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Sam Stein

The Huffington Post

Albright Defends Clinton On Foreign Policy (But Doesn't Use The F-Word)

November 27, 2007 10:55 AM


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Madeleine K. Albright is going to the mat on behalf of Sen. Hillary Clinton - whom she's endorsed - after Clinton's claims about foreign policy experience were challenged by primary opponents. But the former secretary of state did not go as far as others in saying Clinton was the "face" of international affairs during his husband's administration.

"She will be ready from the very first day to lead our nation in a dangerous and complicated world, which is why I am supporting her candidacy," Albright said.

The foray of Albright into the presidential campaign came after a day of heated back and forth between Clinton and her chief Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL, over the issue of who was best prepared for the international stage.

The snipping began last week when former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack - also a supporter of Sen. Clinton - declared that as first lady, she was "the face" of the administration in regards to foreign affairs. Vilsack defended the comments on Friday even after Gov. Bill Richardson, D-NM, who served as one of President Clinton's main foreign policy figures, took exception.

On Monday, Sen. Clinton herself reiterated Vilsack's claim, saying that "there are a lot of ways in which what I did was the face of America, when I was there, when I was representing not just my husband but the country."

All of this was too much for Obama to ignore. Not buying the logic, he weighed in with his own assessment.

"If she wants to tout her experience of having visited countries, that's fine," the Illinois Senator said. "I don't think that Madeleine Albright would think Hillary Clinton was the face of foreign policy during the Clinton administration. But maybe she'll disagree with that."

Which Albright, to a certain extent, did. Though not going so far as to say Sen. Clinton formulated U.S. foreign policy for her husband, the former secretary of state did provide a list of the New Yorker's accomplishments in the field.

"Hillary Clinton represented American interests and values during her visits to more than 80 countries and her meetings with presidents, prime ministers and leaders of civil society," Albright said. "She has been a dynamic representative even standing up to China by pointing out that women's rights are human rights. Her seven years as a U.S. Senator, including her service on the Armed Services Committee, has further deepened her experience as a dynamic and effective leader for our country."

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Man what did Madeleine K. Albright sit on her hind and collected a paycheck. I demand she give all money back to the people. Hillary did it all!!!!!! Bill was not the President. So she can not run again!!! I people should call fowl play here. Hillary was already the president. Oh she already won the nomination. What is wrong with her.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:19 AM on 11/28/2007

I think this ones endorsement will prove to be a liability later. Good! Why don't all these OLD "statesman" just go away and retire for good. They had their chance and blew it! We still have so little PEACE ON EARTH! When will they ever learn..? Just go shopping, the sweatshops are all open for the season! Peace

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:00 AM on 11/28/2007

Madam Secretary ain't Al(that)bright. All right?

Everybody has experience! It comes as a package deal with life -- sort of like Hillary with Bill, for better or worse, etc. However, as T.S. Eliot warns in "Four Quartets," some have "had the experience but missed the meaning." To whom does this aptly apply, I wonder?

Judgment, on the other hand, takes experience and makes wisdom out of it -- like when to go to war and never preemptively, respecting that age old experience with Just War Theory.

Ted Sorensen praised Obama as demonstrating the prerequisite judgment that leadership demands: Obama got it right on Iraq. (Hillary didn't.) Sorensen said, "Experience is like the light at the stern of a ship, it shows you where it's been, but not where it's going." OBAMA is that warning shot across the bow of our ship of state. Now is the time to turn course. Obama is the helmsman we need.

Floundering in the fog of another dynastic duo following on the heels of the Bushes' flop ignores the collective wisdom expressed in Oscar Wilde's sarcastic quip on second marriages: "the triumph of hope over experience." But in second, second marriages -- W's bushwah to Clinton's bourgeois -- experience ought to trump hope.

When Hillary quacks the canard, "he doesn't have experience," I say, "forget about experience, I'd rather have potential.... I need a young, young man..." (Middle Aged Blues Boogie) And so might she.

Godspeed! Obama!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:23 AM on 11/28/2007

If Madam Albright is not willing to defend her record we should re-evaluate here contribution for if Hillary had played such a pivotal role in the Clinton administration.
There must be a professional prise to pay for this kind of misplaced loyalty.
A revision of history concerning Albright"s contribution is in order.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:03 AM on 11/28/2007

Please drag another "back to the future" Clinton relic. It will be fun to watch another person who is part of the problem defend her candidate.Albright is as bad as the others--she is making a killing off the war and is a true hawk.Never was impressed with her or Berger=actually thought both were crooks. She does not like being questioned anymore than Clinton.Great lineup-Streisand,Albright, ins companies, military, largest receiptent of corporate dollars. Whoopee-let us support this candidate.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:37 AM on 11/28/2007

I don't like Allblight, never did, I think she
was probably part of the whole ugly mess that
led up to the Iraq invasion, and she can bablar
deblarblar about Billary all day long, I think
the only real difference between Clinton and
Bush is that when it's Billary, more govcheese
goes in one direction, and when it's Bush, the
govcheese goes the other direction...I give
Bill props for getting the debt started
downward, but none on some other issues,
and I think frankly that if we saw a Clinton
presidency again, we'd see more of the same
stuff again, no real marked changes on stuff
like energy, they'd keep playing badminton
on oil because they know that if we stopped
using all that imported stuff then well, there
wouldn't be any reason for some of the rest of
the wierd stuff that's gone on these last 10
years and then maybe people there could like,
have their country back, and stuff. I just
get the distinct impression that we're not
going to get much in the way of alternatives
here, and that whoever they put in office
will keep on keepin' on...so, whatever...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:45 AM on 11/28/2007

I think Hillary and Madeline should avoid a contest of faces. Maybe they can arm wrestle.

Bill Clinton is the prettiest.

Mirror, Mirror on the wall.
Who is fairest of them all.
In this contest
I think Ron Paul.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:29 AM on 11/28/2007
photo

Obama was and is absolutely correct!

Albright defended Hillary but never agreed with Hillary that she(Albright) was less of a face than Hillary.

Hillary is claiming everything! I think it is quite shameful, claiming experience for health care proposal but oh it was not her fault it failed (it was her husbands-not buying that).

What else did she do specifically instead of claiming all experience and credit to herself?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:45 PM on 11/27/2007


"..a dangerous and complicated world".

I disagree. The world is neither complicated nor dangerous from the American point of view. There are, however, actors who want us to believe that we live in a dangerous and complicated world so they can control us and events to their own ends.

Welcome to Clinton World.

Who will futher the interests of the United States the most? That is the question voters should ask themselves.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:45 PM on 11/27/2007

Polling means everything in Iowa right now. Everyone forgets that with the caucus primary being held on Jan. 3rd. the canidates really only have 3 1/2 weeks of campaigning because of the Christmas holiday. In 2004, this was the time polling indicated that Kerry was on an upswing and Dean was heading down in flames. You can't compare 2004 to now just by looking at the calendar because the Iowa caucus wasn't held on January 3, 2004.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:43 PM on 11/27/2007

I wonder what Bill Richardson has to say?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:39 PM on 11/27/2007
photo

Now that I have rad all the comments, I realize that since I am of the masculine gender, I really have nothing to say.I

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:09 PM on 11/27/2007

500,000 dead Iraqi children (UN report) !

Albright said "the price was worth it!" !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK_QshS2EW8

This is who these people are : The War Party

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:08 PM on 11/27/2007

First of all, Madeleine's favorite slur is the C-word: Cojones. And only BILL RICHARDSON(being Hispanic) has them, certainly when it comes to foreign policy experience among the current crop of candidates (Democrats, as well as republicans)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:24 PM on 11/27/2007

Well, Barack and Michelle are beautiful people and they are smart as well. However, I do not want a person in the White House, who, like Bush, has experimented with drugs. Nor do I like Mr. Obama's proposals for healthcare; it is NOT universal healthcare. Then I also do not like that he attacks one of his fellow democrats. There are plenty of republicans running about whom there are a few interesting topics to ponder and discuss. I want to hear exactly what Obama will do, and who he is. NOT what he thinks Hillary will or will not do, or what and who he thinks SHE is. Let Barack speak for himself, and it is time for him to do so with lightning speed! As much as I admire Oprah, moreover, I do not need her to convince me of a thing. I never watch Oprah's shows, because the subject of what is discussed there usually is not what I am interested in. Like Oprah, I have an education, and I can think, hear and reason for myself. I am not going to elect Oprah. If Barack wants my vote, I need to hear him. And I hear nothing, other than, oh, oh, have you heard what she said, did, did not do? With Barack it is all about women, all kinds of women, all the time. What is he?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:07 PM on 11/27/2007
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