Monday, December 1, 2008

Bye Hillary!

I think she'll make a great Secretary of State....

.. but I thought she made a great US Senator for my state. I will miss her in that role, and being such a big advocate for Healthcare reform, it's a loss.

14 comments:

monkey girl said...

I'm hoping Obama still will look to her for guidance. If she doesn't get Universal Healthcare off the ground, who will?
With that said, I think she'll make a great Sec of State. We need to repair our image ESPECIALLY overseas. In light of the Mumbai attacks where Americans and Brits were targeted, hopefully we can improve our image enough that extremists aren't going out of their way to blow our heads off. Friends of mine that hold dual citizenship NEVER travel on their American passport anymore and haven't in the last 8 years.

Unknown said...

President-elect Barack Obama designated Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) to be his next secretary of state Monday, despite having spent much of the previous two years questioning her foreign-policy credentials.

During the campaign for the Democratic nomination, Obama mocked Clinton’s primary claim that she possessed the necessary foreign policy experience to be president. “What exactly is this foreign policy expertise?” Obama said to reporters in March, while flying from a campaign event in Texas. “Was she negotiating treaties? Was she handling crises? The answer is no.”

In spite of these doubts, Obama praised Clinton’s credentials Monday, saying she would be able to advance America’s interests due to her knowledge of world affairs and familiarity with world leaders.

“She is an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who knows many of the world's leaders, who will command respect in every capital, and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world,” he said.

Obama said that his new foreign policy team, which will be led by Clinton, would change America’s foreign policy for the better.

“I am confident that this is the team that we need to make a new beginning for American national security,” he told reporters at the announcement.

However, Obama had expressed exactly the opposite view of Clinton during the primary campaign.

“It’s what’s wrong with politics today. Hillary Clinton will say anything to get elected,” Obama said in a January radio ad. “Hillary Clinton. She’ll say anything and change nothing.”


Obama also said Monday that he picked Clinton for her intelligence, toughness and work ethic, noting that his new team would need to pursue a new strategy around the globe.

“She possesses an extraordinary intelligence and toughness, and a remarkable work ethic,” the president-elect said of Clinton.

He added that his new team must “pursue a new strategy that skillfully uses, balances, and integrates all elements of American power: our military and diplomacy, our intelligence and law enforcement, our economy and the power of our moral example.”

But last year, Obama’s campaign specifically said that the candidate didn’t need the advice of someone like Clinton, “someone whose ideas were more in line with those of President George W. Bush” than with Obama’s.

“Barack Obama doesn’t need lectures in political courage from someone who followed George Bush to war in Iraq,” the campaign said in a December 2007 statement.

A few months later, Obama reinforced the sentiments of his campaign, saying that Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy wasn’t the change Americans wanted.

“Real change isn’t voting for George Bush’s war in Iraq and then telling the American people it was actually voting for more diplomacy,” he said in March.

In his introduction of Clinton on Monday, however, Obama also seemed to contradict the prior statements of two of his top incoming advisors; both of whom said that Clinton had never been involved in foreign policy issues before.

Greg Craig, incoming chief counsel, said of Clinton in a March conference call: “There’s no evidence that she participated or asserted herself in any of the crises that took place during the eight years of the Clinton presidency. White House records show that she was consistently absent when critical decisions were being made and that her trips abroad were largely ceremonial.”

Susan Rice, Obama’s choice to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, meanwhile, said that a First Lady doesn’t deal with international issues.

“There is no crisis to be dealt with or managed when you are First Lady,” Rice said in March. “You don't get that kind of experience by being married to a commander-in-chief.”

In the most hotly debated dust-up of the primary season – over Clinton’s famous “3 a.m.” ad asking which candidate would better handle a crisis call at three in the morning -- Obama himself said Clinton had already failed the foreign policy test.

“The question is, what kind of judgment will you exercise when you pick up that phone,” Obama said. “In fact, we’ve had a red-phone moment. It was the decision to invade Iraq. Sen. Clinton gave the wrong answer.”

On Monday, meanwhile, Obama called Clinton “a friend, a colleague, a source of counsel.”


http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=40095

So first he mocks her then he praises her?! I especially love the part I bolded. All I can say is that Hillary can't do any worse than Rice did. I for one will continue to travel on my non-USA passport as will the family.

Unknown said...

Friends of mine that hold dual citizenship NEVER travel on their American passport anymore and haven't in the last 8 years.

The view of the US has been shitty in the world for more than 8 years. People that have had the opportunity to travel and could do so on a non USA passport have been doing it for longer than 8 years!

Jen said...

Oh yay! You're back.

Listen, everyone says crap about everyone else during the campaign. All of them do it, so don't single out Obama. I will say that the thing about his appointments are that he is the one that is Commander in Chief. He likes to have opposing viewpoints, but he'll be making the decisions. So, I'm okay with that.

Unknown said...

Listen, everyone says crap about everyone else during the campaign.

Oh so he "lied" is that what you mean? What a wonderful trait to have.

All of them do it, so don't single out Obama.

But Jen your post is about Obama, I mean he was the one that picked her right?

I will say that the thing about his appointments are that he is the one that is Commander in Chief.

I will say this about his appointments, it sure looks like Clinton is back in office. Nice "change"

He likes to have opposing viewpoints, but he'll be making the decisions. So, I'm okay with that.

Opposing viewpoints?

Jen said...

I wouldn't say that he lied... He disagreed with her viewpoints.
The Secretary of State works for the President, and carries the presidents ideas forward.

Change isn't going to come from the people he chooses in the cabinet. He's picking some experienced people for unprecedented times. The Change comes from him. He will be calling the shots. The man hasn't even taken office yet.... for goodness sakes... let him have a chance.

And as far as my taxes go, I could care less. If they go up, but we get investments to the country, ie infrastructure, healthcare, green energy... it doesn't matter to me. My happiness isn't based on material things and money. It's based on being surrounded by my family and friends who are healthy and happy. I want a better planet, life left for my children.

--But I read an article today that part of the stimulus plan they are proposing will have middle class tax cuts in it.

and... for the opposing viewpoints... he doesn't always agree with everyone's ideas. He likes to have healthy debates about things in order to get the best possible plan.. .but in the end the decision will lie with him.

Unknown said...

LOL!

Jen you don't are if your taxes go up? WOW! As long as you get better roads, health care and green energy? And what about jobs my dear? What is Obama gonna do about jobs, because with out jobs and money coming into this country we are screwed!

He is not bringing change Jen he is bringing more of what we have already seen!

Unknown said...

Jen if he did not "lie" and just disagreed with her view points why in Hell did he pick her for this high position?

And hey I hear they are looking at Billy (Clinton) to take over Hillary's Senate seat...aren't you NY's lucky!

Unknown said...

but in the end the decision will lie with him.

Yeah that is the really scary part. A man with NO experience to speak of making choices that effect us all...AHHH!!!!

Jen said...

As much fun as this is.. I need to do my work to keep my job. LOLOLOLOL. So this will be it for awhile.

Firstly... you don't think infrastructure, green energy and/or a better healthcare system are going to create jobs?!?! Of course it will. Since manufacturing has gone by the wayside in this country, green energy could be something that we can produce. That's part of the reason for our deficit.. we import everything. We don't export enough.

And no, if my taxes went up to get these things, I would be okay with that. Don't get crazy... I mean I don't want a 60% tax rate... but in order to avoid the burden of increasing health premiums with less coverage each year, I'll gladly pay a little more.

Obama chose Hillary, because she can be diplomatic. She knows most of the world leaders and is respected by most of them. Again, she will be representing his ideas.

And heck, I'd take Bill as our Senator ANYDAY.

I find it funny how much the Clinton's continue to torment the conservatives.

Jen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Run along Jen, I am sure there are some obese people out there that need to be told not to eat those Twinkies!

And just where are we getting this skilled and qualified workers to fill these new jobs? Oh that is right China and India and Europe are better educated than us they can fill those jobs and if they can't or wont then the Mexicans oops ILLEGALS can!

Bill Clinton is a joke, sorry! All he has to remember is that blow job is still sex and screwing a younger version of your wife is frowned upon :-)

Jen said...

You are such a mean person. I can't believe you don't have one empathetic, nonracist/judgemental bone in your body?

As a matter of fact, I work with deathly ill people. Most of them are too tired to drag themselves to dialysis treatments, let alone have a great quality of life. Most of them are so skinny, that they need to gain weight, but with constant nausea/vomiting are unable to keep anything down. They get 2 needles placed into their arms 3x/week and are attached to a machine for 4 hours at a time in order to stay alive. I'm quite certain they would love to enjoy eating a "twinkie".

Please do us all a favor and stay away from my blog. I will not tolerate people who like to make fun of the poor, sick, unfortunate people.

Unknown said...

Pop open a can of Ensure for them and light up a joint for them (to control their nausea of course)!

Oh please did you ever wonder what abuse they inflicted upon their bodies to get them where they are now? And in case you missed it...death and illness are part of life--get over it!!