Video of Hillary at Four Freedoms Awards (in it’s entirety in Eng)

(ht/Videos courtesy of our friends at Hillaryis44.org

Advertisement

Submit a Question to BILL CLINTON:

Now-now, be thoughtful and polite and maybe your question will be chosen.

Madame Secretary’s support for Historic Van Buren land aquisition realized…

Senate passes Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Protection Act.

WASHINGTON – The US Senate has passed the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Boundary Revision Act, legislation sponsored by then-Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand and then-Senator Hillary Clinton. The bill would enact a 2003 study by the National Park Service that will add approximately 261 acres to the current Park.

“We are now one step closer to preserving the history of Martin Van Buren’s Lindenwald and the rich agricultural character of the Hudson Valley,” said now-Senator Gillibrand. ***“The dedication of the local community to preserve their rich history has been vital. This boundary expansion would protect local agricultural lands and help to increase tourism opportunities in the historic Hudson Valley. ***I want to recognize Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,*** who sponsored the companion legislation in the Senate.”***

The boundary revision is supported by the Village of Kinderhook, the Town of Kinderhook, the New York State Historic Preservation Office, the Open Space Institute, the Columbia County Land Conservancy, the Friends of Lindenwald, the Columbia County Historical Society, the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, and was unanimously supported by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors in a 2005 board vote.

The legislation was included in an historic preservation bill that served as the legislative vehicle and passed by the Senate Thursday.

The Van Buren-Kinderhook Connection.

International Women of Courage Awards to be Announced by Hillary Clinton…

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will announce this year’s recipients of the Secretary of State’s Award for International Women of Courage. The awards ceremony will take place on March 11 at 4 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Room of the U.S. Department of State.

The annual Award for International Women of Courage recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for human rights and women’s equality. This is the only Department of State award that pays tribute to outstanding women leaders worldwide. This year, the Secretary of State will pay tribute to honorees representing Afghanistan, Guatemala, Iraq, Malaysia, Niger, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.

The Awards Ceremony will be pool press coverage for cameras and open for writers and still photographers.

Final access time for writers and stills: 3:30 p.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.

Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following:

(1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center),(2) a media-issued photo identification card, or

(3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport). Press should allow adequate time to process through security and to be in the briefing room 10 minutes prior to the briefing.

PRESS CONTACTS:
Ruth Bennett
Office of International Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State
(202) 312-9867
BennettRE@state.gov

Office of Press Relations, U.S. Department of State
(202) 647-2492

Hillary Clinton pledges multifaceted efforts to stabilize Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The United States will work with its NATO allies to forge a multifaceted strategy to stabilise Pakistan and Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has pledged. “We will be working with our NATO allies and other partners to come up with a comprehensive strategy that integrates military and civilian assets in a way that can try to stabilise both Afghanistan and Pakistan from the mutual threat they face from Al Qaeda and the Taliban,” she told German ZDF-TV during her tour of Europe.

According to a transcript released by the State Department, Clinton claimed insurgent groups “are determined to destabilize those countries to gain and hold territory to serve as safe havens for terrorists who plan and plot against Europe and the United States”. She said the Obama administration is “focused on a policy review concerning Afghanistan and Pakistan because we think we have strategic interests there and threats emanate from there”.

Clinton also held talks with members of the 26-nation NATO alliance on formulating an effective way forward in Afghanistan. Before travelling to Europe, Clinton hosted the Pakistani and Afghan foreign ministers in Washington for tripartite consultations on fashioning a comprehensive policy, under the Obama administration, for the Pak-Afghan border regions.

U.S. and Turkey Reaffirm Strong Partnership

(Mar. 7) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan today reaffirmed the strong bonds of alliance, solidarity and strategic partnership between the Republic of Turkey and the United States, as well as the commitment of both countries to the principles of peace, democracy, freedom, and prosperity enshrined in the Shared Vision and Structured Dialogue document agreed to in July 2006

They reaffirmed their determination to diversify the broad based bilateral relations particularly between the Turkish and American people.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan today reaffirmed the strong bonds of alliance, solidarity and strategic partnership between the Republic of Turkey and the United States, as well as the commitment of both countries to the principles of peace, democracy, freedom, and prosperity enshrined in the Shared Vision and Structured Dialogue document agreed to in July 2006.

Turkey and the United States reiterated their determination to continue close cooperation and consultation on all issues of common concern. They pledge to contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East and in this context,

to support a permanent settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, including alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of a two-state solution;

to enhance energy security and to expand the Southern corridor of natural gas and oil infrastructure

to enable Caspian basin and Iraqi energy producers to reach European and world markets;

to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the south Caucasus, including through U.S. support for the efforts of Turkey and Armenia to normalize relations and joint support for the efforts of the Minsk Group to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict;

to continue to cooperate in the Balkans;

to support strongly a comprehensive and mutually-acceptable settlement of the Cyprus question under the auspices of the UN and in this context ending the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots; and to enhance their cooperation in the fight against terrorism, particularly against their common enemies, the PKK and al-Qaeda.

The United States will continue its intelligence support for Turkish operations against the PKK and is reviewing ways to be more supportive. As members of the G-20, Turkey and the United States pledge continued cooperation to deal with the global economic crisis and efforts to increase and diversify bilateral economic relations with particular emphasis on trade, investment, scientific and technological cooperation.

Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Babacan discussed Turkey’s accession to the European Union as a member, a goal the United States continues to strongly support, as well as the Government of Turkey’s continued emphasis on reform process.

With their commitment to Transatlantic relations and as Allies in a strong NATO, they pledge continued cooperation in Afghanistan, including through continued Turkish contributions to Afghanistan. They reiterated their commitment to the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq as well as reiterated their support for a democratic, pluralistic, unified and federal Iraq.

They also welcome Turkey’s deepening relations with the Government of Iraq as evidenced by high level visits as well as trilateral meetings to discuss cooperation against the PKK.

Turkey and the United States will strongly back the United Nations Security Council in its work to maintain global peace and security for the prevention and removal of threats to the international community and in this context will cooperate in dealing with issues including terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime and the threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery in the region and beyond.

Finally, they reaffirmed their determination to diversify the broad based bilateral relations particularly between the Turkish and American people. In that context, the Secretary and Minister announced the establishment of “Young Turkey/Young America”: A New Relationship for a New Age.

This initiative will enable emerging young leaders in Turkey and the United States to develop initiatives that will positively impact people’s lives and invest in future ties between the leadership of our two countries.

Secretary Clinton: Travel to the Middle East and Europe, March 1-7, 2009

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Belgium, Switzerland, and Turkey from March 1�7, 2009.

Secretary Clinton will attend and participate in the donor�s conference for Gaza recovery hosted by Egypt on March 2. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell and other high-level representatives will be in attendance in Sharm el-Sheikh with the Secretary during the conference.

The Secretary also will meet with senior Egyptian officials.

After the conference, Secretary Clinton will travel to Israel and the Palestinian Territories and meet with senior officials.

In Brussels, Secretary Clinton will attend an informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on March 5, where she will consult with Allies and seek consensus on the approach to the upcoming NATO Summit. The Secretary also will attend a meeting with foreign ministers from all NATO and EU countries, as well as Switzerland, to further boost transatlantic relations.

Also in Brussels, Secretary Clinton will meet separately with EU officials.

In Geneva, Secretary Clinton will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss a number of issues of mutual interest, including possibilities for a follow-on agreement to START, and deepening our cooperation in areas such as Afghanistan.

While in Ankara Secretary Clinton will meet with key Turkish officials.

Hillary lights up Beijing…

BEIJING, China (CNN) — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with China’s top leaders Saturday, the last and most crucial stop-over in her Asia trip, signaling the new U.S. administration’s first attempts to lay a foundation towards a China policy.

U.S. Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton meets Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Beijing Saturday.

Clinton met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and discussed the framework for further high-level and mid-level discussions.

“It is essential that the United States and China have a positive, cooperative relationship,” Clinton told a group of reporters.

Earlier on Saturday, Clinton met with Chinese Premier Wen Jibao in Beijing where they discussed what they regard as the new defining Sino-US strategic goals: the world economic crisis, regional security and the environment.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing February 21, 2009. Clinton said on Saturday the United States and China can pull the world out of economic crisis by working together.

The U.S. and China
In a welcoming response, Yang said China was willing to discuss the often contentious subject.
Wen welcomed US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Beijing Saturday afternoon as she made her inaugural visit to China since becoming Secretary of State.

Both leaders cited several Chinese proverbs in their discussions of bilateral relations.

Noting that Clinton has repeatedly voiced a willingness to develop positive and cooperative relations with China, Wen said this fully reflects the high importance that the Obama administration puts on developing Sino-US relations.

Wen stressed the need for China and the United States to cooperate on countering the impact of global financial turmoil.

<

“As the world is faced with the grim impact of the financial crisis, I very much appreciate a (Chinese) proverb you quoted that all countries should cross the river peacefully as they are in a common boat,” Wen said. The proverb is from The Art of War by Sun Tzi, an ancient Chinese military strategist.

“Another saying in the the book goes as ‘progress with hand in hand,'” Wend said.

Clinton echoed Wen’s comment by saying China and the United States have an opportunity to work closely together in the future.

“I quoted another Chinese proverb that ‘you should dig a well before you are thirsty,'” Clinton said,

referring to the need that the two countries should work together to address global challenges, including climate changes.

(ht/Katalusis)
WPSlide Show

Madame Secretary Clinton to build ties in Jakarta

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, on the second leg of her four-nation Asian tour.

During her brief visit, Mrs Clinton is scheduled to meet President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and other senior officials.

They will discuss a range of issues including education and climate change.

But Mrs Clinton’s visit is also being carefully watched for signs of a new US policy towards the Muslim world.

This is in some ways the most intriguing part of her Asian tour.

The symbolism is powerful – her first visit to a Muslim majority country; a stable, democratic country, half a world away from the Middle East.

And in a sign of the breadth of expectations Mrs Clinton will face here, her welcoming party included both senior government officials, and students from US President Barack Obama’s old school.

‘Mutual respect’

Mr Obama spent some of his childhood in Jakarta and there is a lot of goodwill among Indonesians towards his new government.

He has already made it clear he wants a new kind of relationship with the Muslim world, based on “mutual interests and mutual respect”.

Mrs Clinton’s visit will be carefully watched for signs of that new engagement – and also for signs that Washington wants to develop closer ties with South East Asia.

Indonesian officials have privately said that is exactly what they are hoping for; that they would welcome closer co-operation with the new US administration.

Relations between the two governments grew markedly under former President George W Bush, with the normalisation of military ties and cooperation on counter-terrorism, following a spate of bomb attacks by Islamist groups here.

But they deteriorated among the population in general, as a result of US policies in the Middle East, and its invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

That is still what defines most attitudes here.

Many people say they welcome the symbolism of Mrs Clinton’s visit, and are pleased with President Obama’s election, but that they do not expect too much real change.

Hillary in Japan… follow her photo journey…

Madame Secretary renewing old friendships, as with the Empress of Japan whom she met years ago when First Lady of the United States.

Empress Michiko of Japan greeted visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo with a hug and a peck on each cheek, an unusually warm welcome in Japanese culture. Clinton started her first foreign tour as U.S. Secretary in Japan, but her warm reception was due to her past role as First Lady.

To start the day, Clinton participated in a purification rite and welcoming ceremony at a Shinto shrine to the father of modern Japan, Emperor Meiji. She said its message of ‘balance and harmony’ would set the tone for the Obama administration’s foreign policy, especially in tough economic times.

Hillary Clinton visits Meiji Shrine

In the several public appearances she made today, Hillary repeatedly stressed the importance of America’s relationship with Japan. She also announced that Taro Aso would be going to Washington next week, making him the first foreign leader to visit and meet with Obama since the new president took office .

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) is welcomed by Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso prior to their talks at Aso’s official residence in Tokyo February 17, 2009. Clinton is visiting Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China this week on her first foreign trip as U.S. Secretary of State.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton enters a town-hall meeting with students from Tokyo University in Tokyo February 17, 2009.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks at a town-hall meeting to  students from Tokyo University in Tokyo February 17, 2009

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Japan’s Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone attend at their joint news conference at the Iikura Guest House in Tokyo February 17, 2009.

Hillary achieves success with ease!

Hillary breaks through the gridlock we’ve faced with Foreign Countries for 8 years with style, substance, charm and above all, a friendly invitation to all countries to resolve our differences and start building a united coalition for the benefit of mankind.

Just today, Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton met at the State Department with fourteen prominent Afghan women judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. These jurists were in Washington to participate in a training program arranged by the Department’s Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan. Secretary Clinton told them: “Your American friends greatly admire your bravery and courage. It is your work in the tough environment of Afghanistan for women lawyers that will bring real reform and the rule of law to the Afghan people. As President Obama made clear yesterday in his first foreign policy announcement, we are committed to supporting your efforts to bring security and stability to your country.”

Hillary has done more in her first week on the job than Condi Rice did in eight years.

“Special envoys have been named for South Asia, the Middle East, and climate change, and George Mitchell, the Middle East envoy, is already on a listening tour in the region. She’s put in calls to more than three dozen leaders as part of an effort to reassure the world that the U.S. is committed to repairing damaged relations.

She’s made impressive development announcements, with an initial State Department commitment of $125 million this year to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and a pledge on behalf of the administration to work with other countries to halve global hunger and poverty by 2015.

CHEERS AND LONG LIVE “HILLARY” !

Will Bower interviewed by Newsweek…

Focused and determined; Will rakes Obama flip-flops, Biden and Obamamaniacs and praises Hillary!

h/t Darragh: Newsweek article

PUMApac and P.U.M.A.08, Darragh and Will together were the heart and soul of the PUMA movement . As the original founders of each entity, together, both had a strong sense of what needed to be done to get Hillary elected. I loved hearing Will on Blog Talk Radio. His insight and focus was an invaluable rudder to maintaining the course of the good ship PUMA and together they presented a strong united front.. I’m posting the body of his interview and link to it here: Newsweek

Holding Out in Hillaryland

Will Bower, 36, walked around the Mall with millions of other Americans this morning. But unlike nearly everyone else in the crowd, Bower wasn’t cheering. He wore a Hillary Clinton T shirt (adorned with a HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT sticker) to show his support for the woman he feels the Democratic Party and a sexist media stole the election from. Bower recently left his job as an intellectual-property researcher at Thomson Reuters in order to work full time for the pro-Clinton group he cofounded, PUMA (Party Unity My Ass) ‘08. Bower, who is now living off of savings to work full time on what he calls his “labor of love,” has focused his efforts on reforming the primary system, which he says is undemocratic. NEWSWEEK’s Suzanne Smalley spoke with Bower by phone today.

NEWSWEEK: Is PUMA still active?

Bower: Yes. People feel like we don’t have a clear objective. The problem is we have many clear objectives. During the 2008 primaries, so many things went wrong and we were inspired by so many of them–primary reform, misogyny in media, media reform … There are many different PUMAs [dedicated to different issues].

What do you mean by many different PUMAs?

There are a lot of different PUMA Web sites and PUMA actions. There is still plenty of e-mailing and Web activity. We all have different Web sites and leaders. We all get along and agree on most things. My biggest thing is the need for primary reform…That’s probably not going to be a hot topic for a few years, but I’m working on it for down the road. I’m working on lobbying the Republican National Committee to work on primary reform there … I want them to learn from the mistakes the Democrats made in 2008. The primacy of Iowa and New Hampshire–why are we held hostage by these two small states? It’s insanity.

Are they not representative states?

No, they’re really not. Everyone thinks Iowa has this really engaged citizenry and they know what they’re doing. But fewer than 10 percent of Iowa voters participate … Since 1972 the caucuses have failed Democrats at every turn. [Some people will say] Obama won Iowa and went on to win. Well, we’ll see in four years whether Iowa has really served us. It’s basically about who has the best ground game.

Do you plan on working for PUMA indefinitely?

I intend on being critical of Barack Obama for the next four years. I do recognize him as president. I think he’s the rightful president, but I don’t think he’s the rightful leader of the Democratic Party. That sounds ironic, but I believe that Hillary Clinton … was the winner and represented the will of the people. She is my political leader … I wanted her to stay in the Senate, be the lion of the Senate, the next Ted Kennedy. I wanted her to be her own boss … and represent the 18 million who voted for her. Now that she’s in the executive branch I’m looking at her as our shadow president … A lot of us are taking comfort in the fact that she’ll be our shadow president and someone to look out for our interests abroad.

Did you go to the inauguration?

I wasn’t going to go out to the festivities, but I went out in my Hillary gear [a T shirt depicting Clinton as Rosie the Riveter] … There were two thumbs ups, a couple of scoffs, and a lot of stares.

Why did you go?

I was going to lock myself in and not watch TV and I got a few calls from friends saying, “Aren’t you going to participate?” … And then I said I might as well go outside and watch and then I thought I might as well be supportive of Hillary while I do it.

How does it make you feel seeing all of the exuberance over Obama and his inauguration?

I feel that this is supposed to be Hillary’s day, to be honest. I feel he’s unqualified … A lot of what scares me is Obama mania and all. I feel like I’m living in “American Idol,” a four-year episode of “American Idol” … It feels like mass hysteria–the pictures, the jargon … If this were all going on for Hillary I’d like to think I’d take a step back and say, “This is crazy.” It is a little unsettling, the fanaticism.

What is your reaction to what Jill Biden said on the Oprah Winfrey show yesterday [that her husband, Vice President Joe Biden, was given his choice of jobs–secretary of state or vice president]?

It seems like it’s a never-ending stream of minor insults. Every step of the way the Obama administration finds a way to insult Hillary. They’re finding a way to take another jab at Hillary–that she got sloppy seconds … The fact that Dr. Biden was so casual about something like that means a lot.

When you say it means a lot what do you mean?

I don’t think these are naive people. She’s a politician’s wife … It’s hard to believe someone would be that careless on Oprah. [woo-hoo, great insight Will. You bet that was deliberate not a slip-up!]

Tell me more about your focus on primary reform.

It took one state to determine who our candidate would be [in 2004]. I’m from Ohio and knew John Kerry would not win Ohio so I felt trapped by what Iowa had done to us … When I saw what happened in 2004 I wrote a proposal in December 2007 and that was published. Then Huffington Post picked it up. I want a truly mathematical, geometrical system … to order primaries based on margins of victory in the general election before … to focus on the Ohios, Pennsylvanias and Wisconsins and Floridas–the states right in the middle, the purple states. Parties go after those states anyway; we might as well tailor our primaries that way, to appeal to voters in those states instead of getting candidates who appeal to extremes, John Kerry on one side and George Bush on the other.

Were you one of the PUMAs supporting McCain?

I was … for a few reasons. I wanted McCain to win so I could go back to being a Democrat, so the behavior in the primaries would not be rewarded. I went on to genuinely like McCain. It gave me a chance to get outside of the Democrat bubble I’ve been living in. I’ve voted for 18 years and never voted for anything but Democrats. It started as a protest vote and I ended up liking and admiring John McCain. Now I call myself an independent Democrat kind of like Joe Lieberman.

Given all the problems facing us, are you rooting for Obama to succeed?

Yes. I don’t want him to fail; that would be bad for the country. I plan on being critical of him though. He’s already dropped the ball. He campaigned on the fact that he would lift the Bush ban [on stem cells and] now is saying, “Leave it to Congress” … The pledges [he made] were political in nature. There was very little conviction behind them and it surprises me how few Democrats see that. I’m going to do my best to get Democrats and liberals to hold him accountable. [and Pumas, I hope!]

First PUMA cartoon