Heads up!!! How to see Hillary Clinton receive the Liberty Medal tonight ...

As we know, Hillary will receive the Liberty Medal from Jeb Bush at Constitution Hall in Philadelphia this evening.  Although none of the C-SPAN schedules currently show an airing of the event, it is possible to view the proceedings here.

Hillary Clinton Receives 2013 Liberty Medal

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton receives the the National Constitution Center's 2013 Liberty Medal. The medal, which honors leaders who promote liberty around the globe, is delivered by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), NCC chair.

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Tea Partiers are predictably berserk over this decision on Bush's part given today's date.  We would remind them that Tea Party Republicans had a major role in reducing funds available for embassy security  and that  2012 was not the only year that saw an attack on Americans on September 11.  As New York Senator,  Hillary Clinton fought hard for the families of those lost in the attacks on the twin towers as well as for health care for first responders who suffered devastating illnesses from working for many months on "the pile" which burned into mid-February 2002.

Senator Clinton Visits

Published: May 1, 2005

Senator Clinton with the 9/11 Families’ Association

By Marian Fontana

I still find it difficult to look at Ground Zero without getting emotional; however, the window in our office overlooking the site seemed like a fitting place to start our meeting with the Senator on March 6th. Our loved ones were in the forefront of Vice President Lee Ielpi’s mind as he pointed out to the Senator where his son Jonathan was found, emphasizing the painful reality that over, forty percent of the families have received nothing of their loved ones remains.

Read more >>>>

Clinton demands federal funding for 9/11 health woes

Monday, December 18, 2006

(New York-WABC, December 18, 2006) (WABC) -- Senator Hillary Clinton is putting new pressure on the White House to address health concerns of ground zero workers.

Senator Clinton says the program that monitors and treats 9/11 first responders and workers could run out of money by this summer.

She wants President Bush to put more money into the program when he presents his next budget.

"We are worried that the medical treatment that has begun, finally, after years of effort and many obstacles along the way will run out of money starting this summer," Clinton said, "so that the people who are finally being treated for the many symptoms of their chronic conditions due to 9/11 exposures will once again be left out in the cold."

Read more >>>>

Jeb Bush, a voice of reason in a party trembling on the brink of implosion, offered his rationale for choosing our girl for this high honor.

Jeb Bush defends his decision to honor Hillary Clinton

September 10, 2013 by Tom Tillison

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will award former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday with the 2013 Liberty Medal and defends it as part of a shared interest in the “importance of civic engagement.”

The potential opponents in the 2016 presidential election come together as Bush presents Clinton with the award at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia to honor her lifelong career in public service and her ongoing advocacy efforts on behalf of women and girls around the globe. Bush is chairman of the National Constitutional Center.

“While Secretary Clinton and I disagree on many issues, we certainly agree on the importance of civic engagement,” Bush said in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times.

Read more >>>>

When you do read more of the above article, you see that a Tea Party affiliate will be holding a competing event naming an alternate choice for the honor.

As if all of this were not sufficient to make Philadelphia simply explode tonight, the Ready for Hillary Super PAC will be holding a rally simultaneously at Finnegan's Wake.

Details on tonight's rally for Hillary

Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Politics Writer Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013

As Hillary Clinton receives the Liberty Medal Tuesday night, supporters will gather at a rally by the super PAC Ready for Hillary to celebrate the group's efforts to encourage her to run for president in 2016.

The event is at Finnigan's Wake, the popular bar/event hall at 3rd and Spring Garden streets in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.

Read more >>>>

Read moreravel Deals $249 -- NY: Lake Placid 'World's Best' Suite, Reg. $407 See all travel deals » Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Politics Writer Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 10:09 AM As Hillary Clinton receives the Liberty Medal Tuesday night, supporters will gather at a rally by the super PAC Ready for Hillary to celebrate the group's efforts to encourage her to run for president in 2016. The event is at Finnigan's Wake, the popular bar/event hall at 3rd and Spring Garden streets in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/big_tent/Details-on-tonights-rally-for-Hillary.html#kMeR18H5Rl71rE5E.99

Travel Deals $249 -- NY: Lake Placid 'World's Best' Suite, Reg. $407 See all travel deals » Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Politics Writer Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 10:09 AM As Hillary Clinton receives the Liberty Medal Tuesday night, supporters will gather at a rally by the super PAC Ready for Hillary to celebrate the group's efforts to encourage her to run for president in 2016. The event is at Finnigan's Wake, the popular bar/event hall at 3rd and Spring Garden streets in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/big_tent/Details-on-tonights-rally-for-Hillary.html#kMeR18H5Rl71rE5E.99

Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Politics Writer Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 10:09 AM As Hillary Clinton receives the Liberty Medal Tuesday night, supporters will gather at a rally by the super PAC Ready for Hillary to celebrate the group's efforts to encourage her to run for president in 2016. The event is at Finnigan's Wake, the popular bar/event hall at 3rd and Spring Garden streets in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/big_tent/Details-on-tonights-rally-for-Hillary.html#kMeR18H5Rl71rE5E.99

Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Politics Writer Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 10:09 AM As Hillary Clinton receives the Liberty Medal Tuesday night, supporters will gather at a rally by the super PAC Ready for Hillary to celebrate the group's efforts to encourage her to run for president in 2016. The event is at Finnigan's Wake, the popular bar/event hall at 3rd and Spring Garden streets in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/big_tent/Details-on-tonights-rally-for-Hillary.html#kMeR18H5Rl71rE5E.99

Thomas Fitzgerald, Inquirer Politics Writer Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 10:09 AM As Hillary Clinton receives the Liberty Medal Tuesday night, supporters will gather at a rally by the super PAC Ready for Hillary to celebrate the group's efforts to encourage her to run for president in 2016. The event is at Finnigan's Wake, the popular bar/event hall at 3rd and Spring Garden streets in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/big_tent/Details-on-tonights-rally-for-Hillary.html#kMeR18H5Rl71rE5E.99

The local broadcast of the medal ceremony will be shown at the Ready for Hillary rally.

Congratulations, Mme. Secretary!  We are so happy for this high recognition of your dedicated service!

Hillary Clinton's Remarks at the White House on Syria and the Security Dangers of Wildlife Trafficking

Hillary Clinton and Chelsea represented the Clinton Foundation at the Wildlife Trafficking Forum at the White House today. It has been reported that she met with President Obama prior to the event. She was scheduled to make some comments on Syria before today's developments which included Secretary of State John Kerry remarking that one option for a solution would be that Syria turn over its chemical weapons to an international body.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, shortly afterward, made that formal suggestion to Syria. Hillary included these developments in her remarks.

It is always helpful to have a written transcripts of remarks like these, so I hope they will become available. I will add them here if they do. Meanwhile here is a video of Hillary Clinton's comments from today as former Secretary of State on Syria as as representative of the Clinton Foundation on wildlife trafficking.



 

This Week on Hillary Clinton's Agenda **Updated**

Hillary Clinton is returning to Washington D.C. on Monday, and her visit is generating the predictable storm of media attention and speculation.  As the main attraction at the Carlyle Group investor conference, she is expected to conduct a question and answer session rather than deliver a formal speech.  Also on Monday, she and Chelsea Clinton, who is active in wildlife conservation efforts,  will be  participating in a wildlife trafficking event at the White House.

Reportedly, Hillary will meet with President Obama prior to this forum and will make a brief statement about the situation in Syria prior to the event.

Monday evening, all three Clintons will host a Clinton Foundation fundraiser at their D.C. home and at the Italian Embassy across the street. 

Some may think,  given the grave mood in the capital, with Congress deliberating the president's request for approval of military action in Syria during the week of national remembrance of the September 11 attacks,  that a wildlife trafficking event at the White House might better have been scheduled at some other time.  That line of thinking could not be more incorrect.

Hillary Clinton,  the unrivaled master of connecting dots and weaving seemingly disparate issues into a cloth, clarified the relevance of this issue to national and international security last November when, at a  State Department event. she joined the battle against wildlife trafficking and poaching.  Here are some of her remarks on the subject.

Now, some of you might be wondering why a Secretary of State is keynoting an event about wildlife trafficking and conservation, or why we are hosting this event at the State Department in the first place. Well, I think it’s because, as Bob Hormats has just pointed out, and as the public service announcements reinforce, over the past few years wildlife trafficking has become more organized, more lucrative, more widespread, and more dangerous than ever before.

As the middle class grows, which we all welcome and support, in many nations items like ivory or rhinoceros horn become symbols of wealth and social status. And so the demand for these goods rises. By some estimates, the black market in wildlife is rivaled in size only by trade in illegal arms and drugs. Today, ivory sells for nearly $1,000 per pound. Rhino horns are literally worth their weight in gold, $30,000 per pound.

What’s more, we are increasingly seeing wildlife trafficking has serious implications for the security and prosperity of people around the world. Local populations that depend on wildlife, either for tourism or sustenance, are finding it harder and harder to maintain their livelihoods. Diseases are spreading to new corners of the globe through wildlife that is not properly inspected at border crossings. Park rangers are being killed. And we have good reason to believe that rebel militias are players in a worldwide ivory market worth millions and millions of dollars a year.

So yes, I think many of us are here because protecting wildlife is a matter of protecting our planet’s natural beauty. We see it’s a stewardship responsibility for us and this generation and future generations to come. But it is also a national security issue, a public health issue, and an economic security issue that is critical to each and every country represented here.

Read more and see the video >>>>

On Tuesday, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, she will receive the 2013 Liberty Medal for her lifelong public service career as secretary of state, presidential candidate, senator, and first lady.   Jeb Bush will make the presentation.  Hillary was expected to deliver the second of the policy speeches she announced upon receipt of the American Bar Association Medal last month addressing  transparency and national security.
  
According to late-breaking news from Politico, however, plans for her Philadelphia remarks have been altered due to events of the past two weeks.

Hillary Clinton to speak on Syria

By MAGGIE HABERMAN | 9/8/13 11:02 PM EDT Updated: 9/9/13 8:18 AM EDT

Hillary Clinton will make her first public remarks about Syria on Monday when she makes a visit to the White House for an unrelated event, a Clinton aide told POLITICO.

The comments, the first since an unidentified aide said last week that the former secretary of state supports President Barack Obama in going before Congress to get support for a limited strike against Syria, will come after she meets privately with Obama at the White House, the aide said.

But they also come as part of a revamped effort to approach a pre-planned policy speech scheduled for Tuesday, which has been overtaken by events in Syria and efforts by the White House to secure support in Congress. Obama himself is planning to address the nation on Tuesday evening, an hour after Clinton speaks in Pennsylvania, to sell his case for a military strike in Syria.

Read more >>>>

Congratulations, Mme. Secretary!  We hope you had a restful vacation, are delighted to have you back, and are joyful at the recognition you are receiving.

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N.B. This post has been revised from an earlier version that stated that  the Tuesday evening speech would be the planned major policy event.

Alan Grayson Validates Hillary Clinton's Transparency on Benghazi

When Hillary Clinton accepted the prestigious American Bar Association Medal last month, she spoke out on the Supreme Court decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act and announced a series of policy speeches the next of which she will deliver in Philadelphia this coming Tuesday upon acceptance of the Liberty Medal from Jeb Bush.

Tea Partiers, of course, are in meltdown mode over the coincidence of this presentation with the upcoming anniversary of the attack on the outpost in Benghazi which, in the interim, has come to be known to have been a CIA operation (thanks to Jason Chaffetz's public announcement on live TV).

The policy speeches Mme. Secretary has announced are to address transparency and national security.  In an op-ed, published in yesterday's New York Times, Representative Alan Grayson also addressed these issues as they relate to the classified information available to members of Congress regarding the proposed attacks on Syria that President Obama has referred to Congress for approval.

Grayson has some issues with the available data and documentation to back up an attack on Syria that he addresses in this article.  Most interestingly,   he compares that availability with the documents Hillary Clinton State Department provided on Benghazi.

7th Sep 2013 | 

Grayson in the NY Times on Syria Intel: “Trust, But Verify”

On Syria, “Trust, but Verify”

This op-ed written by Congressman Alan Grayson appeared in The New York Times today. Read it, share it with your friends and family, and join more than 75,000 others who oppose U.S. military intervention in Syria by signing on at DontAttackSyria.com.

WASHINGTON — THE documentary record regarding an attack on Syria consists of just two papers: a four-page unclassified summary and a 12-page classified summary. The first enumerates only the evidence in favor of an attack. I’m not allowed to tell you what’s in the classified summary, but you can draw your own conclusion.

On Thursday I asked the House Intelligence Committee staff whether there was any other documentation available, classified or unclassified. Their answer was “no.”

The Syria chemical weapons summaries are based on several hundred underlying elements of intelligence information. The unclassified summary cites intercepted telephone calls, “social media” postings and the like, but not one of these is actually quoted or attached — not even clips from YouTube. (As to whether the classified summary is the same, I couldn’t possibly comment, but again, draw your own conclusion.)

SNIP

Compare this lack of transparency with the administration’s treatment of the Benghazi attack. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, to her credit, made every single relevant classified e-mail, cable and intelligence report available to every member of Congress. (I know this, because I read them all.) Secretary Clinton had nothing to hide.
Her successor, John Kerry, has said repeatedly that this administration isn’t trying to manipulate the intelligence reports the way that the Bush administration did to rationalize its invasion of Iraq.

But by refusing to disclose the underlying data even to members of Congress, the administration is making it impossible for anyone to judge, independently, whether that statement is correct. Perhaps the edict of an earlier administration applies: “Trust, but verify.”

Read more >>>>

Most ironic is the statement of sources of the intel - sources that are being withheld.   Social media is cited.  Last October, in the wake of the Benghazi attack,  there was a great deal of hand-wringing over the issue of some leaked emails that Hillary Clinton addressed directly.

Hillary Clinton, those emails, and the truth

October 24, 2012 by still4hill |

In the dust up around the leaked emails and among the events of her busy day, Hillary Clinton made the following remarks regarding the emails and the attack on the Benghazi consulate in a press availability today.

Now finally, on Benghazi, look, I’ve said it and I’ll say it one more time. No one wants to find out what happened more than I do. We are holding ourselves accountable to the American people, because not only they, but our brave diplomats and development experts serving in dangerous places around the world, deserve no less. The independent Accountability Review Board is already hard at work looking at everything – not cherry-picking one story here or one document there – but looking at everything, which I highly recommend as the appropriate approach to something as complex as an attack like this.

Posting something on Facebook is not in and of itself evidence, and I think it just underscores how fluid the reporting was at the time and continued for some time to be. What I keep in mind is that four brave Americans were killed, and we will find out what happened, we will take whatever measures are necessary to fix anything that needs to be fixed, and we will bring those to justice who committed these murders. And I think that that is what we have said, that is what we are doing, and I’m very confident that we will achieve those goals.

Read more >>>>

There are two major takeaways here: 1) Attestation from a member of Congress,  who is in a position to make the comparison,  that Hillary Clinton provided Congress with every scrap of relevant documentation on Benghazi all of which he read. 2) Hillary Clinton does not consider postings on social media to be evidence - in her own words. 

Thank you, Representative Grayson, for defending our girl prior to a week that is guaranteed, on every front, to be hell on wheels, and thank you and our Hillary for your dedicated service.  It is satisfying to know that some members of Congress read everything she sent since, during her testimony in January,  she was obliged regularly to refer some members to the ARB Report that they seemed to have neglected to read.   The unclassified ARB report is available in the sidebar on the right for anyone who would like to see it. 

Hillary Clinton to be Honored by Save the Children

Readers here are familiar with Hillary's Too Small to Fail initiative concentrating on supporting child development ages 0-5.  One pillar that effort is the emphasis on reading with small children as a foundation for strong literacy skills in later years.  Save the Children has done parallel research on the effect of early reading on pre-literacy skills.   Marie Claire reports that a gala fundraiser for Save the Children, sponsored by Calvin Klein, will honor Hillary on October 1 with a National Legacy Award.

CONGRATULATIONS, MME. SECRETARY!

Calvin Klein to Sponsor the First Save the Children Benefit Gala

September 6, 2013 3:06 PM by Maura Brannigan

Mark your calendars, ladies, and prepare yourselves for a serious case of FOMO: Calvin Klein is sponsoring Save the Children's first-ever benefit gala on Oct. 1. The event is being held to increase awareness for Save the Chidren — the world's leading independent organization for children — and for early childhood education programs across the U.S. The evening's honorees include (wait for it...) former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (National Legacy Award) and Save the Children ambassador Jennifer Garner (National Child Advocate Award), among others.

Read more >>>>

Hillary Clinton to Keynote Voices of September 11th Gala

Hillary Clinton to keynote Voices of September 11th gala

Published 2:57 pm, Thursday, September 5, 2013

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the Voices of September 11th "Always Remember" Gala on Oct. 16 at Guastavino's in New York City.
Clinton, who also is a former U.S. senator from New York, has been a longstanding supporter of Voices of September 11th, which is based in New Canaan, beginning with the first meetings in her Senate office just days after the terrorist attacks. As a senator, she attended the Voices' annual Day of Remembrance events, taking time each year to visit with 9/11 families following the memorial services at the World Trade Center site.
SNIP
The gala will raise funds to support Voices of September 11th's ongoing work to provide long-term services for 9/11 families, survivors and responders. The event will also support Voices' efforts to help families heal after other tragedies.
For information or reservations, visit www.voicesofseptember11.org or call Frank Fetchet at 203-966-3911.
Clinton served as the 67th secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, after nearly four decades in public service as an advocate, attorney, first lady and senator. In 2000, Clinton made history as the first first lady elected to the U.S. Senate. After Sept. 11, 2001, she helped secure more than $20 billion for the rebuilding of New York City and fought for the health needs of first responders who risked their lives at ground zero.
Read more >>>>

From Hillary Clinton's Too Small to Fail: Ready to Learn

Ready to Learn is Not Just About Colors and Numbers

Every September, parents and their children prepare for the beginning of the school year with a mixture of anxiety and enthusiasm as families learn new school schedules and meet teachers. For very young children, however, preparing for school means developing important social and emotional skills, as well as cognitive skills that will help them get ready to learn when they begin kindergarten. There are many ways that parents and caregivers can help their young children acquire the skills they need to get ready for school, even if they won’t actually be starting school this year.

Learning in children begins from birth, when babies first start to hear sounds and recognize patterns in language. Parents and caregivers can help their babies build on this early learning by reading aloud to them, pointing to objects and naming them, and playing simple word games. It’s also helpful to avoid baby talk, and to talk to your babies in full sentences so that they understand language and dialogue. 

As babies grow into toddlerhood, their attention spans increase and they become better able to explore their environments, leading to a greater understanding of their physical ability and the ways that they can interact with the people and things around them. Toddlers really enjoy going for neighborhood walks, participating in activities like group reading and singing, and playing pretend. Toddlerhood is also when children begin to learn the importance of self-control and to build their confidence; parents can help them improve these emotional skills by offering simple choices and encouraging the use of words to express their feelings.

More than 80 percent of a child’s brain develops before age three, so these early years are critical to helping children learn confidence, how to problem solve and how to adjust to new environments. By learning positive ways to encourage healthy social and emotional development in young children, parents and caregivers can get their children ready for school now and in the future. 

 

Learn More:

• What do we mean by school readiness? Find out in this article by Urban Child Institute. 
• A school readiness guide for parents with children age birth to age 5, from the National Education Association.

Recent News:

• “Want your kids to learn more? Use your hands.” Los Angeles Times, June 24, 2013

Another Honor for Hillary Clinton!

Hillary Clinton Gets Elton John Foundation Honor

NEW YORK September 4, 2013 (AP)

Hillary Rodham Clinton's support of gay rights has earned her a special honor from the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

The former secretary of state will receive its first Founder's Award. In a statement Wednesday, the foundation cited a 2011 speech in which Clinton asserted that gay rights were human rights for helping envision a world without AIDS.

Others honorees include celebrity chef Sandra Lee, business mogul Ronald Perelman and Howard Rose, a founding board member of the organization. They will be feted during the foundation's annual benefit on Oct. 15 in New York City, hosted by Anderson Cooper.

Former President Bill Clinton was given an award in 2009.

Hillary Clinton: Hardly Silent on Syria ... but Who Listened?

Some in the media apparently think it is incumbent upon Hillary Clinton to speak out on Syria despite the fact that she is no longer a government official.  As she wraps up her well-deserved vacation and gets back on her schedule of speaking appearances, including the upcoming Clinton Global Initiative, it is perhaps a good time to look back at some of what she said while she served as Secretary of State beginning with this op-ed reposted in full.

Secretary Clinton Supports Syrian People in Op-Ed

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

June 17, 2011

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In an op-ed in the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemns the violent crackdown in Syria and calls for a transition to democracy. The full text of the Secretary’s op-ed follows.
“There Is No Going Back in Syria”
By Hillary Clinton
As the violent crackdown in Syria continues, President Assad has shown that he is more interested in his own power than his people.
The world has joined Syrians in mourning the deaths of many innocent people, including a 13-year old boy who was brutally tortured and mutilated. Approximately thirteen hundred Syrians have been killed since protests began. Many thousands more have been jailed and abused. Syrian security forces have surrounded communities and cut off electricity, communications and the Internet. Economic activity has slowed, the country is increasingly isolated and its citizens are growing more frustrated every day.
In his May 19 speech, President Obama echoed demonstrators’ basic and legitimate demands: the Assad government must stop shooting demonstrators, allow peaceful protest, release political prisoners, stop unjust arrests, give access to human rights monitors, and start an inclusive dialogue to advance a democratic transition. President Assad, he said, could either lead that transition or get out of the way.
It is increasingly clear that President Assad has made his choice. But while continued brutality may allow him to delay the change that is underway in Syria, it will not reverse it.
As Syria’s neighbors and the international community respond to this crisis, we should be guided by the answers to several key questions: Why has it erupted? What does the crackdown reveal about President Assad and his regime? And where does Syria go from here?
First, there should be no doubt about the nature of the protests in Syria.
Like Tunisians, Egyptians, Libyans and others across the Middle East and North Africa, the Syrian people are demanding their long-denied universal rights and rejecting a government that rules through fear, squanders their talents through corruption, and denies them the dignity of having a voice in their own future. They are organizing themselves, including the local coordinating committees, and they are refusing to back down even in the face of revolting violence.
If President Assad believes that the protests are the work of foreign instigators – as his government has claimed – he is wrong. It is true that some Syrian soldiers have been killed, and we regret the loss of those lives too. But the vast majority of casualties have been unarmed civilians. By continuing to ban foreign journalists and observers, the regime seeks to hide these facts.
Second, President Assad is showing his true colors by embracing the repressive tactics of his ally Iran and putting Syria onto the path of a pariah state.
By following Iran’s lead, President Assad is placing himself and his regime on the wrong side of history. He will learn that legitimacy flows from the consent of the people and cannot be forged through bullets and billyclubs.
President Assad’s violent crackdown has shattered his claims to be a reformer. For years, he has offered pledges and promises, but all that matters are his actions. A speech, no matter how dutifully applauded by regime apologists, will not change the reality that the Syrian people, despite being told they live in a republic, have never had the opportunity to freely elect their leaders. These citizens want to see a real transition to democracy and a government that honors their universal rights and aspirations.
If President Assad believes he can act with impunity because the international community hopes for his cooperation on other issues, he is wrong about this as well. He and his regime are certainly not indispensable.
A Syria that is unified, pluralistic, and democratic could play a positive and leading role in the region, but under President Assad the country is increasingly becoming a source of instability. The refugees streaming into Turkey and Lebanon, and the tensions being stoked on the Golan, should dispel the notion that the regime is a bulwark of regional stability that must be protected.
Finally, the answer to the most important question of all – what does this mean for Syria’s future? – is increasingly clear: There is no going back.
Syrians have recognized the violence as a sign of weakness from a regime that rules by coercion, not consent. They have overcome their fears and have shaken the foundations of this authoritarian system.
Syria is headed toward a new political order -- and the Syrian people should be the ones to shape it. They should insist on accountability, but resist any temptation to exact revenge or reprisals that might split the country, and instead join together to build a democratic, peaceful and tolerant Syria.
Considering the answers to all these questions, the United States chooses to stand with the Syrian people and their universal rights. We condemn the Assad regime’s disregard for the will of its citizens and Iran’s insidious interference.
The United States has already imposed sanctions on senior Syrian officials, including President Assad. We are carefully targeting leaders of the crackdown, not the Syrian people. We welcomed the decisions by the European Union to impose its own sanctions and by the UN Human Rights Council to launch an investigation into abuses. The United States will continue coordinating closely with our partners in the region and around world to increase pressure on and further isolate the Assad regime.
The Syrian people will not cease their demands for dignity and a future free from intimidation and fear. They deserve a government that respects its people, works to build a more stable and prosperous country, and doesn’t have to rely on repression at home and antagonism abroad to maintain its grip on power. They deserve a nation that is unified, democratic and a force for stability and progress. That would be good for Syria, good for the region and good for the world.
http://aawsat.com/leader.asp?section=3&article=627159&issueno=11890

Below are links to a compendium of her remarks on the deteriorating situation as she met with a variety of action groups on Syria. This is, by no means,  a comprehensive collection since she also gave a great many interviews and press briefings following bilaterals over the past two years where she addressed the issues at hand and sought solutions that would permit democracy to take hold.

Hillary Clinton to Human Rights Council: Reject Syria’s Candidacy

April 30, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks on the Violence in Syria

May 6, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Statement: Repression in Iran and Syria

June 14, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Statement on Continuing Violence in Syria

August 1, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks After Meeting With Syrian Activists

August 2, 2011

Video: Secretary Clinton’s Statement on Syria

August 18, 2011

Hillary Clinton’s Statement on The Human Rights Council’s Special Session on Syria & State Department Update on Libya

August 23, 2011

Hillary Clinton in the D.R. Part II: Remarks at Pathways to Prosperity, on UNESCO, and on Syria

October 7, 2011

Hillary Clinton: Arab League Suspends Syria

November 12, 2011

Secretary Clinton’s Meeting with Syrian National Council

December 6, 2011

Secretary Clinton: Escalation of Regime Violence in Syria

January 30, 2012

Hillary Clinton at Friends of Syria in Tunisia: Remarks and Pictures

February 24, 2012

Hillary Clinton’s Press Availability on Friends of Syria

February 24, 2012

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks Following Meeting with Syrian National Council

April 1, 2012

Secretary Clinton: Intervention to the Friends of the Syrian People

April 2, 2012

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the Ad Hoc Ministerial on Syria

April 19, 2012

Syria Violence Could Have Domino Effect In Lebanon, Clinton Warns

May 25, 2012

Clinton Condemns Haoula Massacre in Strongest Possible Terms

May 26, 2012

Video: Secretary Clinton Remarks on Syria

May 31, 2012

Hillary Clinton: Friends of the Syrian People

June 6, 2012

Hillary Clinton: Press Conference Following Syria Action Group Meeting

June 30, 2012

Hillary Clinton at the Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial Meeting

July 6, 2012

Hillary Clinton’s Press Conference Following the Friends of the Syrian People Meeting

July 6, 2012

Hillary Clinton: Saddened and Outraged by Massacre in Traymseh

July 13, 2012

Hillary Clinton on the Resignation of Kofi Annan as Joint Special Envoy for Syria

August 2, 2012

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I must interrupt here to correct a rewrite of history.  A few days ago, on CNN, Fouad Ajami said that Hillary Clinton "stopping off to cut a rug" in South Africa on her way to a meeting in Turkey about Syria was bad optics.  His story is upside down  Hillary had long been scheduled to stop in South Africa and attend a conference there.  Here is her original itinerary which was supposed to be for an 11-day trip - her farewell tour of Africa as Secretary of State.

Hillary Clinton’s Itinerary in Africa

July 30, 2012
Well, the Africa trip is official, and we can see why it took awhile for the State Department to post the itinerary - it's another long one, and arranging it must have been very complex since it does not coincide with earlier reports.  More than a week,  it's another killer - six countries/11 days.  Ghana and Nigeria are not mentioned, but Kenya and South Sudan are.  I think I speak for everyone here in wishing her a safe and successful trip and hoping she manages to sneak in a little vacation time when she gets back home.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Travel to Africa

Press Statement

Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

July 30, 2012

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Africa July 31 through August 10, 2012. During this trip, the Secretary will emphasize U.S. policy commitments outlined in the Presidential Policy Directive - to strengthen democratic institutions, spur economic growth, advance peace and security as well as promote opportunity and development for all citizens
The Secretary’s first stop will be Senegal, where she will meet President Sall and other national leaders and deliver a speech applauding the resilience of Senegal's democratic institutions and highlighting America's approach to partnership.
Next, Secretary Clinton travels to South Sudan where she meets with President Kiir to reaffirm U.S. support and to encourage progress in negotiations with Sudan to reach agreement on issues related to security, oil and citizenship.
In Uganda, the Secretary meets with President Museveni to encourage strengthening of democratic institutions and human rights, while also reinforcing Uganda as a key U.S. partner in promoting regional security, particularly in regard to Somalia and in regional efforts to counter the Lord’s Resistance Army. She will also highlight U.S. support in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The Secretary will then travel to Kenya where she plans to meet President Kibaki, Prime Minister Odinga, and other government officials to emphasize her support for transparent, credible, nonviolent national elections in 2013. To underscore U.S. support for completing the political transition in Somalia by August 20th, Secretary Clinton will also meet with President Sheikh Sharif and other signatories to the Roadmap to End the Transition.
The Secretary continues her trip in Malawi, visiting President Banda to discuss economic and political governance and reform.
In South Africa, Secretary Clinton will pay her respects to ex-President Mandela, and to participate in the U.S.-South Africa Strategic Dialogue focusing on the partnership between our two countries in addressing issues of mutual concern and our shared challenges on the African and world stage. Secretary Clinton will be accompanied by a U.S. business delegation.

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While the trip was in progress, additional stops were scheduled.  Many countries wanted Hillary to stop during this tour.  Some were added late, e.g. Nigeria, because security issues needed to be resolved and Ghana for the sadly unpredictable funeral of the late John Atta Mills.  Turkey was also added because the meeting was scheduled after she was already on tour.

Professor Ajami, we do not appreciate men with white whiskers trying to rewrite history.  She did not "stop by" South Africa on her way to Turkey.  South Africa was long-scheduled, Turkey was tacked on when the meeting was scheduled.  If FM Mashabane wanted to throw a farewell party for her friend and partner with whom she had worked for four years.  You, Professor Ajami,  should be grateful that someone in our government understood that the next battleground with China is Africa,  that the battlefield is economic, and that Hillary Clinton made strong friends there, often while putting herself in grave personal danger.  Your smirky, snarky, and untrue comment is shameful, insulting, and disgusting.

Confirmed: Hillary Clinton’s Africa Itinerary Extended

August 5, 2012

U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) reacts during here visit to Malawi August 5, 2012. Clinton paid a lightning visit to Malawi on Sunday to congratulate its new president, Joyce Banda, one of only two female heads of state in Africa, for pulling her impoverished country back from the economic brink after a political crisis. REUTERS/Eldson Chagara (MALAWI - Tags: SOCIETY POLITICS)

The rumor mill has been whizzing out of control all weekend with stories of additional countries to be added to the already packed schedule for this trip.  Originally arranged as an 11-day trip,  the addition of  Turkey next Saturday for talks on Syria extends that by at least one day.  Within the African leg of the trip, Voice of America reports the inclusion of Ghana, Nigeria, and Benin.  The first was expected since the purpose is to attend the funeral of  Ghana's late President John Atta Mills who passed away unexpectedly on July 24.  Sources for that early story appeared credible.  The Nigerian leg was announced by local sources last night.  Benin comes as a complete surprise since neither very early reports nor the buzzing rumor mill had ever mentioned a stop there.  VOA reports:

Clinton is due to fly to South Africa Sunday, and later on to Nigeria, Ghana and Benin.
In Ghana, she is expected to attend the state funeral of the country's late president John Atta Mills.

In Turkey Hillary Clinton Talks No Fly Zones Over Syria

August 11, 2012

Hillary Clinton’s Remarks On Syria With Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu

August 11, 2012

Hillary Clinton on the Appointment of Lakhdar Brahimi to Replace Kofi Annan

August 17, 2012

Hillary Clinton at the Ad Hoc Friends of the Syrian People Ministerial

September 28, 2012

Video: Hillary Clinton’s Remarks on Syria

December 4, 2012

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It was during this final trip as Secretary of State that she fell so ill that she fainted and sustained a concussion.  Later tests detected a blood clot, and she could not return to her duties until January when she did her best to wrap up her stay at the State Department and put the transition into place for Secretary Kerry's assumption of command. 

So for those who would have Hillary Clinton comment at this critical time on a crucial issue, let you be reminded that neither have Bill Clinton nor George W. Bush commented on Syria for excellent reasons.  They are no longer in office and do not have access to the latest intel.  Neither does Hillary Clinton.  The situation is in the hands of the present, second Obama administration.  Live with the history you were so instrumental in making.

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Updated to add:  Of course, as soon as I had this all put together, she decided to come out and say something anyway.   Then again, what would anyone expect her to say?

September 3rd, 2013

06:27 PM ET

57 minutes ago

Hillary Clinton supports Obama on Syria

Posted by

CNN Political Unit

(CNN) – Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backs President Barack Obama's proposal to take military action in Syria, an aide told CNN's Jessica Yellin on Tuesday.

"Secretary Clinton supports the President's effort to enlist the Congress in pursuing a strong and targeted response to the Assad regime's horrific use of chemical weapons," the aide said.

Read more >>>>

Actually, CNN got this wrong.  She did not back the military action.  She backed taking it to Congress.  

Hillary Clinton Tweets Congrats to Diana Nyad

Hillary ClintonVerified account ‏@HillaryClinton

Flying to 112 countries is a lot until you consider swimming between 2. Feels like I swim with sharks - but you actually did it! Congrats!

So, no, she did not tweet about Syria, but after swimming with her sharks for four years, with a good deal of that flying devoted to vetting the Syrian opposition and making recommendations with our partners about how to help them, why should she?  Who in the Situation Room bothered to listen to her over the past two years?