I saw her on the Senate floor thanking the “aye” voters. I am so happy for her! She worked very hard to negotiate this and to get it passed. Awesome job, Mme. Secretary!!!!
Senate Approval of New START
Remarks
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateWashington, DCDecember 22, 2010
Today the Senate took a great step forward in enhancing our national security by providing its advice and consent to ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and the Russian Federation. I congratulate the Senators of both parties who worked tirelessly to ensure that New START was approved, and I thank all the Senators who voted for this treaty for their commitment to our national security.
Once this Treaty enters into force, on-site inspections of Russia’s strategic nuclear weapons facilities can resume, providing us with an on-the-ground view of Russia’s nuclear forces. The information and insight from these inspections forms the core of our ability to “trust but verify” compliance with New START. A responsible partnership between the world’s two largest nuclear powers that limits our nuclear arsenals while maintaining strategic stability is imperative to promoting global security. With New START, the United States and Russia will have another important element supporting our “reset” relationship and expanding our bilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues.
President Obama and Vice President Biden have been unwavering in their dedication to this treaty to both strengthen our domestic security and reduce the international threat of nuclear weapons. This day would not have been possible without their leadership or the efforts of Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen. I also thank President George H.W. Bush and all the former Secretaries of State who added their support to this Treaty and worked to see New START approved. I and all my colleagues at the State Department look forward to working with our Russian partners to conclude the approval of New START in Russia, bring the Treaty into force, and deliver the global and national security benefits of New START.
She’s all smiles as it that guy behind her and that cameraman. It’s a happy day on the Hill.
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What an adorable smile!
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The picture from before it was ratified is funnier.
Crossing her fingers.
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Awwww … she was so invested in this. She’ll have a Merry Christmas. I have all of these, now. Going to post them with P.J.’s interesting comments in the press briefing today.
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congtats Madame Secretary on a job well done
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Awesome!
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WTG!!!!!!!
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I edited her statement to emphasize the last sentence, a little wrinkle Obama failed to mention in his press statement today, along with failing to thank SOS Clinton and FM Lavrov while he thanked EVERYONE else involved with getting this ratification vote. Shame on him! This still needs to pass muster in the Russian parliament. What is Obama going to do to help that happen, I wonder…? OH! I know! Send in Hillary Clinton!
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Not thanking Hillary makes political sense from Obama’s position, but not thanking Foreign Minister Lavrov is just rude in a very big way. Hillary is his appointee, she has to take stuff like this, but foreign officials do not. If anything else needs to be negotiated with the Russians in the next year or so, this will come back to haunt him. Lavrov is said to be a particularly difficult person to deal with. Very bad move on the President’s part.
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Well, he thanked all of his OTHER appointees and staff etc. He could have thanked her and should have. Leaving her off that list was rude – in my book.
There is no “if” – there is still START to be negotiated with Russia. They have not yet ratified it.
Yes, Lavrov is difficult, and Hillary had a tough job in front of her since he hated Condi (whom I happen to like). Hillary managed to get his cooperation. But that’s Hillary. She can do that. When she leaves DOS, Obama’s next SOS will not have such an easy time with Lavrov (whom I also like).
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Not thanking her was rude, but I think he still views her as a threat. He doesn’t want her looking good when he can help it. Her work never makes news and since the most many people will hear about this is his press conference, they think she had little to nothing to do with it. It’s rude, but understandable and politically savvy.
A week or so ago Russian President Medvedev said that he and the duma were set to ratify as soon as we did. All we can do is take his word for it, but in theory it’s a go.
Eventually, Obama (or Hillary) will have to ask Lavrov for something and he is the type to remember this slight.
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He very much views her as a threat and fears her. If you are secure, there is nothing to be lost in generosity.
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And snubbing her is not a good strategy for neutralizing the potential political treat she could pose. On the contrary. If she’s on the fence about getting back into politics, ignoring her accomplishments might get her into more of a fighting mood. Also, I’m sure it bothers the Squire of State a great deal. Unlike her, he does get involved in politics and I have a feeling that it doesn’t take too much to get him ready to defend his wife against insults and I think his probably a very fierce defender.
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You have a great head for strategy! No the Squire of State is not going to take kindly to this snub. There is only so much help he will provide. There are only so many flotation devices on the boat. There is a limit.
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The Squire of State could decide to “focus on his Foundation and the CGI,” or “spend more time with his family and helping Hillary transition out of public life,” come 2012. That would leave Campaign Obama without someone well-known that speaks the language of a centrist which, considering the sharp right turn the country’s taken in the past year, is not good.
Thank you. (Note to those with power: that phrase is not dead.)
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The power couple could decide to leave the party flat and concentrate on NGO agendas which they can do very effectively. I’ll follow Hillary wherever she goes.
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Bill would never be able to completely divorce himself from politics, but he could just stay home in 2012 and maybe let it leak that he didn’t feel like helping someone who didn’t treat his wife very well.
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Thinking about this again this morning it occurred to me that if there are consequences from the Squire the White House has itself to thank for curtailing his foundation work in the process of vetting his Lady Fair for her post. He was forced to draw back on that. They gave him the spare time, and one thing he can’t do with it is foundation work.
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They cut his foundation time because, in addition to the concerns about conflicts of interest and whatnot, they didn’t want him to look too good either. Obama looks better when there is some sort of question regarding one Clinton or another – their motives, their associations, their dealings, whatever. As separate and independent as they’ve become, I guess it’s still a “two for the price of one” kind of thing.
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Even the extent of the vetting was meant to make them look bad, I think. And they REALLY didn’t want Hillary to have Paul Farmer at USAID – like there was something nefarious about her wanting him there. But, you’re right, they are a twofer. A good one!
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They’ve done a lot to put some distance between them with regard to their work. They are not very separate individual who just happen to be married, but they’re still thought of, professionally, as a unit.
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When they do work together, at the Haiti Donors Conference for example, the unity is like a cloth. They are tightly woven even sitting apart and doing different type tasks. The electricity is there. It is charged.
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There’s electricity between them?! I don’t dare ask about how they get charged, or build up static.
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Correct. You don’t dare!
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I’m too young and impressionable.
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Not you, necessarily, but every so often I remember our middle school reader.
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OMG, my eleven year old cousin found my blog tonight! It’s going to be an interesting Chirstmas.
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😀 LOLOL!!!! The holidays are SO merry!
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Still, It’s ok the country knows that she worked hard on this treaty. It’s his loss not hers. Shame on him is right!!!!! When her tenure is over and Kerry becomes the next SOS she will be so missed by this administration. Biden was greatful for her efforts I am sure. We have to look at just how happy she is right now. Enjoy Madame Secretary cause history will tell the story of how hard you worked on START.
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I hope the American people know her contribution because it is huge. She literally sacrifices herself physically. We see it every day here. A friend asked me yesterday why the media doesn’t cover the things I do on this blog. I don’t know why, but I also don’t know how much of her work the American people know about.
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The media doesn’t cover her much because they are in bed with Obama. As you know, Obama still fears her.
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Hmmmmmmm … that “fear factor” has been a topic on FB lately, too – in the Hillary circles.
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Congratulations to Hillary! She was fantastic on the Senate floor, thanking yes-voting Senators. It was great to see.
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She looked beautiful!
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Well, I dont think it makes any sense for the POTUS to not thank the SOS who has toiled for months on end and done hard campaigning for passage of this bill. It was only after the Senate already had 60 votes that all the hoopla of “WH getting involved” started. It’s a bit of a shame that the POTUS cannot give full credit to the real deal that’s in his cabinet.
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Yes. Everything you said!
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It is pretty sad.
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This is good news: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101223/wl_nm/us_russia_usa_start1;_ylt=ApLLDeqwvXy0XrjrSlc4JyFvaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTJscmQ5MXU5BGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTAxMjIzL3VzX3J1c3NpYV91c2Ffc3RhcnQxBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDNQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNydXNzaWFuZHVtYWM-
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