To France with Love from Hillary Clinton: HAPPY BASTILLE DAY!

OK.  It's one thing that the Olympic uniforms were assembled in China, but let's lay off the berets.  As someone pointed out today, if it weren't for the French, we might all be speaking with British accents today.  Thank you Lafayette (who camped near my house with George Washington),  Rochambeau (whom an ancestor of mine hosted  along with George Washington on the retreat from Verplanck)   and the unfortunate Louis XVI (who ... well, you know).  Merci pour tout!  Bon Jour de la Bastille!!!

Happy Bastille Day! 

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is greeted by French President Francois Hollande prior to their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, July 6, 2012. (APPhoto/Remy de la Mauviniere)

On the Occasion of France's National Day

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

July 13, 2012

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On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of France as you celebrate Bastille Day this July 14. This is an opportunity for the American and French people to reflect on the lasting ties of family and friends that have guided our two countries for hundreds of years.
From the French war hero Marshal Rochambeau who fought alongside George Washington’s Continental Army, to the partnership between Eleanor Roosevelt and René Cassin who worked tirelessly to draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Franco-American collaborations are as numerous as they are deep. Our cooperation on global challenges – supporting democratic aspirations, fighting poverty and disease, halting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and much more – stems from our history of shared democratic values.
On this 223rd anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, I send my deepest congratulations to the people of France and best wishes for peace and prosperity in the year ahead.

P.S.  Thanks for introducing Thomas Jefferson to macaroni and cheese.  Really! 

Secretary Clinton's Statement On the Occasion of France's National Day

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton poses with staff of US mission at the OECD, in Paris, Thursday, May 26, 2011. Prospects for economic growth in the United States and the eurozone have improved and are predicted to hit 2.6 percent and 2 percent this year, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said.(AP Photo/Thibault Camus, pool)

On the Occasion of France's National Day

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

July 13, 2011

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On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to each of you as you celebrate your national day this July 14. Since the founding of our democracy, France has been a dedicated and enduring partner to the American people.

A lifelong scholar of French philosophy, Thomas Jefferson authored our Declaration of Independence drawing largely on ideas expressed by Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Diderot. Following the formation of our American government, Jefferson concluded in 1791, “I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.”

Creating and sustaining a representative government is never easy, but the United States and the world have drawn inspiration from the French Republic for more than two centuries. Founded on shared ideals of liberty and equality and strengthened through the sufferings and triumphs of two world wars, this relationship is a powerful example to the world. Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on this special day.

Happy Bastille Day! As the secretary noted when she spoke in Paris on the visit pictured above, we always remember, with enormous appreciation, the grand contribution France made to our struggle for independence. That said, we wish the French people a lovely and safe Bastille Day. To permit them to celebrate with their countrymen and women, we have been thoughtful (and powerful) enough to send the French National Women's Football (Soccer) Team home! Party hearty, ladies! You fought the good fight!

Oh, the irony of it!

Bon Jour de la Bastille! From Secretary Clinton

C'est Quatorze Juillet! Nos Sécretaire d'État avait une communiqué pour tous les peuples Français.

France's National Day

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

July 13, 2010

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On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of France as you celebrate La Fête Nationale on July 14. The bonds between our nations are centuries old. French explorers and pioneers helped map and build America. France provided crucial assistance to the young United States during our Revolutionary War, and the famous friendship between the Marquis de Lafayette and General George Washington cemented our partnership. French writers, thinkers, and artists have had a profound impact on America’s cultural development. And the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France and an enduring symbol of our common values and aspirations, has become a national treasure and an inspiration to people seeking freedom everywhere.
The United States and France have stood side by side and championed universal human rights and democratic principles. We were allies in the First and Second World Wars, and we promoted post-war stability and European unity together through the Marshall Plan. Today, we continue to promote peace and progress as partners in NATO, the UN, and other international organizations. From preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and countering violent extremism to tackling humanitarian issues and combating climate change, the United States and France are working together to meet the challenges of the 21^st century.
In honor of this Bastille Day, I send warmest wishes to the people of France. May you continue to inspire the world with your efforts to build a brighter future for us all.

She's so adorable! My French sucks (it's OK to say "suck" since John Boehner put it in the Congressional Record), and I have never heard her try. She releases other remarks with translations, but not THIS one! Oh, well! I hope all you French people are studying EFL! Makes more business for me!

Happy Bastille Day, everybody! Storm something for me! You choose! And if you ARE French, thank you so much for helping Haiti!