatively limited importance its members assign to it. But on environmental questions, the Arctic Council enjoys a solid reputation.

Council members Iceland, Finland and Sweden are all irked that they were not invited to Monday's summit. Indeed, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb recently filed a formal complaint with his Canadian counterpart Cannon. Ambassadors from the excluded countries have also filed protests with the foreign ministries of those countries involved in the meeting. But Canadian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Catherine Loubier insisted to SPIEGEL ONLINE that "this particular meeting is only for the (Arctic) Ocean coastal states."

Greenpeace activist Menn is furious. Monday's meeting, she says, "makes a mockery of the Arctic Council and its role." Indigenous populations in the Arctic are likewise unhappy with being excluded from the gathering. "This is our homeland, why shouldn't we have a say?" asked Gunn-Britt Retter, a Norwegian who defends the interests of the Sami people in the Arctic Council. Members of the Inuit Circumpolar Council are also displeased.

Monday's meeting is the second time the five Arctic states have met behind closed doors. The first took place in May 2008 when Denmark invited the Arctic heavyweights for a get-together in the town of Ilulissat in Greenland. Following talks in the Hotel Artic overlooking iceberg-filled Disko Bay, the ministers released a statement saying that the existing legal framework "provides a solid foundation for responsible management by the five coastal States." The statement also emphasized that "We ... see no need to develop a new comprehensive international legal regime to govern the Arctic Ocean."

A Polar Strategy of its Own

The text was carefully crafted. After all, interest in the Arctic has grown rapidly in recent years and is no longer limited to just those countries which border the Ocean. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) recently released a report documenting China's increasing interest in the far north. The European Union has even put together a polar strategy of its own. The 27-nation bloc was not successful in its first attempt to become a permanent observer on the Arctic Council, but its application will be reviewed anew next year.

Monday's meeting, insisted Cannon, "will reinforce ongoing collaboration in the region, including in the Arctic Council." Those who have been excluded, however, fear that the opposite will result. "That is the very reason Iceland has protested this meeting and will continue to stress the importance of the Arctic Council in matters of the High North," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Urdur Gunnarsdóttir wrote in an e-mail to SPIEGEL ONLINE.

Indeed, those not receiving invites are left to hope that the bucolic house on Meech Lake lives up to its somewhat dubious reputation. Willson, as it happens, was not the only victim. The 1987 constitutional reform, born out of talks in the isolated villa, collapsed even before it could come into effect.

Source

Clinton heading to Canada in preparation for G-8 summit

2010-03-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will head to Canada on Monday to meet with other G-8 leaders, to prepare the 36th G8 summit in Canada in June, officials said.

In addition to meeting with foreign ministers in Ottawa, Clinton will visit with U.S. Embassy staff there, according to the State Department.

Members of the Group of Eight

She also is expected to hold bilateral talks with Katsuya Okada, the Japanese foreign minister.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will accompany Clinton, who also is to meet with the foreign ministers of the Arctic coastal states.

Those countries, which also include Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Norway and Russia, deal with environmental and economic issues related to the Arctic.

The G-8 -- made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States -- is an informal group that meets annually to discuss major world issues.

The European Union also attends the summits and is represented by the president of the European Commission and the leader of the member state holding the presidency of the EU.

Hillary Clinton jokes send Rahm Emanuel to Moscow to take on Medvedev

2010-03-26T23:32:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON--Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joked about sending White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to Moscow on Friday to finalize a nuclear arms deal.

Emanuel's reputation for arm-twisting members of Congress--grown larger with the successful passage this week of the health care bill--gave Clinton grist to suggest he be sent to the Russian Duma to twist some arms there.

"Just as we have to go to our Congress, President Medvedev has to go to the Duma. And I think President Obama has said that he would send Rahm Emmanuel to Moscow and we all immediately endorsed that offer. You know, if President Medvedev wants to take us up on it, we're ready," Clinton said (By Lynn Sweet).

Or maybe we could send Joe Biden. Nevermind (By Richard Sisk).

US, Russia agree to sharp new cuts in nuclear arms

2010-03-26T11:33:00.000-07:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 26, 2010. The United States and Russia concluded on March 26 a landmark nuclear arms treaty which imposes sweeping cuts on deployed Cold War-era nuclear warheads and missiles, the White House said. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev concluded the deal to replace the START nuclear treaty in a telephone call Friday and will sign the new pact in Prague on April 8.

Climaxing months of hard negotiations, President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed on Friday to sharp cuts in the nuclear arsenals of both nations in the most comprehensive arms control treaty in two decades. "We have turned words into action," Obama declared.

Obama said the pact, to be signed April 8 in Prague, was part of his effort to "reset" relations with Russia and a step toward "the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."

The agreement would require both sides to reduce their arsenals of long-range nuclear weapons by about a third, from 2,200 now to 1,550 each. The pact, replacing and expanding the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty of 1991, which expired in December, was a significant gesture toward improved U.S.-Russian relations that have been badly frayed.

Take a look!

The reductions would still leave both sides with immense arsenals — and the ability to easily annihilate each other.

"In many ways, nuclear weapons represent both the darkest days of the Cold War, and the most troubling threats of our time," Obama said at the White House. "Today, we have taken another step forward in leaving behind the legacy of the 20th century while building a more secure future for our children."

In Russia, Medvedev's spokeswoman Natalya Timakova told the Interfax news agency, "This treaty reflects the balance of interests of both nations."

A Kremlin statement said, "The new treaty stipulates that strategic arms will be based exclusively on the territories of each of the nations."

Both sides would have seven years after the treaty's ratification to carry out the approximately 30 percent reduction in long-range nuclear warheads. The agreement also calls for cutting by about half the missiles and bombers that carry the weapons to their targets.

"We have turned words into action. We have made progress that is clear and concrete. And we have demonstrated the importance of American leadership — and American partnership — on behalf of our own security, and the world's," Obama said.

Though the agreement must still be ratified by the Senate and both houses of the Russian Parliament before it takes effect, Obama and Medvedev plan to sign it next month in Prague, the city where last April, Obama delivered his signature speech on arms control.

For his administration, a major value of the treaty is in setting the stage for potential further successes.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, standing with Defense Secretary Robert Gates alongside Obama, noted next month's international meeting of leaders on nuclear proliferation being hosted by the president in Washington, focused on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to terrorists and rogue states.

"We come with more credibility, Russia comes with more credibility, having negotiated this treaty," she said.

Ratification in the Senate will require 67 votes, two thirds of the Senate, meaning Obama will need support from Republicans. Some GOP senators had previously expressed concerns about concessions being made by U.S. negotiators.

Clinton, asked whether approval could be achieved given the recent fierce partisan battles and close votes over health care, said it could.

"National security has always produced large bipartisan majorities, and I see no reason why this should be any different," she said. "I believe that a vast majority of the Senate, at the end of the day, will see that this is in America's interest. And it goes way beyond politics."

In Russia, the treaty goes first to the State Duma, the lower house, and then to the Federation Council.

Speaking in the White House briefing room, Obama said the treaty by the globe's two largest nuclear powers would "send a clear signal that we intend to lead" the rest of the world in reducing the nuclear threat.

Clinton noted that the U.S. and Russia still possess more than 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons. "We do not need such large arsenals to protect our nation," she said.

She emphasized the verification mechanism in the treaty, a key demand of the U.S. that was resisted by Russia and was one of the sticking points that delayed completion of the deal. It will "reduce the chance for misunderstandings and miscalculations," she told reporters.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that by helping to build trust "this treaty enhances our ability to do that which we have been charged to do — protect and defend the citizens of the United States."

He said U.S. commanders around the world "stand solidly behind the treaty."

Gates cautioned the treaty — and an accompanying review of nuclear posture — will require more spending to modernize America's nuclear arsenal. At the same time, the defense secretary called it an "important milestone" in consigning Cold War nightmares to the past.

Gates recalled serving as an Air Force officer supervising Minuteman missiles at Wightman Air Force Base. The new treaty, he said, "is testimony to just how much the world has changed."

The deal ended nearly a year of tense and tumultuous negotiations between the two countries.

Pelosi, Clinton celebrate Women's History Month, even as they make history, too

2010-03-25T23:02:00.000-07:00

There are 35 statues of very important people in Statuary Hall of the Capitol. Thirty-four of them are of men. Frances Willard, suffragist and orator for Prohibition, is the lone woman. She looks somewhat forbidding, but then again, so does everybody else frozen in granite and marble.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton surely will rank for placement there someday. For now, they are making history, and on Thursday, at a reception in that hall, the two took an hour to celebrate together.

Pelosi opened her arms wide to Clinton and they hugged tightly, cheek to cheek, two brilliant red-lipsticked smiles. It was an exuberant display of girliness from two formidable women nearing the end of an extraordinary week for both.

Take a look!

"Whoever thought that on this day of all days, I'd be standing on this podium to celebrate Women's History Month and sharing the stage with two of my role models and two of the greatest female pioneers and role models for all of us?" said Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), to cheers, applause and whistles from a crowd of 300 women and men.

Pelosi and Clinton are a testament to women's capacity to compose their lives alongside, rather than distinct from, those around them. One is the first female speaker of the House, a woman who didn't run for office until the youngest of her five children was a high school senior. The other is the first former first lady to become a U.S. senator, a woman who initially derived her political power from her husband and then went on to run for president, winning more than 17 million votes in primaries and caucuses.

One traveled to Mexico and Moscow in the past week and helped to negotiate a deal announced Wednesday that could slash the number of nuclear weapons in the United States and Russia. The other finally brought her disputatious membership to heel and succeeded, where the first had so famously failed, at achieving the sweeping health-insurance reform Democrats had sought for half a century.

"I was so thrilled when that vote finally closed," said Clinton, laughing, of the House passage on Sunday. "And I know what a challenge this was. I have the scars to prove it!" She commended Pelosi for her leadership and courage -- the speaker, who turns 70 on Friday, marched past angry protesters on her way to vote -- and said the bill is "particularly important to women."

But Pelosi made clear that she sees her leadership and Clinton's as serving everyone.

"What makes me so proud when I see her on the international stage is that she is speaking for the United States of America," Pelosi said about Clinton. "And while it is a priority of her secretaryship -- if there is such a word -- her tenure, that women's rights are viewed as human rights and respected throughout the world . . . there is a recognition that when there is a U.S.-Russia treaty on nuclear weapons, that a woman is leading the way on that."

The reception was pulled together as a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Women's History Month, before the month slipped away. In 1980, Woolsey said, there were seven women in Congress; now there are 90. Many of them were present Thursday, including at least one Republican, Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, said a spokesman for Pelosi. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis also attended, as did House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer and Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.).

"Some of my male colleagues said to me earlier, 'Having another one of your women's meetings, what do they call it, a clutch?' " joked Pelosi.

"Whatever it is, yes, we are." For all the world to see.

By Ann Gerhart

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, March 26, 2010

"Year of the Bicentennial" in the Americas

2010-03-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

This year, people across our hemisphere will celebrate the “Year of the Bicentennial.” Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico are marking 200 years of independence. All of us across the Americas are joining together to honor our shared history and the values of democracy, diversity, and tolerance that form our common heritage.

In the last year, our hemisphere has been challenged -- from Honduras to Haiti to Chile. And our ability to respond to these crises as a community has been tested. But we have met these challenges together, with faith in our institutions, confidence in our values, and compassion for our friends and neighbors.

We must strive to carry that same spirit of cooperation beyond times of crisis in order to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities facing the people of the Americas. There is so much we can learn from each other and so much we can accomplish together. We can encourage broad-based prosperity, champion democracy and human rights, and ensure that every child born in the Americas has the opportunity to fulfill his or her God-given potential.

This “Year of the Bicentennial” is a time to honor our past while we look to the future -- as we continue on our common journey to create better lives for our citizens and even stronger ties between our nations. On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, congratulations and best wishes.

US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue

2010-03-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

The United States and Pakistan are pledging to boost and broaden relations to overcome mutual mistrust and suspicion that have arisen in recent years over Afghanistan and the fight against terrorism.

Launching high-level strategic dialogue in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi (KOR-eshi) vowed Wednesday to improve ties. One way to do this, they said, would be to expand the security focus to include energy development, education and agriculture. They said all must be addressed to win the war on violent extremism.

Neither Clinton nor Quershi outlined specific programs, but Pakistan has put energy, including civilian nuclear power, at the top of its list of priorities.

Hillary arrived in Mexico

2010-03-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) greets Mexico's Foreign Minister Patricia Espinoza upon Clinton's arrival in Mexico City March 23, 2010. Clinton led a top-level U.S. delegation to Mexico on Tuesday for talks on a drug war which is failing to curb the deadly power of traffickers on the joint border. Clinton, Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and senior Intelligence, Border, Treasury and Justice Department officials will meet with Mexico's President Felipe Calderon and other top Mexican officials during the one-day trip.

Below: The caravan of vehicles that transports U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton leave the airport in Mexico City after Clinton's arrival. Almost a year after President Obama promised to be a "full partner" with Mexico in its battle against drug cartels, a team of Cabinet secretaries and other top advisers will look for ways to help Mexico strengthen its law enforcement and judicial systems.

Hillary was sitting in which car?

Clinton heads to Mexico for talks on drug war

2010-03-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

MEXICO CITY — Almost a year after President Barack Obama promised to be a "full partner" with Mexico in its battle against drug cartels, a team of U.S. Cabinet secretaries and other top advisers will look for ways to help Mexico strengthen its law enforcement and judicial systems in meetings Tuesday.

The full day of U.S.-Mexico talks gained gravity after an American consulate worker, her husband and the husband of a Mexican employee were gunned down two weeks ago in Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas. Suspected drug gangsters chased down and opened fire on two SUVs carrying the families from a children's party, killing the adults and wounding two children.

The sessions in Mexico City were planned months ago and will be led by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"The tragic events in Juarez are just a reminder of the challenges that both countries face," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela said during a press briefing in advance of the talks.

He said that while the situation in Juarez — the murder capital of Mexico with 2,600 cartel-related killings last year — is very serious, "Juarez is not the only place where there is a serious problem. There's a problem throughout the northern part of Mexico and through the border areas."

Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, will have four major objectives, including the push to improve law enforcement, Valenzuela said.

Topics of discussion with their Mexican counterparts will include how to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and include communities on both sides of the border in security planning.

One item not up for discussion, said Mexico's ambassador to the United States, is the sensitive notion of using U.S. law enforcement agents in Mexico.

"There is no intention to authorize U.S. military deployment in Mexico," Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan told reporters Monday, "neither in operational tasks or in intelligence work or intelligence gathering."

Beto O'Rourke, who sits on El Paso's city council, was not optimistic that the talks could reduce the spate of grisly slayings in Juarez, one of its sister cities.

"Secretary Clinton's visit will do nothing to fundamentally change the long-term outlook for our region's peace and prosperity if she does not tackle the politically difficult issues of consumption and prohibition in the U.S.," he said.

David Shirk, director of the University of San Diego's Transborder Institute, said the U.S. needs to fund programs and projects well beyond the equipment and law enforcement training paid for under the $400 million Merida Initiative.

"The U.S. aid budget for Mexico is embarrassingly low, particularly compared to other countries in the region," said Shirk. "We have to begin moving more resources toward institution-building and comprehensive development strategies for Mexico."

Observers expect the meetings will produce a new joint approach on tackling organized crime.

"A future strategy will have to look at effective ways to track criminal organizations and their finances, reduce the demand for narcotics and build dialogue with communities that are under stress from the current violence," said Andrew Selee, director of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute.

Following the March 13 attacks that killed the three with ties to the Juarez consulate, U.S. authorities launched an offensive against a border gang suspected in the slayings.

On Monday, El Paso officials announced that "Operation Knock Down" had led to 25 arrests, including 10 confirmed members of the Barrio Azteca gang.

By MARTHA MENDOZA (AP)

Hillary at the AIPAC Policy Conference 2010

2010-03-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - MARCH 22: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaking at the 2010 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference March 22, 2010 in Washington, DC. Secretary Clinton spoke to the pro-Israel lobbying group about the relationship between the United States and Israel and issues facing the Middle East. Last week the influential pro-Israel lobbying group (AIPAC) released a statement that called on the White House to take immediate steps to defuse tension with Israel over a settlement dispute.

Read the Full Text at State.gov

Follow AIPAC Policy Conference 2010 online

Hillary Clinton Will Do Anything to Not Miss a Meeting With President Obama

2010-03-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Despite initial worries from some Obama advisers that Hillary Clinton would secretly try to undermine President Obama as secretary of State, she's actually been as much of a team player as one could possibly hope. She's so devoted to Obama, in fact, that she'll do just about anything to avoid missing their weekly meetings. Even after her plane broke down in Saudi Arabia last month, she managed to hitch a ride with General Petraeus "so that she would not miss her session with the president the next day."

Then there was the time she received a phone call telling her that her husband was in the hospital with heart problems. Did Hillary run to his side? No. Because she was about to go into a meeting with President Obama.

Mrs. Clinton kept her appointment with Mr. Obama in the Oval Office, taking her customary seat on the yellow sofa as the two talked about her coming trip to the Persian Gulf, where she planned to turn up the heat on Iran over its nuclear program.

“No one had any idea” that she might have had a personal worry, said a senior White House official who was present. Afterward, Mrs. Clinton raced for a shuttle flight to New York to see her husband.

Imagine just hearing that your husband was in the hospital, and still being able to focus during your meeting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Either Hillary really values those meetings with Obama, or ... nah that's probably it.

Source: NYT

Quartet strikes a chord, calls for Palestinian state in 24 months

2010-03-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

Representatives of the Quartet on the Middle East are in Moscow where they have called for a halt to “unilateral” actions on the part of Israel and the Palestinians in order to jump-start peace talks.

Israel’s recent announcement that it would build 1,600 new settlements on contested property in East Jerusalem topped the agenda of the Quartet, comprised of the United States, the European Union, United Nations and Russia.

The delegates declared their unanimous opposition to Israel’s abruptly announced plan, and called for an immediate halt to any new construction so that “proximity talks” between the Israelis and Palestinians may get underway.

“The language is very clear. We emphasized that the circumstances, which made it possible to agree upon the start of indirect talks, must be honored,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference after the ministerial session on Friday.

Lavrov then stated in no uncertain terms that “unilateral actions” on the part of the parties under discussion would not be tolerated.

“The statement also clearly sets out other provisions regarding the unacceptability of any unilateral action which forecloses the parties’ arrangement on the question of the final status,” he said, before specifically mentioning Israel.

“We are convinced that Israel will hear all this and understand.”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Israeli-Palestinian talks should lead to a peace agreement within 24 months, while reminding the feuding sides of their responsibilities under international law.

“Recalling that the annexation of East Jerusalem is not recognised by the international community, the Quartet underscores that the status of Jerusalem is a permanent status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the parties, and condemns the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem,” Ban Ki-moon said, before throwing his heavy global weight behind a Palestinian state.

“The Quartet continues to support the Palestinian authority’s plan of 2009 for building a Palestinian state within 24 months, as a demonstration of the Palestinians’ serious commitment to an independant state that provides good governance, opportunity, justice and security for the Palestinian people."

The United Nations Secretary General then urged the government of Israel to undertake a series of initiatives that will certainly be greeted with very mixed opinion in Jerusalem.

“The Quartet urges the government of Israel to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, dismantle outposts erected since March 2001 and to refrain from demolitions and evictions in East Jerusalem,” the UN figurehead noted.

But on the very day that the Quartet was meeting in the Russian capital, fresh violence between Israel and the Palestinians underscored how difficult it will be for Mr. Ban’s demands to come to fruition.

In response to a rocket attack on the Netiv Haasara kibbutz, which sits only a few hundred meters from the border with Gaza, Israel responded with aerial attacks on several targets in Gaza City, including a workshop and a suspected tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border.

Will the United States keep the pressure on Israel?

Israel placed the United States in a very awkward position before the Moscow talks when it abruptly announced plans to construct 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem at the very same time that US Vice President Joseph Biden was meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to promote peace.

If Israel had been gambling that its “special relationship” with Washington could endure such impertinence, it wagered horribly wrong: the Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren was immediately summoned to the White House for a diplomatic dressing down, Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell cancelled his planned trip to Israel for planned talks, while Hillary Clinton spent 45 minutes on the telephone with Prime Minister Netanyahu with a set of demands for the Israeli leader.

Clinton said in Moscow that her conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been “useful and productive,” while adding that “we are continuing our discussions with him and his government.”

It may be somewhat insightful at this point – especially considering the importance of “body language” – to offer some general comments about Clinton’s manner and tone while addressing the press conference following the Quartet’s meeting.

To say that the US secretary of state appeared distressed and even extremely agitated would be putting the matter lightly. Although the subject at hand is a very serious one, Clinton’s grave somberness suggested that her telephone conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu just hours before was indeed “useful and productive,” but in the most negative sense of that characterization.

But there were other indications that the telephone conversation – the contents of which were never disclosed – was far from being an amiable one. Clinton never mentions Netanyahu by name in the course of the conference, instead referring to “him” and “his government.” This may be interpreted in various different ways, but it seems that if Washington and Tel Aviv were really back on the same page, diplomatic decorum would demand that Clinton at least address the Israeli prime minister by his name.

“What I heard from the prime minister in response to the reports we made was useful and productive and we are continuing our discussions with him and his government,” Clinton said in response to a reporter from Reuters.

At this point, Clinton confirmed that US Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell would be going back to the region to meet with “him.”

Clinton continued: “The goal of the Quartet, like the goal of the United States government, is to get the proximity talks re-launched. We do not think unilateral actions by either party are helpful. And we have made that very clear. And we are hoping to be able to get those talks started, because we think it is only through that effort that we can move on to direct negotiations as the UN Secretary General made reference to.”

Clinton, choosing her words very thoughtfully, stressed that the atmosphere must be right for the proximity talks to be successful.

“I think all of us sitting here share the same goal. We all condemned the announcement [on the 1,600 new Jewish settlements planned for East Jerusalem] and we are expecting both parties to move toward the proximity talks and to help create an atmosphere in which those talks can be constructive,” she concluded.

Media reports suggest that the crisis in relations between the two states is “the worst in 35 years,” with more than one Israeli commentator suggesting that US President Barack Obama is motivated in his actions by “ill feelings” for the Israeli people.

Some 27% of Israelis believe that Barack Obama is anti-Semitic, according to a Haaretz-Dialog poll conducted this week, and reported by Haaretz.

But Clinton and President Obama, as well as the Israeli side, reject such absurd allegations, saying that Israel remains one of America’s “closest allies” and that the “special bond” between the two nations was here to stay.

On a side note, Clinton met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev following the Quartet meeting at the Russian leader's residence outside of Moscow. In addition to the Middle East issue, Clinton and Medvedev are expected to discuss ways to address Iran, which the United States (and Israel) suspect of attempting to acquire nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear energy program, as well as developments in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) negotiations.

Finally, Tony Blair, the special representative of the EU, told CNN on Friday that although Israel refuses to reverse its decision to build new homes in largely Arab East Jerusalem, it is offering measures to kick-start the peace process.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged various initiatives to boost Palestinian confidence, as demanded by Washington, in order to get the peace process on track, Blair said. The former British prime minister said those measures include steps to "improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza."

Wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

2010-03-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) participates in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on March 19, 2010. The international Quartet for the Middle East met in a bid to revive the peace process despite tensions after Israel's announcement of new settler homes and a deadly rocket attack.

New US-Russia nuclear deal 'soon' says Hillary Clinton

2010-03-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says there has been "substantial" progress on a new nuclear disarmament deal with Russia.

In Moscow, Mrs Clinton and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov said a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start) should be finalised soon.

The nations are trying to replace the 1991 Start that expired in December.

Mrs Clinton is attending two days of talks in Moscow, including a key meeting on the Middle East on Friday.

Iran is also a major issue, with the US and Russia publicly disagreeing on the planned opening of an Iranian nuclear power station.

Quartet meeting

Russian Foreign Minister Mr Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Mrs Clinton that Moscow and Washington were in the final stage of a new Start.

Mrs Clinton said: "The results of the latest negotiation rounds lead us to believe we'll be reaching a final agreement soon."

The US is said to have more than 2,000 nuclear weapons, while Russia is believed to have nearly 3,000. Both sides have agreed to cut the number of warheads they hold to between 1,500 and 1,675 each.

But there have been disagreements on verification measures, how to count weapons and launch systems.

Mrs Clinton said in the past year the US and Russia had worked hard to "reset" damaged bilateral relations.

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Moscow says that although no date was given, it looks likely the new Start will be signed before President Barack Obama hosts a big nuclear disarmament conference in April.

Our correspondent says relations between Russia and the US are much better than a year ago, but Mr Obama still has little concrete to show from the "reset" policy and badly needs the new treaty.

Mrs Clinton arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for talks on Thursday and Friday.

She will be joined by US Middle East envoy George Mitchell on Friday when talks take place between the Mid-East Quartet - the US, Russia, the UN and EU - with the current row over Israeli settlement plans for Jerusalem a key issue.

US officials have confirmed Mrs Clinton has added a meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday as part of her visit. She is already meeting President Dmitry Medvedev.

The Iranian nuclear issue is likely to be high on her agenda.

On Thursday, Mr Putin said Iran's first nuclear power plant, which Russia is building at Bushehr, could come on line as early as this summer.

At the Moscow news conference, Mrs Clinton said Iran was entitled to nuclear energy but that it had failed to give the world reassurances on the nuclear weapons issue.

She said: "In the absence of those reassurances, we think it would be premature to go forward with any project at this time."

Mr Lavrov insisted the Bushehr plant played a special role in "ensuring that Iran is complying with its non-proliferation obligations".

Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons, saying its programme is for purely peaceful, energy purposes.

On the Middle East, the Quartet will on Friday discuss the peace process, which has been damaged by the settlements row.

The crisis erupted last week when Israel announced the construction of 1,600 more homes in East Jerusalem just as US Vice-President Joe Biden was making a high-profile visit to the region.

The US was infuriated and officials say Mrs Clinton is still awaiting a call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to clarify Israel's response.

Asked about the call at the news conference, Mrs Clinton said: "When I have anything to say, I'll inform you."

Source

Hillary Clinton meets her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov

2010-03-18T08:15:00.000-07:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was holding talks on Thursday in Moscow to accelerate progress towards a new accord between Russia and the United States to slash their nuclear arsenals.

Clinton met her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov for talks set to focus strongly on the increasingly protracted process of agreeing a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which expired in December.

Negotiators failed to agree a successor by the end-2009 target agreed by US President Barack Obama and Russia's Dmitry Medvedev and the issue risks becoming an embarrassment to the "reset" in ties if not settled soon.

Clinton noted as the talks opened that she and Lavrov had met for the first time around one year ago and that since then "the bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has moved in a very positive direction."

Clinton and Lavrov were due to hold a news conference later in the afternoon after their talks.

While some media reports have said the search for a new treaty has been stymied by major policy differences between the United States and Russia, officials have insisted only technical issues remain to be ironed out.

The United States and Russia were "getting closer" to agreement on the new nuclear disarmament treaty, top State Department official William Burns told reporters accompanying Clinton.

Lavrov for his part said ahead of the talks he had "seen no sign of something not going well."

Clinton will also meet Medvedev though it remains unclear whether she will encounter Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, seen by most as still Russia's de-facto number one.

Hillary Clinton arrives in Moscow for arms cuts, Mideast talks

2010-03-17T23:40:00.000-07:00

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Moscow on Thursday to discuss a new strategic arms cuts deal and take part in a meeting of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators.

During her two-day visit to the Russian capital, Clinton will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for talks which are expected to see the working out of the final details of a long-awaited deal to replace the START 1 treaty, the cornerstone of post-Cold War arms control, which expired on December 5.

"I'm optimistic that we'll be able to complete this agreement soon. It's a technically very complex treaty to accomplish. We share an interest in making real reductions in our strategic arsenals, and that is the most important point," Clinton said in an interview with The New Times published on Monday.

On Friday, Clinton's attention will turn to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as she joins Lavrov and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton and the Quartet's special representative, former British prime minister Tony Blair, for a meeting of the Middle East Quartet.

The meeting was originally intended as a boost to indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, but these plans were wrecked when Israel announced its intention to build 1,600 new homes for Jewish families in the east Jerusalem.

In response, chief Palestinian presidential advisor Sahib Oreikat called off his visit to the Russian capital, citing the "deterioration in the situation in the Palestinian territories."

Oreikat was to have brought with him a letter for the consideration of the Quartet from the president of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmud Abbas, outlining the Palestinian position.

Moscow awaits Hillary Clinton

2010-03-17T23:01:00.000-07:00

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is to visit Moscow from March 18th-19th.

First of all, Hillary Clinton is to take part in the “Quartet” session on the Middle East crisis. It will also feature UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and EU Foreign Affairs Chief Catherine Ashton. The mediators are facing a challenge to get the Middle East regulation out of deadlock and resume Palestinian-Israeli talks. The process seemed to have improved but Israel’s decision to continue its construction activity in East Jerusalem shattered everything. This decision was condemned by the world countries, including Israeli’s closest ally, the US.

Such a policy by Israel put US Vice-President Joe Biden in an awkward position and aggravated the Middle East situation even more. The four mediators are to discuss the issue and map out new ways out of the crisis.

Hillary Clinton is also to meet her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss the most essential issues of bilateral relations and global challenges including Iran’s and North Korean nuclear programs and Afghanistan. Read also: U.S.-Russian relation: a push on "reset" button?

The most interesting part is the new START Treaty which is also to be discussed in Moscow. Work on the Treaty has been going on for the past 3 months. The parties said the Treaty was 95-97 percent ready but some difficulties remained. A few days ago, the two presidents had a phone talk after which it became known that a possible date and place of signing the Treaty are being agreed upon. Maybe the Moscow talks will bring more details. Ukraine, for example, has expressed its readiness to host the signing. Sergey Lavrov appreciated the proposal but noted that the time and place of the signing are up to the presidents who are to coordinate their schedules.

Certainly there are some expectations but politics is not the subject for guessing. Obviously, the forthcoming talks are to become outstanding due to essential issues they touch upon.

Hillary and Bill Clinton at the American Ireland Fund's 18th Annual National Gala

2010-03-17T00:43:00.000-07:00

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is presented with the 2010 Leadership Award, for her support for the peace process in Northern Ireland, by Worldwide Ireland Funds President and CEO Kieran McLoughlin at the American Ireland Fund's 18th Annual National Gala in Washington.

Her husband, Bill Clinton made a healthy impression, albeit a little thin.

How do you like the ball gown? I think Hillary once again looks stunning.

Appreciation Event for Haiti Earthquake Task Force Volunteers

2010-03-16T02:30:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - MARCH 15: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is seen on a television camera viewfinder during a program thanking employees, diplomats and volunteers from the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for their work after January's 7.0 earthquake, at the State Department March 15, 2010 in Washington, DC. More than 220,000 people were killed in the quake that crippled Haiti and left more than 1.2 million people homeless, including many embassy employees.

Here is what Hillary said: Thank you very much, Ambassador Merten. Thanks to all of your extraordinary team there in Haiti, and thanks to Dan Smith, who, as Executive Secretary, was responsible for coordinating a lot of what we were able to do under very challenging circumstances to help our colleagues in Haiti and to help the Haitian people. And I also want to thank our Chief of Staff and Counselor Cheryl Mills, who has been spearheading an effort on behalf of Haiti even before the earthquake and will continue to do so.

But I think we really have to just pause for a moment and think back to January 12th, that horrible moment when the earth shook, and our team, led by Ken Merten, showed great leadership, not only for the American community, but for the international community and for the Haitian Government and people. From that moment when it started, Ambassador Merten has led this team and represented the resolve of our country and our President, of the State Department and USAID and all the government personnel, civilian and military, who either were there or came to help. And also he represented the generosity of the American people.

So let me start by extending our deep gratitude to Ambassador Merten and the entire team in Haiti. (Applause.)

I also want to thank Under Secretary Pat Kennedy, who helped coordinate this incredibly complicated effort that included everyone here, as well as people and resources from across the federal government.

But most of all, I wanted this opportunity to thank each and every one of you. Since I have been honored to be the Secretary of State, nothing has made me prouder than your response to this catastrophe.

The earthquake created staggering humanitarian needs and tested our capacity in so many ways. More than 250,000 people killed, many thousands injured, infrastructure devastated, a government profoundly damaged, thousands of Americans to account for, rescue and evacuate, and a broad international effort to coordinate. And in the face of all these and so many more challenges, your performance was remarkable.

I started making calls that night, and as I was talking to leaders around the world, I told them that we wanted to help coordinate their efforts so please the call State Department, call in to our task forces that were being set up immediately. The United States ended up evacuating more than 16,000 people via bus and plane, our longest and largest evacuation in recent history. Staff from Consular Affairs – and I see Janice here and I thank her entire team – and the Embassy tracked the welfare and whereabouts of 22,000 people throughout the crisis and responded to nearly 500,000 inquiries from concerned friends and loved ones.

We transported vast quantities of emergency supplies – thousands and thousands of bottles of water, MREs, fuel, cots, medical supplies, tools, and so much else.

More than 1,700 volunteers here at home staffed task forces or worked within their bureaus and offices to coordinate every aspect of these efforts. Task Force 1 alone received more than 40,000 emails. Many of you braved difficult weather, worked multiple shifts, slept at the Department, in order to ensure that nothing fell through the cracks.

And many of you also volunteered to go to Haiti, and you joined our extraordinary team there. You, along with our team on the ground, provided a partner to the Haitian Government and the United Nations, which had likewise been devastated. And you coordinated the arrival of thousands of U.S. military and civilian personnel.

Many of you in Haiti lost your own homes. You slept on the floor of the Embassy, and you kept working around the clock. Those of you who could, welcomed co-workers into your homes, up to 15 co-workers and family members in one case. Our locally employed colleagues lost their homes, friends, and family members, yet so many of them kept working, too.

I heard the story about Peter Kolshorn, one of our security officers, who along with members of the Local Guard Force went searching for missing staff. They found an injured Embassy couple whose home had fallen into a deep ravine. Peter and his team carried the couple by foot for six hours on a make-shift gurney made of ladders and garden hoses until they reached the Embassy Health Unit. That couple was stabilized and evacuated, and now are expected to recover.

I heard about Carolyn Veit, the Embassy’s nurse, whose own home was destroyed but who worked nonstop for almost 48 hours to tend the hundreds of seriously injured Americans in a makeshift surgical trauma unit.

There are so many stories of heroism and of extraordinary service. I want to thank all of you who kept working. Your service and your sacrifice made us proud, proud to be Americans, proud to be members of our government at this particularly crucial time.

Tragically, we lost a number of our family members in this disaster. Victoria DeLong, the Cultural Affairs Officer at the Embassy who had worked to build bridges of understanding and respect. The wife and young children of Andrew Wyllie, a decorated State Department officer working with the United Nations. And six locally employed staff: Jean-Daniel LaFontant, Olriche Jean, Jacques Josue Desamours, Laica Casseus, and Joseph Fontal. Racan Domond is still missing. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of their family and friends, and we honor their memories by continuing the work to which they devoted their lives.

As I told President Preval on his visit last week to Washington, we are committed to Haiti for the long term. We are working with our international partners to meet urgent needs as the rainy season approaches. And we are working with the Haitian Government for Haiti’s long-term reconstruction and renewal. At the end of this month, there will be a donors conference co-hosted by the United States and the United Nations in New York to obtain pledges for work for this reconstruction effort and to continue closer coordination of our international effort. And in the months and years ahead, the men and women of the State Department and USAID will continue to make good on our commitment to stand with the Haitian people.

I first went to Haiti in 1975, and I have been entranced by Haiti every since. My husband and I have worked in our various incarnations in the public and private and not-for-profit sectors to try to help Haiti. We, like so many, are drawn to the vibrancy of the culture, the beauty of the people, the resilience and commitment and aspirations for a better life. And so for me this is a very personal commitment, but it is also for President Obama and for our Government as well. We want to help build Haiti back better. We want to give every Haitian boy and girl a chance to live up to his or her God-given potential. And we want to demonstrate that the United States is not only a good and effective partner and friend and neighbor, but one who stays and helps even as the immediate crisis abates and as the TV cameras move on to the next crisis.

So Haiti will be a priority so long as I am Secretary of State, and I know it will be one for all of you who have helped in the largest, most difficult, humanitarian rescue-and-recovery effort we’ve ever attempted, and who will be there with us as we try to make good on our pledge to Haiti.

Thank you all very much. (Applause.)

State Department launches 'Opinion Space' website

2010-03-15T23:22:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON — The US State Department launched a new website on Monday seeking the opinions of people around the world on global issues and US foreign policy.

The site located at state.gov/opinionspace is designed to "foster global conversations on foreign affairs," the State Department said.

"Opinion Space will harness the power of connection technologies to provide a unique forum for international dialogue," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement.

"This is an example of what we call 21st century statecraft and an opportunity to extend our engagement beyond the halls of government directly to the people of the world.

"I can't wait to be a part of this exciting new conversation," she added.

The site, accessible worldwide, invites users to "share their perspectives and ideas on US foreign policy."

Opinion Space users are asked to provide an email address and identify the country where they live to make their views known.

A visual "opinion map" illustrates "which ideas result in the most discussion and which are judged most insightful by the community of participants."

The State Department said Opinion Space was developed jointly with the University of California at Berkeley's Center for New Media (BCNM).

BCNM director Ken Goldberg said the map "is not based on geography or predetermined categories, but on similarity of opinion.

"Opinion Space is designed to 'depolarize' discussions by including all participants on a level playing field," the University of California professor said.

To get the conversation going, the State Department posted an initial discussion question.

"If you met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, what issue would you tell her about, why is it important to you, and what specific suggestions do you have for addressing it?" it asked.

Users are also asked whether they "strongly disagree" or "strongly agree" with statements such as "climate change poses a threat to political stability around the world."

The State Department has enthusiastically embraced the Internet and social networking tools as part of the exercise it calls "21st century statecraft."

Its recently revamped website, state.gov, features front-page links to the State Department's official blog, DipNote, its YouTube channel, its Twitter feed, its Facebook page and its Flickr photo account.

President Barack Obama relied heavily on the Internet during his election campaign and his new media team has been pushing agencies across the government to incorporate Web 2.0 tools into their operations.

Women’s Rights as a Security Issue - By Nicholas Kristof

2010-03-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton has been pushing hard to reframe women’s rights from “soft issue” to “security issue.” Obviously that’s partly because soft issues are shunted aside, while the security issues are discussed in the Situation Room and get billions of dollars thrown at them. In an interview with Andrea Mitchell released today, Clinton put it this way:

I think that if you look at this century and you look at the instability, the conflicts that we have in so many places in the world, there’s a direct relationship between the subjugation and oppression of women and extremism. It is therefore in our interest to stand up for the rights of women. Because by doing so, we enhance our own security.

I think she’s dead right on that, of course. It’s a point that Sheryl and I made in Half the Sky, citing a fair amount of research. Indeed, I think a pretty good argument can be made that the reason the Islamic world is disproportionately turbulent and has “bloody fringes,” as Samuel Huntington put it, doesn’t have to do with the Koran or religion in any direct way. Rather, it has to do with the fact that women are more likely to be marginalized in such countries. And when women are repressed, you have high birth rates — and hence a destabilizing youth bulge — and the country takes on the atmosphere of a boy’s locker room or an armed camp. Some American sociologists have argued that the American West was so violent in the 19th century precisely because there were so many young men and so few women.

In the last few days, Hillary Clinton has been making these arguments right and left (although she has also made them in past years; this isn’t new for her). This is her most coherent speech on the topic; it’s very good and powerful, delivered to the U.N. I just wish that Bob Gates and David Petraeus were giving the same speech. When the Pentagon lists women’s rights as a security issue, that’s the historic milestone we need!

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton attends the Women In The World

2010-03-12T23:48:00.000-08:00

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton attends the Women In The World: Stories and Solutions global summit at Hudson Theatre on March 12, 2010 in New York City.

(L-R) Event co-host and designer Diane von Furstenberg, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, event co-host and founder and editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast Tina Brown, Queen Rania of Jordan, and event co-host Alyse Nelson attend the 'Women In The World: Stories and Solutions' global summit at Hudson Theatre on March 12, 2010 in New York City.

Clinton urges women to continue fight for human rights, progress

2010-03-12T14:14:00.000-08:00

New York - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday urged women worldwide to continue their struggle for human rights, but added that the new target is to equate women with progress. Clinton told an international conference on the status of women at UN headquarters that the plan of action adopted in Beijing in 1995, which called for human rights for women, has produced progress even though there are people who still deny women their rights.

She said the 21st century should be the time for "equality for women."

"The evidence is irrefutable," said Clinton, who received a warm welcome for upholding the rights of women to take part in politics, the economy and various fields where men have been more dominant.

Former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright and New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney attended the session with UN Deputy Secretary General Asha-Rose Migiro. Albright was the first US woman to head the State Department, followed by Clinton.

"When women can vote and run for public offices, governments are more effective and responsive to their people," she said. "When women are free to earn a living and start small businesses, the data are clear, they become the key drivers of economic growth across regions and sectors."

"When women have human rights, nations are peaceful and secure," she said.

Clinton urged the conference to continue to implement the 1995 platform of action that stated that "human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights." But she called for intensified efforts in the coming years with a new target.

"We must declare with one voice, which is women's progress is human's progress, human's progress is women's progress once and for all," Clinton said.

The annual conference on the status of women brought hundreds of representatives of women groups and non-governmental organizations from around the world to discuss the implementation of programmes to reduce maternal and child mortality, human rights, education, health and other targets set in Beijing in 1995 to support women's role in society.

Read more: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313843,clinton-urges-women-to-continue-fight-for-human-rights-progress.html#ixzz0i0FR4nEy

Welcome Dalai Lama

2010-02-18T08:11:00.000-08:00