Thursday, February 28, 2013

Note To Potential Hillary Clinton Impersonators: Don't Even THINK About It!

The Twitter account calling itself "VerifiedClinton" disappeared overnight.  We do not know exactly why.  Several of the ladies here were tweeting about the true identity of the person behind it, and his picture and the link were up on Chelsea's Facebook page.  One way or another, that account came down.  Whether we had anything to do with it or not, it is a victory for verification at Twitter, as well as for a security measure for public figures on Facebook.

As I pointed out a few days ago,  it is one thing to run a tribute account admitting right up front not to be HRC.   It is another to impersonate a public figure and frame your words as that person's.  That is fraud, and it is nothing to fool around with, particularly  when you are impersonating Hillary Clinton, as  yesterday made clear.

While Hillary has many, many female loyalists,  The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuits is deep, broad,  and strong,  I have never found a woman at the bottom of a Hillary impersonation.  This should be the first clue to the potential impersonator that perhaps fraud is not a good idea. Even if you live with a woman, you do not have a female perspective on life. Your POV is going to be off.  Hillary's sisters know her voice,  and we know immediately when we hear a false note in yours.   Trust me, there are many false notes.  As good an impressionist as you may think you are, we will spot you immediately based on the above never mind the security measures the popular social nets have in place,  the second reason why you should stop dead in your tracks.

Twitter has a very obvious way to signal that celebrities and public figures are who they say they are.  Using the word "verified" in your handle is a dead giveaway that you are not, especially when the blue check is missing on your banner. 

When the verification is missing and the voice is off, it initiates a series of events.
1 - Hillary's sisters notice.
2 - They consult with each other since they have stayed very tightly knit over the years.
3 - They get mad.
4 - They revert to PUMA mode. (In case you are unfamiliar,  picture an angry mountain lion whose cub is in danger.   We guard Hillary as if she were our cub, and she has a lot of mothers.)
5 - The inevitable - a pack of angry PUMA women will go after you and bring you down.

No matter how smart you think you are (and I will not publish here the stupidest thing "VerifiedClinton" did that gave him away on Chelsea's Facebook wall), or how well you think you are imitating HRC, we will root you out.  So don't even consider trying to impersonate the awesome and inimitable Hillary Rodham Clinton unless you don't mind a pack of angry PUMA women at your heels.

PBS_Makers




Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Hillary Clinton's Twitter Impersonator VerifiedClinton is a Man - See His Picture Here

The person or persons masquerading as Hillary Clinton on Twitter under the unverified (no blue check mark) name VerifiedClinton crossed a new and dangerous line last night when they announced a Q & A session with Hillary who would personally answer your questions.

Scheduled for 5 a.m. New York time, it was called off due to problems with the Twitter feed,  but this account has picked up many followers who apparently believe that it is Hillary Clinton's Twitter account.  

Here is the header with the last few tweets which exclude my own question (below) which was apparently blocked because I have been questioning this account too much.

My blocked question.

Why does supposedly VerifiedClinton not carry the official blue verified check mark? #donottrustthisisverified

Verified Clinton's Twitter feed.

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton

VerifiedClinton

Official Twitter for Hillary Clinton. This is Hillary's private account so feel free to get in contact. Tweets by Hillary are signed-HC
United States of America · officialclinton.wordpress.com

Tweets

  1. Dimp333 Of course you can. Hillary will answer directly on most occasions as well! JUst look out for the -HC signature. Thanks -TeamHC
  2. Unfortunately due to technical diffuclties with the twitter feed, we have to postpone the Q and A with Hillary. Tommorw morning 5am NYtime.
  3. Hillary will be doing a 'Q and A' twitter event this morning at 5am New York Time. (3 hours away)... Get your questions ready! -TeamHC
I decided to post the link to the Twitter account in a comment thread on Chelsea's wall asking her if she knew who was running this in her mother's name,  and this is what appeared  on her wall.  When I link it anywhere else on Facebook, the profile picture of Hillary appears.  But on Chelsea's wall this man's picture appeared.  Very interesting!



VerifiedClinton


I had suspected it was a man.   The 5 a.m. New York time for the Q & A led a few of us to suspect that this person is not in the U.S.  Imitating someone on social media is at least unethical.  Perhaps it is illegal.  If this person is not in the U.S. he probably thinks he is not subject to any retribution.   It is very dangerous to purport to speak in someone else's name.  It is deceptive.

Most Twitter users know that no account is "verified" on Twitter unless it has the blue check.
Verified Accounts

Verified Accounts Verified accountverified

Accounts verified by Twitter.
San Francisco · http://twitter.com/help/verified

Tweets All / No replies

  1. The most important one-pager that every verified Twitter user should read: Keeping Your Account Secure https://support.twitter.com/articles/76036-safety-keeping-your-account-secure# …
  2. Twitter will never, ever ask you for your password. If you receive a verification request asking for your account information, it's false.
  3. Verification is not currently open to the general public. Learn more about the types of accounts that are eligible: http://twitter.com/help/verified

This is clearly a case of impersonation.  Until now,  I had entertained the faint possibility that eventually a blue check might show up on that account,  but it becomes ever clearer that this account has nothing to do with Hillary Clinton and should be suspended.  Who is this man?

Makers, With Hillary Clinton, A Hit! Take a Bow, PBS!

I just had to share this lovely photo.
PBS_Makers
"This undated publicity photo provided by PBS, courtesy of MAKERS, shows Hillary Clinton, first female major party presidential candidate and former U.S. Secretary of State, as well as a pioneering and controversial former First Lady, in the film,"Makers: Women Who Make America." The three-hour PBS documentary about the fight for women's equality, airs Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, and features prominent activists including Gloria Steinem and Marlo Thomas. (AP Photo/PBS, Courtesy of MAKERS)"
I watched and recorded this magnificent documentary.  I hope everyone had a chance to see it.  I will not review it because I was too fascinated to take notes.   The only thing I will say is that I could have done without noted Hillary-Hater MHP and done with the woman who wrote the controversial article about women having it all, Anne-Marie Slaughter, but perhaps they asked her and she declined.   Other than that minor complaint, I loved it.  Excellent!  It should get some awards!

This picture and the footage appear to have been shot on the same day as the Time cover from November 2011.  It was obviously shot awhile ago.  Nora Ephron was in it.

time-nov-2011

I have that one framed in my hallway.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Heads-Up! Hillary Clinton on PBS at 8 EST Tonight!

Sorry for posting this so late.  Just received it myself!

Hillary Clinton, Martha Stewart featured in PBS' 'Makers'; shows women's place in U.S. history

Originally published: February 26, 2013 1:23 PM
Updated: February 26, 2013 2:00 PM
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks
Photo credit: Getty Images | Then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks to reporters during a joint press availability with Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe. (July 24, 2012)
The fight for women's equality first had to argue that it was a fight worth having.
Apparently the same goes with giving the movement recognition: "Makers: Women Who Make America" is billed by PBS as an unprecedented account of women's changing lives and the impact on U.S. society over the past 50 years. The documentary premieres at 8 p.m. Tuesday on WNET/13.
SNIP
Hillary Clinton and Martha Stewart are among the women with Hudson Valley ties profiled in the documentary. Clinton, a Chappaqua resident and the former secretary of state, is recognized for her historic presidential run and her work crusading for women's rights worldwide. Stewart, who lives in Bedford, is spotlighted as a media and business mogul in the lifestyle industry.
Read more >>>>

Hillary Clinton: The 2016 Beat Goes On...

Wherever she is and whatever she is doing, Hillary Clinton cannot be unaware of wildly disparate activities in her absence.  Nature abhors a vacuum, so various and sundry are filling in the blanks.
Among the more serious efforts are the Super PACs that have formed.  The most prominent of them, Ready for Hillary, hired a communications director,  as Ruby Cramer  of Buzzfeed reports.

Hillary Clinton PAC Staffs Up

Former Ohio Democratic Party communications director Seth Bringman joins “Ready for Hillary,” a source tells BuzzFeed. The first major outside group gets serious about 2016.
Ruby Cramer BuzzFeed Staff
Image by Matt Rourke / Getty Images
The "Ready for Hillary" political action committee, founded late last month in support of Secretary Hillary Clinton's possible bid for the presidency in 2016, has made its first major hire and is gearing up to expand further, a source familiar with the group tells BuzzFeed.
Seth Bringman, who served as communications director of the Ohio Democratic Party from 2009 to 2012, has joined "Ready for Hillary" in the same capacity.
Read more >>>>
On the wild fringy margins are the myriad Twitter accounts claiming to be Hillary Clinton in some form or incarnation.  One tribute account tells us right up front that it is a parody and Hillary at Home harmlessly tweets imagined activities and meals.   Another,  lacking the blue check mark associated with legitimate celebrity Twitter accounts, calls itself "VerifiedClinton" and tweets in her name (bordering on the illegal unless it truly is HRC testing the social nets waters before unmasking herself).  That account is also associated with a decidedly anemic  "official blog" with a handful of entries all dated November 10, 2012, a half-a$$ed piece of work so atypical of anything HRC would ever do as to be laughable.  That Twitter account is strongly endorsed and promoted by the Vote_Hillary Twitter account associated with GlobalYouthJustice on Twitter and probably the work of one person behind that account and its associated blog.

Then there are the supporters Facebook pages and groups intended as organizational centers for those who will jump on board the train at a word from Hillary.  There is no pretense at these pages.  Members simply post news articles,  particularly those related to 2016 speculation and polls.

So while she is quietly hibernating,  tornadic activity surrounds her in ways that are unprecedented.   The climate in her absence is approaching critical mass,  but Hillary continues her doctor-ordered rest and recovery most silently.  We do not know whether she is paying attention to any of this.  What we do know is, as reported here,  she has signed with the New York based Harry Walker Agency to deliver speeches for up to $200,000 per.   This amounts to more per speech (when she charges, because she will not be charging for all of them, and she will donate the proceeds for some)  than she was paid per year as Secretary of State. 

Long time Hillary loyalists will remember that in December 2008, as a condition of her confirmation, she agreed to a pay cut for her cabinet post from the $191,300 that was paid to Condi Rice, to Rice's pre-raise salary rate of $186,600.  The reason for that was a Constitutional clause saying that if a member of Congress voted for an increase such as that for Secretary of State (and HRC did vote in favor of Condi's raise) that Congress member may not then assume that post at that pay rate. 

So the bottom line is that after four years on the plane and working like a dynamo, she gets to sit back and write some speeches that she will deliver from time to time for more money per appearance than she was paid per year as Secretary of State.  She is free to continue her work for women and girls either through the Clinton Foundation or one of her own should she chose.  She is the most recognizable person in the world living with one of the most powerful men who annually outshines the U.N. General Assembly with his Clinton Global Initiative and accomplishes amazing good without the annoyance of term limits.  

Should she wish to give up this comfort zone, board a plane once again, and spend two years campaigning her heart out in order to face a probable eight years (including another campaign) doing the world's hardest job, there certainly is plenty of support out there.  It will not be a cakewalk or coronation as many have predicted.  She knows how hard and nasty it will become, and we have seen that the knives are already out.  If, on the other hand,  her 40 plus years of very hard work are enough public service for her,  people who really love her will understand. 

For now, while she remains quietly hidden,  long-time readers here can enjoy some satisfaction that she will be well-paid while able to enjoy quality time with her family and friends.  She sacrificed a great deal of that time as Secretary of State in service to her country.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Glenn Thrush, Psychic, Predicts a John Kerry Wayback Machine to Correct Hillary Clinton's Course of State

When this blog began in 2008,  Hillary Clinton was a Senator and a former presidential candidate.  She was campaigning for the Obama-Biden ticket, and she and all of the rest of us fully expected that after the election she would simply return to the Senate and put her pretty nose to the grindstone once again.  The focus here has  been on Hillary's work and not on her job, and the blog handle has never included her titles.   So while the past four years have necessarily focused on foreign policy because of her job,  there has never been an intention for this blog to be mistaken for one that lent more attention to State Department matters than to the last Secretary of State.
art.clinton.hearing.cnn

That said, I am drawn back to matters of State today due to yesterday's Politico article by Glenn Thrush,  John Kerry: The un-Hillary Clinton.  Thrush's take on the Kerry secretariat, stunningly premature since all Kerry has done so far is make a speech and board the Big Blue Plane, overwhelmingly shifts the paradigm back to years not only before Hillary Clinton, but pre-Rice and pre-Albright.  It is as if he is broadcasting "Thank God, mature white men are back in charge at Foggy Bottom."  

Prejudgment this predictive has not been seen since Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize prompting a clear-sighted Michelle Obama to remark, "But he hasn't done anything yet," unless you count all of the hysterical momentum behind Hillary 2016 PACs and the assuredness with which they insist that she will run and will win.  We shall see about that when she makes her decision and not when third-hand rumors abound.

Thrush begins with this astounding statement.
... she’s not necessarily his model for how to do the job. He’s more drawn to power players of recent history — George Shultz, James Baker, Henry Kissinger and George Marshall — secretaries who have wielded considerably more influence inside the White House than Clinton.
“He’s going to be more willing than Hillary was to tackle the big things… If he were able to help broker an exit for [Syrian President Bashar] Assad, for instance, that would be huge for him,” says a veteran senior diplomat who knows Kerry and has served as an adviser to officials in both parties.

People who "knew" Hillary, in late 2008, insisted that she would remain in the Senate and not accept Secretary of State.  There were cries of protest from certain Hillary quarters when she agreed to tackle the job.  Dark scenarios arose wherein the sub-secretaries for regions-at-risk, Holbrooke, Mitchell, and Ross  (her idea) would steal her fire.  Some feared security players in the White House, particularly Susan Rice and Samantha Power (the latter of whom Thrush apparently is unaware),  would override her every agenda, a fear resoundingly overturned when, between stops in Paris on March 14 2011 and March 19 2011,  both women were instrumental in helping her change President Obama's prior stance on joining the No Fly Zone cooperative over embattled Libya.  If this was not tackling a "big thing" I do not know what is.  The trio also helped prove that government by women can be every bit as bold and risk-taking as government by men.

Issues surrounding Syria are unlikely to differ simply because the U.S. has a new SOS.  If a trustworthy opposition coalition does not emerge, aid to the opposition is unlikely to change.   Kerry heroically driving Assad out is wishful thinking on the part of Thrush.
It’s not that Clinton didn’t try to do big things, State Department watchers say. But Obama’s determination to avoid new foreign entanglements — and his insistence on tight control over diplomacy — dictated a narrower approach, focusing on women’s rights and smaller international initiatives, like re-establishing relations with Myanmar.

Oooohhhhh!!!! Suddenly I see!  First of all that word "entanglements" somehow implies military rather than diplomatic.  We should pursue the latter in avoidance of the former, and HRC was never Secretary of Defense.  She certainly generated plenty of treaties (many of which the administration failed to push for ratification) and memoranda of understanding during her tenure .  Anyone who thinks Hillary Clinton's efforts on the part of women and girls was Obama's idea, has not been paying attention. 

Folks have pointed to several of HRC's major speeches as ground-breaking, her internet freedom speech of January 2010 among them.  For my money it was the very low profile Barnard commencement speech of May 18, 2009 that laid out her agenda very clearly.  There she truly broke new ground, but hardly anyone noticed.  Can it be the "girls' school" venue, the emphasis on conditions for women globally, the encouragement to make bold moves using everyday social networking tools, the notion that half the world's population should and might finally be spotlighted as deserving a place at the table?  Nothing about that agenda was narrow.   The degree to which she was able to weave her agenda into a single cloth of a foreign policy that can rightly be dubbed Clinton Doctrine is highlighted in the following as she wrapped up her tour as Secretary of State.

1. Hillary Clinton’s Classic Speech to the Lower Mekong Initiative Womens’ Gender Equality and Empowerment Dialogue
2. Video: Hillary Clinton at the Foreign Policy Group’s “Transformational Trends 2013″ Forum
3. American Leadership: Hillary Clinton’s Final Address as Secretary of State

Former State Department official Aaron David Miller says Kerry can afford to be “more ambitious” because he poses less of a threat to Obama’s team -
Interesting remark!  The team-player non plus a threat?  What would make them think that?

Thrush goes on to quote Kerry on George Marshall.  Certainly, in the course of her many remarks as SOS, Hillary made clear her admiration of Marshall and agreement with his motives and strategies.  At least once,  as a vehicle to explain how foreign policy is also domestic policy,  (the topic of Kerry's maiden major address as SOS - and not a new idea),  she put the Marshall Plan in the context of her own family, the plan following on the heels of her father's return from war,  just as Kerry did from the perspective of his father's diplomatic service in post-war Germany.  Where is the great difference there?

Discussing Kerry's decision to travel first to Europe and the Middle East Thrush suggests he will  tackle the Middle East peace process more robustly than Hillary did, ignoring Hillary's tough stance against settlement construction in East Jerusalem in late Spring 2009,  and Netanyahu's intransigence at the time.  Recent Israeli elections are likely to affect Netanyahu's position.  This does not guarantee Kerry a success where every secretary of state since 1947 has failed, and we wish him luck.  But if he does succeed it will be arguably not that Hillary was weak, but that Netanyahu has been weakened.  I am not even factoring in here Obama having reined Hillary in by November 2009 (Secretary Clinton’s Remarks With Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu) when she stated:
What the prime minister has offered in specifics of a restraint on the policy of settlements, which he has just described – no new starts, for example – is unprecedented in the context of the prior two negotiations. It’s also the fact that for 40 years, presidents of both parties have questioned the legitimacy of settlements.
All of this is not to say that Secretary Kerry will not do well.  In fact it has little to do with Kerry and more to do with Thrush's POV which appears to be one of relief that after 16 years DOS is finally back in the hands of someone who is not going to nag about inclusion of women and girls at the big table, someone who is more likely to be spending time behind closed doors in ministerial halls and not imposing upon the office the indignity crawling into tents - as Condi Rice did - to talk to women in African refugee camps or tour women's start-ups,  give town halls,  visit the marketplaces, and mix with civil society on every continent she visited, as Hillary Clinton did. 

Hillary Clinton brought statecraft into the 21st century.  Thrush's psychic predictions see foreign policy moving backward into the 20th century - an "ambitious" time machine agenda that is stale and stuffy.   No matter what John Kerry said or the "insiders" intimate, it is unlikely that a smart man like John Kerry will abandon Hillary Clinton's innovations.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

CDS Is Alive And Well Regardless Of Hillary Clinton's High Polls

I have never seen anyone whip up this much excitement and attention while in hibernation.  Mark Finkelstein clearly suffers from Clinton Derangement Syndrome since he published this entry a few days ago.

"Good Morning America" Giddy Over Possibility Hillary Might Run

by Mark Finkelstein| February 16, 2013
If Good Morning America's giddiness over the prospect that Hillary Clinton might run for president is any indication of how the MSM will treat the story, it's gonna be a long-g-g-g four years.
SNIP
... listen to the sheer giddiness in the voices of the GMAers as they discuss Clinton's presidential prospects, and brace yourself for four years of slobbering MSM coverage of Hillary's possible run.
DAN HARRIS: On another note, we're hearing these reports overnight that a supposed insider is saying that he knows for sure that it's a done deal that Hillary Clinton is going to run for president. Any truth to this at all?
REENA NINAN: We are looking for any sort of tea leaves. Meteorites hitting Russia, anything that might suggest that Hillary Clinton is running. [Ed. you really have to listen and hear the breathless excitement in Ninan's voice]. I think we're going to have a date every Saturday to talk about this, Dan. You know, what's interesting, a source close to Hillary says she is very seriously considering her options, and is interested in a potential run. But what I am also hearing is that they are looking to see who her Republican challenger might be. Someone like Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey might be a tougher candidate to try and defeat, Dan.
Read more >>>>

As if in response to Ninan, Quinnipiac published a new poll today pitting Christie against our girl in NJ,  his home state and thus probably his strongest one where he is polling higher than any governor since Quinnipiac has been doing this poll.
February 20, 2013 - New Jersey Gov Flies High, Buries Unknown Dem, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Christie Close To Clinton, Leads Cuomo In '16 Pres Race
New Jersey voters today continue Gov. Christopher Christie's record-breaking 74 - 22 percent approval rating, the highest of any New Jersey governor in 17 years of Quinnipiac University surveys. Voters also say 71 - 23 percent that Gov. Christie deserves reelection this year.
Christie's job score is currently the highest of any governor in the seven states surveyed by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.
If the election for President were being held today, and the candidates were Hillary Clinton the Democrat and Christopher Christie the Republican, for whom would you vote?
                     Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk

Clinton              49%     7%    86%    44%    35%    60%    37%    88%
Christie             45     90      8     48     58     34     56      6
SMONE ELSE(VOL)       1      -      -      -      -      1      1      -
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)      1      -      2      1      1      1      1      -
DK/NA                 5      3      5      7      5      5      4      6

                     COLLEGE DEG   AGE IN YRS.......    ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME
                     Yes    No     18-34  35-54  55+    <50k 50-100="">100K

Clinton              51%    47%    51%    51%    46%    54%    51%    46%
Christie             43     46     41     44     47     38     44     50
SMONE ELSE(VOL)       -      1      1      -      -      -      -      1
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)      -      2      2      1      1      3      -      -
DK/NA                 5      5      5      4      6      6      4      3

                                          Philly
                     Urban  SbUrbn ExUrbn land   Shore

Clinton              61%    55%    40%    53%    32%
Christie             31     40     57     39     57
SMONE ELSE(VOL)       -      1      -      -      -
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)      -      1      -      3      2
DK/NA                 7      3      3      5      9
First a disclaimer from me: I do not put any credence in any "insider" info.  So many people claim to *know* what Hillary Clinton will do.  Right now all we really know is that she will be doing some public speaking and writing her memoirs of her Secretary of State years.  If she is looking at the Republican field,  given the 2012 pool,  it appears there is no one stronger than Christie.

Democrats: Let Hillary Clinton Nap And Get Focused On 2014 (As She Will Be When She Gets Some Sleep)

According to one of my friends who spends more time on Twitter than I do, this article, by my new friend, Ruby Cramer at Buzzfeed, ruffled some Dem-tweet feathers today.

Top Democrat: Hillary Clinton Would “Clear The Field” In 2016


O'Malley, Cuomo, and Biden would all make way, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer predicts. “I don't know that anybody would run against Hillary.”

Ruby Cramer BuzzFeed Staff

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer predicted Tuesday that Hillary Clinton would "clear the field" of potential Democratic rivals for the 2016 presidential nomination were she to throw her hat in the ring, deterring runs for the White House from Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and even Vice President Joe Biden.
"I don't know that anybody would run against Hillary," Hoyer said in an interview with BuzzFeed. "If she runs, she clears the field. If she doesn't run, I think Cuomo is a leading candidate and O'Malley is a leading candidate."
Asked if he believed Biden was considering a run — the vice president joked last year that 2012 wouldn't be the last time he voted for himself — Hoyer said, "I think Joe is really thinking hard about running. If Hillary doesn't run, Joe will run. I don't know that Joe runs against Hillary, though."
Read more >>>>
If you have spent any time here at this blog at all, you know the amazing dedication Hillary Clinton invested in her position as Secretary of State over four years.  So, to borrow a phrase from Nixon, let me make one thing perfectly clear.  Hillary Clinton is not obliged to do or to say another public thing.  She is not obliged to run in 2016, and neither is she obliged to say whether or not she is running.  She is a private citizen now. 
Democrats who insist that she is running, should run, or should say whether or not she will run in 2016 are missing the larger,  looming picture that is 2014.   If they continue to invest all of their energy in pushing for Hillary 2016, they will lose the House in 2014, again, and a lot of  the Democratic agenda is at stake there. 
Hillary asked us, on August 26, 2008, whether we were in this for her or for the people she met and told us about that evening as as well as on the trail.  At the moment, I told her on my TV set (near tears)  that I was in it for them and therefore I was in it for her.  If the House remains Republican in 2014, all of Hillary's people - the ones she fights for - lose.  It makes no sense to push for her in 2016 and ignore 2014.  None.
So all the people who had their feathers ruffled by what Steny Hoyer said need to take a pill.  It is not even 2014 yet, and that is where your sights should be aimed.  2016 will roll around soon enough.  Let Hillary have her nap.  Before long you will see her campaigning - for her supporters who are up for election in 2014.

 02-14-13-D-01

Monday, February 18, 2013

Hillary Clinton to Hit Speaking Circuit Politico Reports

Well, it is not exactly the first phase since we have been assured by Hillary herself that she will definitely be writing a book, but I guess this is pretty reliable, and certainly not unanticipated.  Given the range of engagements cited,  some of the content may be available in the public domain.  According to Chuck Hagel's testimony during his confirmation hearing,  it seems pretty clear that the higher paying speeches will not be available to the public.  That will be frustrating.   I hope she finds a way to let us know her speaking schedule.

By MIKE ALLEN | 02/18/13 6:08 AM EDT
EXCLUSIVE: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will hit the paid speaking circuit this spring (likely April or May) and has selected the Harry Walker Agency, which represents President Clinton, as her agent. Industry officials expect that she will be one of the highest paid speakers in the history of the circuit, with fees well into the six figures in the United States and abroad.  Secretary Clinton will likely do some speeches for no fee for causes she champions, and expects to occasionally donate her fees for charitable purposes. Clinton, who will maintain her homes in Washington and Chappaqua, is also beginning to make decisions about the book she has said she will write, an account of her four years as secretary of State. Non-profit work will be another component of her new life, perhaps through her husband’s foundation or one of her own.

Read more >>>>


02-14-13-D-01

Friday, February 15, 2013

Hillary Clinton Deserves a Library/Museum Now!

02-14-13-D-10


Over her 20 years as First Lady, NY Senator, and finally Secretary of State,  Hillary Rodham Clinton has been honored with many awards.  Yesterday, she received another.   Through all of those years, she has also had a public office in which to keep and display them.

When she was preparing to vacate her office at the State Department,  I was wondering where on earth she was planning to put all of these medals and awards.  As she is planning (this is one thing we know for certain) to write another book, it seems logical for her to have a Library/Museum where she can display publicly her work and all of the honors she has received.

As the woman who has come closest to having smashed that hard glass ceiling (which she still might do), and as a New Yorker,  she certainly deserves a special place in Seneca Falls.  So let's roll out this idea.  Why wait?  She needs a place for her honors, and she needs it now.

130204_hillary_clinton_website_banner
*Like* this page on Facebook to help get the ball rolling.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Chappaqua For Clinton

I was so surprised by the amount of information in this article that people in Chappaqua are generally reluctant to share, that I hesitated to post it when I first read it this morning.   But Buzzfeed"s Ruby Cramer  has produced a well-written portrait of  a very special small town with some highly visible residents.  Ruby sent me the link a little while ago,  so,  on second thought, I am sharing it here.  Like most of Chappaqua,  even if  HRC does go to the White House, I would hate to see them leave their adopted Clinton Country.

Chappaqua Is Ready For President Hillary Clinton

The small Hudson Valley town that learned to love living with the former First Family doesn't want Hillary going anywhere but the White House. “The town is on board,” says Greenberg.



Ruby Cramer BuzzFeed Staff


CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. — While the world waits for Hillary Clinton to clear up the most asked and least pressing question in politics — will she or won't she in 2016? — the answer in this small hamlet, where the former First Family keeps their adopted home, is already clear: She'll run, and she'll win.

The people who share Hillary and Bill Clinton's place of rest — the kind of Westchester one-main-drag town, population 1,500, where footfalls run quiet on shaded streets; where OBAMA-BIDEN stickers get slapped to the back of every car; where the Horace Greeley High School basketball roster is on the wall of every restaurant, of every store; and where you're told with pride that being from New York City, just 35 miles south, is not the same as "being from around here" — these people, the folks of small-town Chappaqua, are ready for the 67th secretary of state to "come home," "rest up," and get ready for a run in 2016.

"The town is on board," said Dawn Greenberg, an unabashed supporter of both Clintons, and the owner of Aurora, a boutique on King Street, where most of Chappaqua's shops are lined up one by one. "It's heavily Democratic," she added.




By the way, if you have it in mind to take a drive, do not expect to see this angle. It is hidden from the main road, usually with the SUVs mentioned in the article parked in front of the fence.

Hillary Clinton Re-Emerges to Accept Valentine's Day Defense Department Award

Without the "early-warning system" that we enjoyed while she was at the State Department, we were surprised rather than anticipatory when we saw Mme. Secretary at the Pentagon this morning to accept this prestigious award. Dressed in one of her lovely red jackets to mark the day, she spoke of her friendship with outgoing Secretary of Defense Panetta and her dedication to "the American Team."

Once again it is clear, she needs that Hillary Rodham Clinton Museum/Library in Seneca Falls!   Happy Valentine's Day to Mme. Secretary and to all!
































Remarks at Joint Civilian Service Award Presentation

February 14, 2013
GENERAL MARTIN E. DEMPSEY: Secretaries, fellow general and flag officers, dedicated military and civilian servants here in the Pentagon, and our guests today from the Department of State, happy Valentine's Day. (Laughter.) You know, the lore of martyrdom says that St. Valentine was actually martyred because he was marrying soldiers who were forbidden to marry by the Roman law of the day. So he was a man who loved soldiers and servicemen and women. And it's fitting in that regard that we're here to honor our recent and great secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who herself, by the way, has been an enormous champion of military servicemen and women and their families. So it is a privilege to honor one of our nation's most dedicated public servants.
This is the highest award that I can present to a civilian. And the secretary is no stranger to awards. We know that you've got eight honorary degrees, a George C. Marshall Foundation award, a Woodrow Wilson award for public service, an airport named after you -- (Laughter) -- 11 straight years as the most admired woman in the world, and a Grammy. I didn't know about the Grammy, but she actually has a Grammy. I'm jealous of that, by the way. (Laughter.) She has a Grammy for the spoken word of her book, "It Takes a Village." And she was also named in 2007 as the Irish-American of the year. Now I'm really jealous. (Laughter.)
Your favorite secretary of state, William Seward, didn't earn quite as much recognition, although he did have that rather clever purchase up in Alaska, but you do have similar backgrounds -- effective politicians with roots in New York and New York state, faithfully serving presidents that were once your rivals. Of course, Seward went on a trip around the world after he retired and, as you know, our secretary has flown enough miles to circle the globe 36 times. In fact, you've been airborne for the equivalent of 87 days during your tenure as secretary of state. That's a lot of airplane food. (Laughter.) Along the way, you've been an exceptional representative of the men and women of the Department of State, working tirelessly in the aftermath of the Arab Spring and to ensure we had a strong coalition in Libya, building consensus for unprecedented sanctions against Iran, and which for those of us in uniform, we were very much appreciative of so that we can avoid the use of force, although remaining ready to do so, if necessary.
And at home, you've strengthened your own institution, the Department of State. You've moved diplomacy into the 21st century. You've recognized that there are limits to hard power and that we need both hard power and soft power. You've harnessed innovative ways to accomplish engagement, including social media and global town halls, all the while remembering that it's the investment of your personal time that builds relationships. And you've been one of the -- as I said at the beginning, one of the staunchest supporters of the military, in my personal experience, more than any secretary of state in my career.
Now, I expect you'll slow down a bit. Maybe you can add a Tony or an Oscar to your Grammy award. (Laughter.) But before you go, I'd be honored if you would allow me to add to the list of your distinctions with the award of this Joint Staff Medal. Would you join me here, Madam Secretary?
ANNOUNCER: General Dempsey will now present Secretary Clinton with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award. Attention to orders. Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton distinguished herself by exceptionally superior service while serving as the secretary of state from 21 January 2009 to 1 February 2013.
Throughout her tenure, Secretary Clinton has significantly provided outstanding support of all operational efforts of the joint military forces worldwide. Executing her smart power strategy of combining military strength with United States capacities in global economics, developmental aid, and technology, she enhanced the coordinated role of diplomatic and defense initiatives in the international arena.
Capitalizing on this effort, she instituted the first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Developmental Review for her department that mirrored the military's Quadrennial Defense Review, resulting in a consolidated interagency approach to all foreign endeavors.
Secretary Clinton's success in cultivating a more powerful Department of State, a larger international affairs budget, and expanded role in global economic issues greatly facilitated the role of our combatant commanders and the respect of our military troops on every continent. Visiting more than 100 countries and logging more than 500,000 miles of travel, she has been an exceptional example of our nation's commitment to fostering better relations abroad and to directly supporting our developed troops in those areas.
Most noteworthy, as evidenced in all her years of federal service, she has consistently been a staunch advocate of all personnel programs and initiatives that have enhanced the lives of our military personnel and their families. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton reflect great credit upon herself, the Joint Staff, and the Department of Defense. (Applause.)
Please be seated.
Ladies and gentlemen, the 23rd secretary of defense, Leon Panetta.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LEON E. PANETTA: Thank you very much. What a great honor to be able to recognize this very special person.
All the leaders of the department, friends, colleagues, distinguished guests, we are truly delighted to welcome and to recognize someone who's a dear friend to me and Sylvia, someone that I've been working with and working for over the last 20 years, a strong and dedicated partner of the Department of Defense, and I believe without question one of the finest public servants of our time.
This is, as Marty raised, probably a great Valentine's Day present for all of us here at the department. The second best Valentine's present would be to allow Sylvia and I to get the hell out of town at the end of the day. (Laughter.) (Applause.)
I feel like it's Groundhog Day around here. (Laughter.) As first lady, as United States senator from New York, and as the 67th secretary of state, Hillary Clinton has been a stalwart advocate for the U.S. military. And that's really why we honor her today. She's been a champion of our servicemembers, our veterans, and she has been a forceful voice for American leadership in the world.
This morning, we're all honored to be able to honor her with the highest awards of this department, the highest awards that we can bestow. As I said, I'm extremely proud of my association with Hillary over these last two decades. It was about 20 years ago last month when I first joined the Clinton administration as director of the Office of Management and Budget. It was a different world then. Think about the key political challenges that we had back then, health care issues, gun control issues, partisan gridlock, budget deficits. On second thought -- (Laughter.)
On second thought, the only thing that has changed is that Hillary and I are a little older, perhaps a little wiser, a little less patient, particularly with political dysfunction, a little bit less tolerant of B.S. in general, and it is probably a good thing at this point in time that we have a chance to get some damn rest.
She's made it. (Laughter.) She's made it. And, you know, I'm -- I'm going to have as broad a smile as she does, hopefully, in a few days. (Laughter.) I have a hard time -- (Laughter.) You know? I've got -- my office is packed up. Sylvia is packing at home. I'm ready to go. It's like, "All right." (Applause.)
For four years that I had the honor of serving in the Clinton administration, both as director of OMB and as chief of staff, I really had the opportunity to work with her in a very close, close way, because she was interested in the issues, she was involved in the important issues, obviously, particularly health care, women's rights, children's rights, all of the issues that she really fought for and pioneered, not only during that period, but for most of her life.
And I saw firsthand her knowledge and her passion for the issues that we deal with. The issues that we confront in this country -- I mean, obviously, you know, you can -- you can study these issues, you can read about these issues, but the only way you really deal with the problems in our society is to have a passion for the problems that people face and try to find some way to help people achieve that better life. And that's what I saw in her, was that passion to want to do that to try to help her fellow citizens.
For all these reasons, I was truly delighted to have the opportunity when I was asked to join the Obama administration to come back and be alongside of her again as part of his national security team. As part of that team, I witnessed early on how hard she works, how dedicated she is, and how she truly developed, I think, one of the best diplomatic skills as a secretary of state of anyone that I've known in that capacity. She had the problem -- she had the understanding to see the problems that people are facing. She had the ability to connect with the leaders of the world, to understand their challenges, to understand the issues that they had to confront.
And it takes that. You've got to be -- you've got to be a human being in these jobs. You can't be a robot. You can't just go through the act. You can't just read the talking points. You've got to have a sense of what others are facing and who they are and what they're about and what worries them.
I think, having worked with President Clinton, one of the great capabilities he had was to always make other world leaders understand what is in their national interest, not what's in the United States' interests, but what's in their interest. And Hillary had that same capability to make others understand what is in their interests, and that's what made her so effective.
In my past role as CIA director, she was someone who understood the importance of intelligence, understood the importance of intelligence operations, understood the importance of doing everything we could do to be able to go after those who attacked our country on 9/11.
As a senator, she saw the terror of that moment firsthand. And I -- she never lost sight of the fact that we had to go after those who attacked us on 9/11 and use every capability we have. And she was always there supporting our missions and supporting our operations, and I appreciate that -- that support.
Particularly during the bin Laden, which, you know, there is a movie out on this. (Laughter.) And, you know, the guy who plays me isn't quite -- quite right. (Laughter.) I mean, I was -- my preference probably would have been Pacino. (Laughter.) But, you know, the truth -- I -- I've been asked -- I've been asked about that, and, you know, the fact is, I lived -- I lived through that operation. And there's no way you can take 10 years of all of the work that was done, even in the last four years or the last two years up to that operation, that I was involved with. There's no way you can take that and put it into a two-hour movie. The fact is that there was a tremendous amount of teamwork involved in that, both by our intelligence and our military officials, did a tremendous job working through all of those issues.
But ultimately, it came down to a tough decision that the president had to make. And, God bless him, he made a very tough decision. But I can tell you that Hillary Clinton, sitting in that room, sitting with the National Security Council and trying to work through all these issues, a lot of different views, a lot of different opinions, but she was always there. And I deeply appreciated her support for that effort.
It's been even more rewarding to have become secretary of defense and developed a very close partnership with the State Department. Actually, this partnership, I think, developed with my predecessor, Bob Gates, but as someone who's been in and out of Washington for the last almost 50 years, I know from personal experience that rivalry can hurt the relationship between the Department of State and the Department of Defense. That kind of rivalry is very bad for both departments and the country, because you really do need a strong partnership between the State Department and the Defense Department. There's too much at stake. You've got to work together. You've got to put your egos aside and work together on the issues that you have to confront. To do that is indispensable to America's national security.
Because of that, during the time that we worked together as secretaries, Hillary and I did all we could to sustain the tightest possible bonds between ourselves and our departments. Together, we have dealt with some very tough issues. We've dealt with a lot of the threats that confront this country across the world. We've taken part in some very tough debates and some very tough policy discussions on the Hill, at the White House, involving Afghanistan and Syria and terrorist attacks, and even on our own defense strategy, including the whole issue of Asia Pacific rebalance.
We've also traveled to some of the same meetings with foreign counterparts, here, overseas, NATO summits, the Australia-U.S. ministerial, heads of state visits. I don't think too many people recognize how long meetings and sleepless travel and endless conferences and tough questioning can bring two people together, because most of the time you're trying to figure out where the hell you're at. You're walking in circles. And you've got to look at each other and say, we now have to face up to what we have to do to try to deal with the situation that confronted us.
In all of those discussions, Hillary has always brought us back to Earth, with the right argument at the right time. Her ability in the end to be very pragmatic about what it takes to get something done is, I think, part of her genius as -- as a leader, the ability to cut through it, the ability to listen to all the arguments, but in the end, to cut through it and make the decision that has to be made. She is honest. She is forceful. She's a persuasive voice for doing what's right for the American people.
We have fought on opposite sides of the issues. I'd sure as hell rather have her on my side than be against me, because she is so good in making her arguments.
More often than not, she and I have stood side by side in making our recommendations when the president has faced difficult choices in Iraq and Afghanistan and Libya and the Middle East. And because of her leadership, our nation's diplomats and our development experts are working toward a common mission with the men and women of the Department of Defense, and I'm confident that our successes will sustain the bonds that we have built between the Department of Defense and the State Department.
Our personnel are putting themselves at risk from Afghanistan to North Africa, from the Middle East to Asia Pacific, and making great personal sacrifices in order to prevent conflict, to advance the cause of peace and security, and to help achieve the American dream of giving our children a better life.
That dream has been Hillary Clinton's dream. And today, the Department of Defense recognizes her for her great work in helping all of us better defend this nation and to provide that better life.
In my time in and out of government, Hillary Clinton is one of the most informed, most passionate, and most dedicated public servants that I've had the privilege to serve alongside. She has devoted her life to expanding opportunities for everyone, to build a better future for this country and the world, because she believes everyone deserves the chance to fulfill their dreams and their aspirations.
And in many ways, I have to tell you, it was her inspiration that encouraged me to move forward to be able to bring down the last barriers for women in the Department of Defense and to give them the ability to have a chance to engage in combat. I thank you for that inspiration.
Seventy years ago, the only person to serve as secretary of state and secretary of defense, George Marshall, was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. When he accepted the award, only months after the armistice on the Korean peninsula, Marshall reflected that -- and I quote -- "A very strong military posture is vitally necessary today, but it is too narrow a basis on which to build a dependable and long-enduring peace," unquote.
Marshall went on to say that, "Perhaps the most important single factor will be a spiritual regeneration to develop goodwill, faith, and understanding among nations. There must be wisdom and the will to act on that wisdom," unquote.
Today, just 70 years ago, it is now clear that we need to maintain a strong military force to deal with the unstable and unpredictable and undeniably dangerous world that we live in. But it is equally clear that we must enhance our other key levers of power, our economic and diplomatic power, if we are to truly achieve peace in the 21st century.
Delivering on that vision will require wisdom, and it will require a will to act, qualities that Hillary Clinton exemplified throughout her career and as secretary of state. Her legacy is the inspiration, the wisdom, and the will to fight for the American dream, and that, very simply, is why we honor her today.
Ladies and gentlemen, Hillary Clinton. (Applause.)
ANNOUNCER: Secretary Panetta will now present Secretary Clinton with the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. Attention to orders. The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton is recognized for distinguished public service as United States secretary of state from January 2009 to February 2013. Secretary Clinton played an indispensable role in formulating and, with great success, implementing the president's United States national security, foreign and development policies in an era of dynamic shifts in global affairs. Applying an innovative, smart power approach, Secretary Clinton led efforts to invigorate traditional alliances, engage emerging powers, and develop new partnerships to advance American interests, security, and values.
Her sound counsel, strategic vision, and steady hand guided the United States response to the global economic crisis, political changes in North Africa and the Arab world, and new opportunities and challenges in Asia. She provided invaluable leadership to United States efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan during the security transitions in those countries.
Secretary Clinton's transformative leadership elevated America's diplomatic and development corps' role as able partners for addressing the growing spectrum of security challenges and forged a strong relationship with the Department of Defense. The distinctive accomplishments of Secretary Clinton reflect great credit upon herself, the Department of State, and the United States government. (Applause.)
Thank you, Secretary Panetta.
Ladies and gentlemen, the 67th secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you. Well, this is certainly a memorable Valentine's Day, I have to tell you. It is such an honor and personal privilege for me to be here with people whom I admire, respect, and just like so much.
Secretary Panetta, Chairman Dempsey, all of you military and civilian leaders alike, thank you for what you do every day to keep our nation safe and strong.
It has been a real pleasure for me to work with all of you, starting out with Secretary Gates and Chairman Mullen, now working with Secretary Panetta, Chairman Dempsey, and let me also thank Vice Chairman Sandy Winnefeld. You have been great partners and colleagues. It has been a singular honor of my life to be able to work with all of you and to try to do what we can in a time of such momentous change and even turbulence to chart a steady course for the nation that we serve and love.
I also want to thank my traveling companions, General Paul Selva and Admiral Harry Harris. Some of you may not know that Paul and Harry had to fly all over the world with me, representing, first, Secretary Gates and, then, Secretary Panetta. I'm still trying to figure out why they got to get off the road halfway through my four-year tenure and switch places, but whenever there was a problem with the plane or any other issue that arose, I would always turn to them to help us fix it.
Harry, as you know, is Navy, but he came through time and time again to get us -- (Laughter) -- back in the air. And I'm grateful to you.
I also want to say a special word of thanks and greetings to my former colleagues from the State Department who are here. It is bittersweet, as I've said to them before. The senior leadership at the State Department over the last four years is really responsible for all the very kind and gracious words that were said about me.
And they worked seamlessly, not always in agreement, but always getting up every day to work toward our common objectives with the DOD senior leadership here today. So I want to thank my friends and colleagues with whom I served over the last four years.
This is a tremendous honor for me. Some of you know that I have had the great privilege of knowing Leon for what he said was 20 years. I think Al Pacino would have been more appropriate, also, but on every step along the way, from his service in the Congress to the White House to the CIA to the Pentagon, he has demonstrated the highest caliber of integrity, wisdom, and patriotism, and he's been not only a great partner, but a great friend.
I think you can now -- you'll have to postpone for a little while removing the eight-second delay for the censors until he actually does leave the building. (Laughter.) But what he said about humanity, about being a human being in these roles is worth repeating. It is easy to get so caught up in the work and the intensity, the drive necessary to work those long days and short nights, that it is sometimes too easy to forget why we do what we do, both military and civilian. For many of you, it has been a career choice, both my colleagues from the Defense Department and from State.
For others of us, you know, it is something that we came to later and were involved in, luckily, that gave us a chance to serve. But for all of us, remembering, you know, why we do this work and how important it is to the future, especially future generations, is something Leon Panetta has never forgotten. And I know that as Leon does eventually head back to California, he will, along with his absolutely wonderful wife, Sylvia, continue to use the Panetta Institute to help train up the next generation of leaders.
I also want to say a special word of thanks to Chairman Dempsey. I've really enjoyed working with Marty Dempsey. Our men and women in uniform have no greater champion, and it has been for me a great treat getting to see him in action and also to meet you, Deanie, and to -- as I said to you out in the hall, to see you with some of your grandchildren coming out of Easter Egg roll a year or two ago.
Now, it is no secret -- or if it had been, Leon spilled the beans -- that historically the Departments of State and Defense have not always had the best working relationship. In fact, I have been quite surprised and even amused in talking to some of my former predecessors who are bewildered that we get along and who say things like, you know, that's odd, as if I'm somehow letting down my side that I -- I am not, you know, causing you as many problems as I can, trying to push you offstage, as if that were possible.
But I have been around this town, certainly, for long enough to know that it is an unfortunate historical precedent. And so when I became secretary four years ago, I was determined to do my part to change that. You know, I like being on the American team, not the State Department team, not the Defense Department team, not the partisan team. I like being on the American team. And I think when we take these positions and take that oath of office, we really pledge to be part of the American team.
Now, we will have different perspectives, different experiences that we bring to the tables that we sit at. But we should walk out of those rooms determined to be on that team for our country and for the president we serve. So from day one, we have formed the strongest partnership in most living memories. And I do hope that continues.
Now, Secretary Gates and Chairman Mullen set the tone by emphasizing the importance of fully funding the State Department and USAID, quite a remarkable position for a secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs to take. And Secretary Gates, even before I was secretary, made quite an important speech talking about how there were more members in military bands than there were diplomats and that we had to increase the strength of our diplomatic corps and our development experts in order to do our part.
Now, Secretary Panetta and Chairman Dempsey have continued to build our partnership even further. They have been steadfast advocates for integrating the 3 D's of our national security, defense, diplomacy and development, into a unified smart power approach.
And because of these efforts, our diplomats and development experts all over the world are working more closely than ever with all of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. Whether it's advancing the transition in Afghanistan or responding to the triple disaster in Japan or pursuing terrorists in North Africa, we have seen that America is stronger and more effective when we work together.
And I think we have gone a long way to restore America's global leadership and to make progress on some of the great challenges we face, from taking the fight to the leadership of Al Qaeda to reasserting the United States as a Pacific power. And we have pioneered a nimbler, more innovative, more effective approach to foreign policy, so I am enormously proud of what we have achieved, and I'm confident about the future, having left the State Department in the capable hands of Secretary John Kerry, himself an accomplished diplomat and decorated Navy veteran.
So I believe that we've established a strong base for this kind of collaboration, which I think is essential in going forward against the challenges and threats that we face.
Now, I happen to have grown up in a Navy household. During World War II, my father was a chief petty officer, training sailors at Great Lakes Naval Base before they were shipped off to the Pacific. And he never forgot -- and used to tell my brothers and me -- how it felt watching those young men get loaded onto troop trains, knowing that many would never return home.
After he died many years later, I received an outpouring of letters and photographs from some of the men he had trained who had served and returned home and built lives and families of their own. I just couldn't believe that that experience, being yelled at by my father -- (Laughter) -- was so formative for them. And I was glad to hear it, frankly.
I saw this same sense of dedication and duty when, as first lady and then senator from New York, I visited with servicemembers and their families all over the world. Then I was honored to serve on the Armed Services Committee and to work closely with men and women throughout this building, and in particular with Secretary McHugh, who had become a great partner with me on behalf of our military bases and personnel in New York and what we did to try to keep moving forward in improving readiness and modernizing capabilities.
I was so impressed by the Quadrennial Defense Review that I did launch a similar effort at State called the QDDR, or the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. And now four years as secretary of state has ended, but my appreciation for everything you do is deeper than ever.
I've had the chance to visit with many of our forces overseas, sometimes in the company of some of you in the audience today, especially, of course, in Afghanistan, but also here at home, from Hawaii to Norfolk to Annapolis.
This past May, I had the chance to go down to Tampa and speak to a special operations conference sponsored by Admiral McRaven. And I had the chance then, too, to thank them for their remarkable service and to talk about the complex and cross-cutting threats that we face.
So we do have to keep innovating and integrating. We have to get our house here at home in order. We have to avoid devastating self-inflicted wounds. We have to remain committed to upholding America's global leadership and our core values of freedom and opportunity.
Now, Leon and I have both seen this as we travel the world. American leadership remains respected and required. There is no real precedent in history for the role we play or the responsibility we have shouldered. There is also no alternative.
But I often remind myself that our global leadership is not our birthright. It has to be earned by each successive generation, staying true to our values and living up to the best traditions of our nation. Secretaries and presidents come and go, but this responsibility remains constant. It truly must be our North Star.
So in the years ahead, we will be looking to all of you and to your successors to carry this mission of American leadership forwards, to keep our nation strong, free and exceptional.
So thank you for this tremendous honor that has been bestowed on me by the chairman and also the honor by the secretary. I thank you all for your service, and I thank both of you and others of you here today for your friendship. Let's wish our country godspeed. And please extend to all with whom you serve my deepest gratitude, not as a retired public official, but as an American citizen.
Thank you all. (Applause.)
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