Defending President Obama’s Photo with Chavez, Secretary Clinton Says: ‘He Beat Me in a Primary, in Which He Put Forth a Different Approach’
EmailAt a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing this afternoon, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended her boss’s foreign policy views in a way that seemed to suggest that she personally holds a different view than does President Obama, but that he beat her in the Democratic presidential primaries, so his view wins.
The remark came after Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., challenged Clinton on "the issue of the president being photographed with the virulent anti-American socialist dictator of Venezuela," President Hugo Chavez.
Pence called Chavez "a Castro wannabe" who has "oppressed the media,… bullied economic interests,… (and) blacklisted political opponents."
The Indiana Republican quoted remarks then-Sen. Clinton, D-N.Y., made in July 2007 regarding potential meetings with the leaders of North Korea, Venezuela, or Cuba: "I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year. I don’t want to be used for propaganda purposes."
Pence asked: "In light of your previously stated insight, isn’t it true that having the president of the United States be seen on the world stage warmly greeting a virulent anti-American socialist dictator that intentionally or unintentionally our president was used ‘for propaganda purposes,’ to borrow the phrase that you used?"
Said Clinton: "President Obama won the election. He beat me in a primary, in which he put forth a different approach. And he is now our president, and we all want our president, no matter of which party, to succeed, especially in such a perilous time."
The Secretary of State also said that the U.S. "spent eight years trying to isolate Chavez, and what has been the result? I don’t think it’s been in America’s interest. So we’re going to try some different things."
She also said she recalled, during the Cold War, "virulent anti-American communist dictators threatening our country on a regular basis, and I remember our presidents meeting with them, shaking their hands, and negotiating. They did not do so without conditions or without strong principles, but they did so … Your strong feelings about Hugo Chavez are certainly understood, because he has clearly been someone who has behaved in ways that don’t accord with our values and our principles, but so were the Soviet leaders, and so did so many others with whom we eventually created an environment in which we could see some changes that benefited the United States of America."
Concluded the former first lady, "my bottom line is, I am here to serve my country, which I have loved ever since I was a little girl. And I’m going to support my president, because he is committed to doing whatever he can in the time he is given to serve to make this a better, safer, more secure world. So I appreciate your strong feelings, but I think that we are pursuing a course that may very well open up some additional opportunities that we hope will be in our interests, and advance our values, and protect our security."
– jpt
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What Hillary said: “all that stuff above that Jake wrote”
What Hillary meant: “The President is a fool, but he’s the President, what am I supposed to do about it?”
Posted by: Obama, the second coming | April 22, 2009, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
Hillary please get away from that trainwreck. Obama is dragging you down.
Hillary 2012
Posted by: bailey | April 22, 2009, 3:28 pm 3:28 pm
What Mike Pence and other hardliners are forgetting is that America doesn’t quite have the clout it once had. Even if I thought that with mega clout we should be shoving other countries around (which I don’t), it’s just not going to happen. Clinton is a realist and adapts well or she wouldn’t be where she is. I respect that tremendously.
Posted by: Lee Ann Petropoulos | April 22, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
Hillary Is right HE WON HE WAS CHOSEN Now get over yourselfs Republicans And deal with it Quit being UnPatriotic Not supporting Our President isnt that what you called The Democrats when they Didnt support Bush UNAMERICAN Well Look in the Mirror Go Hillary Madame Secetary!
Posted by: Angie in Pa | April 22, 2009, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
“President Obama won the election. He beat me in a primary, in which he put forth a different approach. And he is now our president, and we all want our president, no matter of which party, to succeed, especially in such a perilous time”
In other words, ‘yes, he’s farther left than I, but he won…see you in 2012″
She is really coming into her own as a diplomat with that language.
I’m impressed.
Posted by: J House | April 22, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
Obama is doing the right thing in not antagonizing these people and talking to them. What are we going to do, bomb everybody into submission. Now that the economy is collapsing, we are realizing that we can’t afford those bombs, talk is cheap.
Posted by: Huh | April 22, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
Finally! A leader who is not afraid to hold discussions and/or reach out to our “enemies”. Our past/present political leaders hide behind patriotic stoicism (ad nausem) that has done more harm to our country than good. Our political leaders need some serious Negotiation 101 classes, something we learn early on in the business world. The government(s) consistently comes off as spoiled little children who must have their way…try explaining to your kids why the governments can’t behave as we preach to our children to behave. Do you think they see through the hypocrisy?
Make it a Great Day!
Posted by: JahLove63 | April 22, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
So what’s different? I guess we just take out the preconditions and strong principles.
Posted by: vanderleun | April 22, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
Oh Hillary if you had only won.
I can’t imagine you going to foriegn countries, apologizing profusely, validating tyrants, and remaining silent while dictators trash us.
You would have been a fantastic president.
If you had won I would still be a Democrat.
Hillary2012
Posted by: riley | April 22, 2009, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
“What Mike Pence and other hardliners are forgetting is that America doesn’t quite have the clout it once had.”
.
They aren’t forgetting. That’s why they’re so paranoid about appearances. They know that America’s actual ability to guide world events has been squandered in the sands of the Middle East, so they’re holding out hope that they can rely on symbolism to retain what they’ve lost in reality.
Posted by: Paul Dirks | April 22, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
Pence calls Chavez a politician who has “oppressed the media,… bullied economic interests,… (and) blacklisted political opponents.” That has been the Republican m.o. for years; almost verbatim from the Rove textbook. I think Pence may have found a soulmate for the Republican Party!
Posted by: DKNY | April 22, 2009, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
Actually, a much better answer would have simply been: “A handshake is not a formal meeting, you nitwit”.
Posted by: mk3872 | April 22, 2009, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
Tough It’;s already been a tough week for POTUS. First the left forces him to do a blatant and politically dangerous flip-flop, now Hillary is whining over her primary loss.
Posted by: matt | April 22, 2009, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
You done good today, Hillary. Swat those pitiful Republican ankle biters back down. Her performance today was that of a teacher, disciplining some rowdy – and stupid – little boys.
Posted by: SpaceCat75 | April 22, 2009, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm
Thanks for the laugh Hillary, I was truly entertained reading that line. On a more serious note, isn’t it interesting how Obama’s DNI and his Sec. State have both made comments that show their disagreement with him.
Posted by: Jason | April 22, 2009, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm
This is an honest reaction after watching Hillary Rodham Clinton today, who is supposed to be Secretary of State, and seeing the endless politicizing of numerous Cabinet and Governmental positions.
Revealing these classified CIA Memos is a disgrace, a pure political stunt which has greatly weakened the Security of Our historic Free Nation. It is as disgusting as the criminalizing of ‘conservatives’ and ‘veterans’ in the DHS.
It would be welcome, I wish to challenge ABC to ask Sec. Hillary Clinton, or any Democratic Party Member elected to Office, if the Obama Administration should investigate the Clinton Administration or the Carter Administration for the the CIA’s prior interrogation techniques as well, including those who produced Memos to debate legal issues in regards to National Security.
Could ABC ask someone is there should be an investigation, into why Hillary Clinton stated Human Rights would be ignored by the Obama Administration while visiting China, but are now politicizing the CIA Interrogation techniques used on Terrorists who planned the 9-11 attacks to save more lives. Wasn’t Human Right a non issue in regards to interacting with other Nations?
I mean, which is it Secretary Clinton?
Are you only concerned with the Human Rights of Terrorists captured while a Republican Administration was in the White House, after the horrid 9-11 “man-made disaster”?
Are you only concerned with the interrogation techniques used by the CIA, which has proven to save American Lives?
Someone should ask every Democratic Party Member, if the Clinton Administration should be investigated for providing a policy to lie about the Genocide in Rwanda, or for their negligence in addressing the Radical Islamic Terrorism after the first attack on the WTC in 1993, etc.
Should we truly investigate what classified material Sandy Berger destroyed, why Hillary Clinton illegally obtained FBI files about her perceived political opposition, why the Clintons authorized the sale of highly classified technology to the Chinese – while the DNC received illegal donations from China, why the Clinton Administration provided the disastrous Gorelick Wall or the Torricelli reform which greatly restricted the ability of US Intel and Law Enforcement, etc?
Should we investigate the Democrat Party’s recent exploitation of the DHS for political purposes, led by Sec. Napolitano?
Shouldn’t we investigate Dodd’s peddling to AIG, Frank’s protection of Fanny & Freddie, Murtha’s corrupt earmarks, Reid’s unethical land deals, Obama’s special Resko deal, Obey’s peddling to his own Son’s interests, Rangel’s exploitation of rent control, Feinstein’s peddling to her husband’s interests, Durbin’s torture of US Armed Service Members by comparing them to Nazis, Al Gore’s vested interest in the ‘Carbon Credit’ industry, etc?
Posted by: brooklyn | April 22, 2009, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
It sounds like Hillary doesn’t agree with Obama and is riding out her time until 2012.
Posted by: jeff | April 22, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
I agree with Space Cat. She did us proud. And by us, I mean America.
Luv the name too, Space Cat.
Posted by: Marie | April 22, 2009, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
Only results count. Bush had his shot for 8 years and here we are. Obama wants to try something different so let’s give him a chance. For all the talk about Obama beign weak, we have not seen any ground being lost just yet. He did shoot three pirates in the face though. Just wait………..
Posted by: David | April 22, 2009, 6:15 pm 6:15 pm
He did shoot three pirates in the face though. Just wait………..
==================================
That was good.
Posted by: mad | April 22, 2009, 7:01 pm 7:01 pm
Jake, you trying to sow division where there is none. Hilary is doing a great job working for Obama. She handled all the point-scoring questions from Republicans well and, frankly, was awesome.
Why such a snarky first paragraph?
Posted by: thebob.bob | April 22, 2009, 7:13 pm 7:13 pm
Ok, I will try again. Riley and Bailey, with you all the way.
What Hillary said: “The Obama nation made the election close so that it could be stolen from me in the DNC Rules Committee. The American people are getting what they deserve.”
Honk if you regret your vote for Obama.
Posted by: Hillary Fan | April 22, 2009, 9:13 pm 9:13 pm
I’m not sure if Obama should have greeted Chavez, the leader of Venezuela, with a handshake. Perhaps he should have used the style of greeting that George W. Bush used when he groped the German Chancelor, Angela Merkel.
Posted by: truth matters | April 22, 2009, 9:40 pm 9:40 pm
the prez is just making a all out fool of himself.
1st the bow…
now the book..
whats next for the teleprompter prez?
Posted by: tom | April 23, 2009, 12:46 am 12:46 am
Team of “rivals” indeed.
Remember when we were going to hear about Obama getting all this push-back from his wise team of rivals?
Posted by: MayBee | April 23, 2009, 7:01 am 7:01 am
This is a turning point, Hillary has admitted defeat in the primary!!
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | April 23, 2009, 7:35 am 7:35 am
Am I the only one that caught the little jab at Michelle Obabma? “my bottom line is, I am here to serve my country, which I have loved ever since I was a little girl.” Oh, and by the way J. House, it’s not just the Republicans kicking and screaming anymore. Look around.
Posted by: Mags | April 23, 2009, 9:51 am 9:51 am
Sorry J. House, I meant Angie in Pa!
Posted by: Mags | April 23, 2009, 9:52 am 9:52 am
“Honk if you regret your vote for Obama.”
Current job approval among Democrats for Obama is 90%.
PUMA was a media myth.
Posted by: Ryan C | April 23, 2009, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
The Democrats aren’t the only game in town. Current job approval from Independents for President Obama is 52% – average the two and Non-Republican job approval for President Obama falls around 72%. Besides, I was referring to the fact that in these article’s comment section, quite often, some Democrat says they are quitting the party. Next time I’ll be more specific.
Posted by: Mags | April 23, 2009, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
“The Democrats aren’t the only game in town. Current job approval from Independents for President Obama is 52%”
Good point, last few Pew polls have self identified indies as the largest demo between Dem, GOp & Indies.
Last demographic breakdown by Gallup had it at 60% approval by Indies.
Where is the 52% figure from?
Posted by: Ryan C | April 23, 2009, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
Sorry – I was off a little – Pollster, which averages all the polls every week, has it at 56% right now.
Posted by: Mags | April 24, 2009, 1:51 am 1:51 am
Hillary is doing a great job, as I knew she would. She works her heart out in whatever endeavor. She is a public servant, and has been since well before ever meeting Bill Clinton.
Gen. Petraeus said long ago Hillary understood the military and foreign policy better than any other senator, and I am glad Obama recognized the need to have her on his cabinet. He is intelligent enough to know what he doesn’t know. He needed the former Clinton admin. on his campaign team, and he certainly needs them in his cabinet.
For the poster who said puma was a myth, not so. I think you’d be surprised how many former Hillary supporters came over to BO’s side because of HRC’s passion for the Dem. ticket. She worked her heart out convincing her supporters how disappointed she’d be if they voted for the Rep. ticket. BO needed her then, as he needs her now. I would be very surprised to think BO would have worked nearly as hard for HRC if the shoe had been on the other foot.
Posted by: kmb08 | April 26, 2009, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm