Vermont businessman Tony Pomerleau is supporting the same presidential candidate as his longtime friend, despite their ideological differences.
09/29/2016
Marina Fang Associate Politics Editor, The Huffington Post
The latest Republican to endorse Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over GOP nominee Donald Trump is a longtime friend of Clinton’s opponent in the primaries, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Tony Pomerleau, a prominent Republican businessman and developer in Sanders’ hometown of Burlington, Vermont, endorsed Clinton in a charmingly brief letter to the Clinton campaign that was provided to The Huffington Post.
“I am a loyal Republican born in 1917 and the first time a woman could vote was in 1919,” the letter reads. “I will be most happy to cast my vote to the first woman president of the United States of America. I am a loyal friend of Bernie Sanders and in Vermont they call us the ‘Odd Couple.’”
If you thought Paul Manafort’s ouster from the Trump campaign signaled a pivot away from Trump’s outreach to Putin, think again. Robby Mook has a message for you. Manafort’s Russian/Ukranian ties were just a bump in the Trump road to the Kremlin.
Friday, Hillary For American Campaign Manager Robby Mook issued the following statement on the resignation of Trump’s Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort:
“Paul Manafort’s resignation is a clear admission that the disturbing connections between Donald Trump’s team and pro-Kremlin elements in Russia and Ukraine are untenable. But this is not the end of the story. It’s just the beginning. You can get rid of Manafort, but that doesn’t end the odd bromance Trump has with Putin. Trump still has to answer serious questions hovering over his campaign given his propensity to parrot Putin’s talking points, the roster of advisers like Carter Page and Mike Flynn with deep ties to Russia, the recent Russian government hacking and disclosure of Democratic Party records, and reports that Breitbart published articles advocating pro-Kremlin positions on Ukraine. It’s also time for Donald Trump to come clean on his own business dealings with Russian interests, given recent news reports about his web of deep financial connections to business groups with Kremlin ties.”
HFA also released a new video on Donald Trump’s tendency to echo Vladimir Putin’s talking points:
On the 25th anniversary of the 1991 coup, Fiona Clark takes a look at what might be prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s shuffling of positions within the Kremlin walls.
Over the past few months Putin has been shaking things up a bit inside the Kremlin walls. But the question is, why? The most recent and high profile movement is the demotion of his long-time friend and ally, Sergei Ivanov, from his position as chief of Putin’s administration.
Ivanov has been at the president’s side since their days in the KGB in the 1970’s. When Putin was running the KGB’s successor, the FSB, Ivanov was his deputy and he took over from Putin when he moved into politics. He soon followed his leader to the Kremlin when Putin appointed him as defense minister and later deputy prime minister, and just over four years ago he stepped in to head up the administration. In terms of Kremlin hierarchy, he was said to be number 3. Now, as he moves to take up the role of “special presidential representative for environmental protection, ecology and transport” you’d be lucky to find a ticket with enough numbers on it to describe where he sits in the power pyramid.
This demotion may well an act of kindness by the president: Giving a man bereft with grief over the death of his son in 2014 a bit of space in a less high-profile position to recover. After all he has kept his position on the country’s Security Council. But it can equally be seen as one more demotion, firing, removal or sideways push as the president restructures departments and shuffles the deck chairs around.
Birds of a feather. Trump is Putin’s foot in the door of this election. No matter what the UK and Irish bookies are saying about the U.S. election, Putin’s rubles are on Trump. How this can possibly sit well with the “America First” crowd defies logic and patriotism.
West Windsor Campus Mercer County Community College, Physical Education Fitness Center
1200 Old Trenton Road
West Windsor, New Jersey 08550 where they will be promoting that moving more can help you focus better as well and how a prohormone stack from roids bodybuilding can help people achieve their fitness goals
Hillary is coming to New Jersey to get out the vote across the Garden State! Join Hillary Clinton on Thursday.
Hillary is the fighter Democrats can trust to stand up to a Republican party that threatens to rip away the progress that’s been made during President Obama’s Administration. She has spent her career fighting for children and families and as President she’ll continue to get results.
Doors open at 1:15pm — RSVP today and bring a friend!
All attendees will go through airport-like security and should bring as few personal items as possible. Cameras are permitted.
It is not the first time a publication has approached the topic of a Hillary Clinton Doctrine. As early as 2009, when she began outlining what she called 21st Century Statecraft, a doctrine began to emerge. About halfway through her tenure, news sources began exploring the topic.
With her service at the State Department behind her and the likelihood of a general election campaign before her, Foreign Policy‘s James Traub offers a thorough analysis of her foreign policy positions and the effects they have rendered. This is a must-read! He begins with that speech I have referred to so often here, her Forum for the Future speech in Doha
For four years she was Obama’s loyal secretary of state. Her critics call her an interventionist, her admirers tough-minded. What kind of president will she be?
By James Traub
On Jan. 13, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave what turned out to be a remarkably prescient speech in Doha, Qatar. “The region’s foundations are sinking into the sand,” she warned. If you do not manage to “build a future that your young people will believe in,” she told the Arab heads of state in the audience, the status quo they had long defended would collapse. The very next day, Tunisia’s dictator was forced to flee the country. Almost two weeks later, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians thronged Cairo’s Tahrir Square demanding that then-President Hosni Mubarak step down. Over the following week, Clinton and her colleagues in the Barack Obama administration engaged in an intense debate over how to respond to this astonishing turn of events. Should they side with the young people in the streets demanding an immediate end to the deadening hand of autocratic rule, or with the rulers whom Clinton had admonished, but who nevertheless represented a stable order underpinned by American power and diplomacy?
“The Supreme Court has done its work. Now, we have to do ours.”
Saturday, June 27, 2015
In a speech to the Virginia Democrats Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Fairfax on Friday, June 26th, Hillary called for America to move forward and laid out her vision for the future.
Thank you. Boy, thank you all so much.
Thank you. Hello, Virginia!
I love your governor and I love your first lady, and I am so thrilled to be here with you on such a historic day for our country, a day when we reaffirmed the principle first set down more than two centuries ago by a wise Virginian, that every one of us is created equal.
I’m delighted to be here with so many friends. I had a chance to visit with your two great Democratic senators. Both Senator Warner and Senator Kaine are doing such an extraordinary job in the Senate representing you.
And, of course for me it’s a special treat to be here with the tremendous, unbelievable, beyond description—I’m running out of superlatives—governor, who has been a friend and a colleague to me.
You know, they say Virginia is for lovers. Well, I’m not sure anyone loves this Commonwealth and all of you more than Terry McAuliffe. He may have the biggest heart and the most open mind of anyone you’ll ever meet.
Except, of course, for your First Lady. There are not many people who can leave Terry speechless, but Dorothy does it every time she walks in the room. And I happen to know a thing or two about what it takes to be First Lady of a state, and I have to say Dorothy is in a class by herself.
Now, we’ve always known Terry could talk the talk, but as Governor he’s proving every day he can also walk the walk.
Tens of thousands of new jobs, billions in new capital investment, exports surging, a stronger, more diversified Virginia economy, that’s what your Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, is delivering.
And he’s my kind of leader, a pragmatic progressive. He understands that success should be measured by how many families get ahead and stay ahead, not by how big the bonuses are for the wealthiest Americans.
So he’s making the investments Virginia needs in education and transportation, and he’s taking care of our veterans. He is working to expand pre-school for Virginia’s children. He is defeating efforts to close women’s health centers across the commonwealth. And, from his first day in office, he’s been a champion for marriage equality.
And through it all, Terry has exemplified the “Virginia Way.” He always prefers common ground to scorched earth. He knows that we Americans may differ, bicker, stumble and fall, but we are at our best when we pick each other up, when we have each other’s back.
Today was one of those days when we’re reminded that, like any family, our American family is strongest when we cherish what unites us, and fight back against those who would divide us.
It was an emotional rollercoaster of a day. This morning, love triumphed in the highest court in the land. Equality triumphed. America triumphed.
Just listen to the final lines of the Supreme Court’s decision, because they have resonated with so many people across our country. And this is what that decision said:
“No union is more profound than a marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. Two people become something greater than once they were, a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law, and the Constitution grants them that right.”
And to that I say: Amen. Thank you.
You know, like so many others, my personal views have been shaped over time by people I have known and loved. As a mother and now a grandmother, I remember the joy and pride I felt watching my daughter marry the love of her life. How could we deny that opportunity to anyone’s son or daughter solely on the basis of who they are and who they love? Today’s decision confirms we’ve been working toward equality as a nation step by step, state by state, case by case, court by court, and that equality has been right there in the Constitution all along. There’s something quite remarkable about that.
Like the case here in Virginia that struck down bans on interracial marriage 48 years ago, today was not about discovering new rights. It was about getting closer to the ideals that have defined our nation from the very beginning. I took comfort in that truth this afternoon in Charleston, South Carolina, as I joined President Obama and Mrs. Obama and many others in honoring the life and legacy of Reverend Pinckney and the other eight men and women murdered for the color of their skin.
Our ideals persevere through every storm if we honor and defend them.
America is a gift, but it’s a gift that must be earned by every generation.
And make no mistake, there are always forces pushing in the opposite direction, to deny rights rather than defend or expand them, to constrict the circle of opportunity and equality rather than expand it, to lash out in hate and fear rather than embrace in love and hope.
Now, I know it’s tempting to dismiss a terrible tragedy like Charleston as an isolated incident, to believe that in today’s America, bigotry is largely behind us.
But despite our best efforts and our highest hopes, America’s long struggle with racism is far from finished.
And let’s be honest—let’s be honest, despite today’s ruling, our struggle to end LGBT discrimination is also far from finished. That’s because fear and hatred are far from finished.
And so, our march goes on, America’s march toward that more perfect union, toward equality, toward dignity, toward justice, toward a brighter future for all Americans.
The Supreme Court has done its work. Now, we have to do ours.
Now, I’m going to talk a little politics here—not just because we’re at a political event, and not just because I’m running for president. But because politics is about the choices we make not only about our leaders, but about how we govern ourselves.
Over the past weeks, we’ve seen many moving displays of leadership that have really exemplified our country at our best. The President stirred us with his words, both before and especially today as he spoke at the funeral.
Governors like Nikki Haley and Terry McAuliffe made us proud by removing the Confederate flag from statehouses and license plates.
Mayors and pastors and community leaders came together in unity, Democrats and Republicans alike.
But we also saw the opposite from too many, even including many of the Republican candidates for president, who seemed determined to lead us right back into the past.
This morning, they all decried the Supreme Court’s ruling upholding marriage equality. We even heard them call for a Constitutional amendment to strip away the right to marry from our gay brothers and sisters, strip away “equal dignity in the eyes of the law.”
Instead of trying to turn back the clock, they should be joining us in saying loudly and clearly: No to discrimination once and for all.
I am asking them, please, don’t make the rights, the hopes of any American into a political football for this 2016 campaign. LGBT Americans should be free not just to marry but to live, learn, and work just like everybody else.
Sadly, before the funerals of the nine murdered churchgoing, faithful men and women were even finished, some Republicans in Congress voted to stop the Centers for Disease Control from studying gun violence.
How can you watch massacre after massacre and take that vote? That is wrong. It puts our people at risk. And I for one am never going to stop fighting for a better, safer, smarter approach to get the gun violence in this country under control.
I believe, as the President said today in Charleston, a majority of Americans and a majority of gun owners support commonsense reforms. Let us join together.
There’s so much for us to do. We have a long agenda in front of us. And we need to show respect for one another. We need to call out derogatory language, insults, personal attacks, wherever they occur. There is enough for us to debate without going there.
Recently, a Republican candidate for president described immigrants as drug dealers, rapists, and criminals. Maybe he’s never met them. Maybe he’s never stopped to ask the millions of people who love this country, work hard and want nothing more than a chance to build a better life for themselves and their children, what their lives are like?
Now, these are not the only problems. We need to condemn divisive rhetoric, but we also need to make sure that people are looking at the real problems of our country.
A lot of Republicans may talk about having new ideas and fresh faces, but across the board they’re the party of the past, not the future.
And when you ask them, what are your new ideas on the economy, well, you guessed it: more tax cuts for the very wealthy and fewer rules for Wall Street.
Now, if that sounds familiar, it’s because those are exactly the same top-down economic policies that failed us before. Americans have come too far to see our progress ripped away.
Ask many of these candidates about climate change, one of the defining threats of our time, and they’ll say: “I’m not a scientist.” Well, then why don’t they start listening to those who are scientists?
Ask them about women’s reproductive health, they’re likely to talk about defunding Planned Parenthood. Or maybe they’ll insist on forcing women to undergo some demeaning and invasive medical procedure, as was attempted right here in Virginia.
Well, one thing’s for certain, we don’t need any more leaders who shame and blame women rather than respect our right to make our own reproductive health decisions.
And then there’s the Affordable Care Act. All the Republican candidates were furious that earlier this week the Supreme Court once again confirmed what we’ve all known and believed for years: It is settled law and it is here to stay.
That means health insurance for 16 million Americans and more than 335,000 Virginians is here to stay.
That means millions of young people are able to stay on their parents’ plans. It means hundreds of billions of dollars in budget savings are here to stay. And yes, you heard that right, because contrary to all the fearmongering, this law, the Affordable Care Act, does not grow the deficit, it shrinks the deficit.
And you know what’s gone for good? Insurance companies discriminating against people with preexisting conditions or charging women more for the same coverage.
Now, the Republicans have already forced more than 50 votes in Congress to repeal or dismantle this law, all without offering a viable alternative. Yet, even after two Supreme Court verdicts and a presidential election, they’re still fighting to take us backwards.
I think we can sum up the message from the Court and the American people in just two words: Move On.
We still have work to do. There’s more to do to protect patients from high drug costs and insurance company abuses, to simplify and streamline, to ease burdens on small businesses, to lower out-of-pocket costs for families.
And Governor McAuliffe is right, it is time, it is past time to expand Medicaid right here in Virginia. That would provide coverage to hundreds of thousands of Virginians who need it, it would create or support tens of thousands of jobs, and it would potentially save about $100 million in the state budget.
So it’s time to drop the excuses, drop the obstruction, and get the job done for Virginia families, for hardworking men and women.
It’s time to turn the page on failed Republican policies in Washington and Richmond and across our country so that we can together focus on the future.
Look across this commonwealth, you see so much that’s working, so much to build on. After the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Virginians across this commonwealth are making a new beginning for themselves.
And I know what you did. You worked extra shifts, you took second jobs, you postponed those home repairs—you figured out how to make it work.
We’re standing again. But we all know we’re not yet running the way America should.
And you the record profits of corporations and the record pay of some CEOs, but too many paychecks have barely budged.
The question is: When does your hard work pay off?
When does your family get ahead?
Now. Now. You brought our country back, and it is your time.
And, you know what? America succeeds when you succeed.
I’m running for president to make our economy and our country work for you and for every American.
I will go to bat for the successful and the struggling, for the innovators and the inventors, for the factory workers and food servers who stand on their feet all day, for the nurses who work the night shift, for the truckers who drive for hours, for the farmers who feed us, for the veterans who served our country, for the small business owners who took a risk, for the gay couple who love each other, for the black child who still lives in the shadow of discrimination, and the Hispanic child who still lives in the shadow of deportation.
Just as Terry said, I’m on the side for everyone who’s ever been knocked down but refused to be knocked out.
I’m not running for some Americans, but for all Americans. I will always stand my ground so you and our country can gain ground.
If you’ll give me the chance, I will wage and win four fights for you, and we’ll do it together. To build that economy for tomorrow, not yesterday. To strengthen America’s families, because when our families are strong, America is strong. To harness all our power, our smarts, and our values to maintain American leadership in the world. And to reform our government and revitalize our democracy so it works for everyday Americans.
Now, to win these fights, our next president will have to work with Congress and every other willing partner across our entire country. I will do just that. I did it before. I worked across the aisle.
It’s not going to be easy. I know as well as anyone how hard this job really is. I have seen it up close and personal.
You know how all our Presidents come into office looking so vigorous? And then we watch their hair grow grayer and grayer.
Well, you won’t see my hair turn white in the White House.
I may not be the youngest candidate in this race, but with your help, I will be the youngest woman president in the history of the United States!
So Virginia—Virginia, let’s work together to make sure this beloved commonwealth is blue, that we have Democrats in the state legislature to work with the governor, and that we do have a Democratic president in the White House in 2017.
Thank you all and God bless you.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is introduced at a Jefferson Jackson event hosted by the Democratic Party of Virginia at George Mason Universitys Patriot Center, in Fairfax, Va., Friday, June 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton responds to the cheers of supporters at a Jefferson Jackson event hosted by the Democratic Party of Virginia at George Mason Universitys Patriot Center, in Fairfax, Va., Friday, June 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stands as she is introduced at the Virginia Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson party fundraising dinner at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets supporters after speaking at the Virginia Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson party fundraising dinner at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton waves to supporters during a Jefferson Jackson event hosted by the Democratic Party of Virginia at George Mason Universitys Patriot Center, in Fairfax, Va., Friday, June 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, responds to the cheer of supporters at a Jefferson Jackson event hosted by the Democratic Party of Virginia at George Mason Universitys Patriot Center, in Fairfax, Va., Friday, June 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves at the Virginia Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson party fundraising dinner at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton walks on the stage with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, center, at a Jefferson Jackson event hosted by the Democratic Party of Virginia at George Mason Universitys Patriot Center, in Fairfax, Va., Friday, June 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton listens as Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe introduces her at the Virginia Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson party fundraising dinner at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton walks on the stage with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, left, during a Jefferson Jackson event hosted by the Democratic Party of Virginia at George Mason Universitys Patriot Center, in Fairfax, Va., Friday, June 26, 2015. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is introduced by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe before speaking at the Virginia Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson party fundraising dinner at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton claps before speaking at the Virginia Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson party fundraising dinner at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton walks with Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe before speaking at the Virginia Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson party fundraising dinner at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stands with Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe before speaking at the Virginia Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson party fundraising dinner at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
When I launched this campaign, I talked about the fights I want to wage and win to help American families get ahead. That’s more than rhetoric — it’s about real policies that affect families like yours.
I’m looking forward to sitting down for dinner with supporters like you. I want to hear about the problems your family faces, and what I might be able to do to make things a little easier.
The campaign will fly you and your guest to meet me for dinner somewhere on the campaign trail — sign up right now to be automatically entered for your chance to win:
The closing session was stirring, entertaining, informative, and inspiring. Esperanza Azteca National Youth Orchestra was amazing. The young girls who spoke about their moment were resolute, and Kelvin Doe told the story of his evolution from junk-collector/electronic prodigy to guest lecturer at Harvard at 15 with great humor.
It was Chelsea who brought the young people to the fore, all the while conscious of how much older she felt. She has a natural way with young people, and the youth were truly core of this closing session.
Hillary brought Clinton Global Citizen awardee, Anglican bishop and former boy soldier Elias Taban, onstage to relate his story of transitions, resolving old enmities and building for the future. You do not need a Clinton decoder pin to get the message.
President Clinton reminisced some with and about old friends.
He summarized much of the great work that has come out of CGI over the years, and announced new initiatives including a commitment from McDonald’s to revise its menus for kids as well as advertising targeting children in an effort to combat childhood obesity and make affordable, healthful food more widely available in 20 countries – including this one as I understood it.
If you were unable to watch the livestream, you can see the video HERE.
Program:
Closing Plenary Session
3:30 PM –
5:00 PM
While the news is often focused on crises and disasters, and while half the world continues to live on less than $2 a day, it becomes too easy to overlook the progress made over the last 50 years. Investing in the present through continued and renewed optimism and action around proven solutions to global challenges—while being forward-thinking and envisioning how to best mobilize the right entities for the future—will greatly accelerate the advancements made in the recent past.
Hosted by President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton, this session will feature cross-sector leaders and CGI commitment-makers who will share the progress of their efforts and their view of a more equitable, stable, and sustainable future.
Remarks:
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former Secretary of State of the United States Chelsea Clinton , Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation President Bill Clinton, Founding Chairman, Clinton Global Initiative; 42nd President of the United States
Participants:
Kelvin Doe, Student and Innovator, Prince of Wales School Elias Taban, National Bishop, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and Uganda
Musical Entertainer:
Esperanza Azteca National Youth Orchestra
President Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton Emphasize Optimism and Action on Closing Day of 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting
At ninth CGI Annual Meeting, members made over 160 new Commitments to Action, expected to impact nearly 22.2 million people and valued at more than $10.8 billion. To date, nearly 2,500 commitments have been made, improving the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $87.9 billion.
CGI University 2014 to be hosted by Arizona State UniversityMarch 21-23, 2014
New York, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton closed the ninth Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, emphasizing optimism and mobilizing for action to address the most pressing global challenges. Over three days, CGI members made over 160 new Commitments to Action, expected to impact nearly 22.2 million lives and valued at more than $10.8 billion when fully funded and implemented.
Through the CGI commitments announced this year, nearly 27 million metric tons of CO2will not be released into the atmosphere, more than 2 million girls will be reached by efforts specifically targeting femaleenrollment in schools, more than 11.6 million children will have a better education, nearly 4 million people will have increased access to health services, and more than $7 billion will be invested in or loaned to small- and medium-sized enterprises.
“This year’s commitments highlight the enthusiasm, creativity, and general characteristic of CGI members,” said President Clinton. “They also reinforced our theme of ‘mobilizing for impact.’ So many partners have come together, to increase their impact by drawing upon each other’s strengths and creating new partnerships to truly put ideas into action: this is what CGI is all about. I am so grateful to everyone who joined us this year, whether in person or online, and who continue to work with us to create a better world.”
Two major Commitments to Action were announced today, focusing on health and on animal preservation. President Clinton, joined by Don Thompson, President and CEO of McDonald’s, and Dr. Howell Wechsler, CEO, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the Clinton Foundation and American Heart Association, announced a partnership to increase customers’ access to fruit and vegetables and help families and children to make informed choices in keeping with balanced lifestyles.
Former Secretary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, and African government leaders including the Presidents of Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ministers from Botswana and Zambia made an announcement with leaders of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the African Wildlife Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Save the Elephants, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the Jane Goodall Institute regarding Partnership to Save Africa’s Elephants, a new Commitment to Action aiming to end elephant poaching by addressing poaching, trafficking, and international demand.
CGI members will convene in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil December 8-10, 2013 for CGI Latin America to form partnerships to create effective solutions to the region’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.
Chelsea Clinton announced that Arizona State University has been chosen as the host campus for CGI University 2014. The gathering will convene students, youth organizations, topic experts, and civically-minded celebrities to explore innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. CGI U will take place March 21-23 and convene more than 1,000 students representing approximately 300 colleges and universities around the world.
Featured speakers on the closing day of the Annual Meeting included H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, Chairman, Ooredoo Group; Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chairperson, BRAC; Maria Bartiromo, Anchor of CNBC’s “Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo” and “On the Money with Maria Bartiromo”; Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA; Francis Collins, Director, National Institutes of Health; Kelvin Doe, Student and Innovator, Prince of Wales School; Esther Duflo, Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development, MIT and Director, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL); Regina E. Dugan, Senior Vice President, Advanced Technology and Projects, Motorola Mobility; Hikmet Ersek, President and CEO, The Western Union Company; Helene D. Gayle, President and CEO, CARE; Tony James, President and COO, Blackstone; Antony Jenkins, Group Chief Executive, Barclays PLC; Donna Karan, Founder, Urban Zen Foundation; Betty Liu, Anchor and Editor-at-Large, Bloomberg TV; Peter R. Orszag, Vice Chairman, Public Sector and Chairman, Financial Strategies and Solutions, Citibank; Bre Pettis, Chief Executive Officer, Makerbot Industries; Juliana Rotich, Co-founder and Executive Director, Ushahidi Inc; Bunker Roy, Founder and Director, The Barefoot College; Ricardo B. Salinas, Founder and Chairman, Grupo Salinas; Peter Sands, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered Bank; Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google; S.D. Shibulal, Managing Director and CEO, Infosys Limited; Elias Taban, National Bishop, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and Uganda. EsperanzaAzteca National Youth Orchestra closed the session with a performance.
New commitments were announced in Plenary Sessions today:
Accelerating Access to Financial Services: Banking on Change Commitment by: Barclays PLC Partners: Plan International; Care International; Accenture Development Partnerships
In 2008, Barclays committed to forming the Banking on Change partnership to extend and develop access to basic financial services for poor people in Africa, Asia, and South America. To date, the partnership has reached 513,000 people, exceeding its original target. On average, each member has saved $58 per year. The Banking on Change initiative has also shown that very poor people do have the capacity to save and are highly creditworthy: repayment rates on the loans provided have ranged from 98 to 100 percent.
Enabling Education and Livelihood for 2M Rural Families Commitment by: Drishtee Foundation
In 2008, the Drishtee Foundation committed to providing relevant educational opportunities that will create a clear path towards gainful employment to underserved rural communities in India. To date, Drishtee has launched two Dhruv Tara Kendra (DTK) training centers. Drishtee recently signed a ten-year partnership agreement with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) for capacity building and training of 758,480 rural youth.
Fashion Forward: Scaling Market Access for Rural Artisans Commitment by: Mercado Global Partners: Red Envelope; VivaTerra; Levi Strauss Foundation; Holt Renfrew
In 2013, Mercado Global committed to scaling its sustainable sourcing practices by recruiting 62 additional brands and retailers to partner with indigenous women’s artisan cooperatives in Guatemala, and better integrate women-owned SMEs into global supply chains. As a result, an additional 112 indigenous women artisans will gain income-earning opportunities in textiles and 40 additional artisans will have increased access to microloans and training to grow their small businesses.
Made in Africa: Jobs, Women, and Girls Commitment by: Liberty & Justice Partners: The Eleos Foundation; Serious Change; Humanity United; Root Capital, Inc.; Invested Development; TTSL Charitable Foundation; Sorenson Impact Fund
In 2013, Liberty & Justice committed to launching “Made in Africa,” a network of five African social enterprise apparel factories. Made in Africa will generate $45 million in revenue over three years and will create 2,000 jobs through supply chain partnerships with multi-national apparel companies to build Africa’s apparel manufacturing economy.
Rehumanizing Retail: Scaling Artisan Production Commitment by: West Elm Partners: Caribbean Crafts; HEINEKEN; The Aspen Institute; Better Cotton Initiative; Craftmark; Craft Link; Fair Trade USA; Caribbean Crafts; Etsy, Inc; Swahili Imports; Raj; Rupalee; Everest
In 2013, West Elm committed $35 million in purchase order financing paid directly to artisans who use handcraft techniques, a 40 percent increase from $25 million in 2013. In addition, West Elm committed to collaborate with over 20 artisan groups in 15 countries, making 3-5 year commitments to artisan manufacturers in the developing world, creating over 4,500 economic opportunities for artisans.
Partnership to Save the Elephants Commitment by: Wildlife Conservation Society; African Wildlife Foundation; World Wildlife Fund; Conservation International; International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Partners: African Parks Network; Association of Zoos and Aquariums; Freeland Foundation; International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF); Save the Elephants; TRAFFIC; The Howard G. Buffett Foundation; WildlifeDirect Inc.; National Geographic Society; WildAid; Frankfurt Zoological Society
In 2013, Wildlife Conservation Society, African Wildlife Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Conservation International, and their partners committed to preventing further elephant poaching by directly targeting the chief drivers of poaching. This commitment takes a triple pronged approach by dedicating funding to: stop the killing, the trafficking, and the demand. The coalition will work with African leaders to support their governments’ efforts to curb poaching and trafficking. It will also work to stop the demand internationally by building on current awareness campaigns and promoting engagement with consumer country governments.
Happy Meals & Helping Families Make Smart Food Choices Commitment by: McDonald’s Corporation Partners: Alliance for a Healthier Generation
In 2013, McDonald’s in partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation committed to a set of actions to increase families’ access to affordable fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy in 20 major markets by 2020.
The Freedom Fund: Galvanizing Resources to End Slavery Commitment by: Humanity United Partners: Legatum Foundation; Walk Free
In 2013, Humanity United committed to establishing a $100 million Freedom Fund to fight modern day slavery. The Freedom Fund will strategically coordinate current resources, galvanize new donors and interested parties, and align investments for highest impact in the fight against slavery.
Dedicating Sport Development to Improving Food Security Commitment by: Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee Partners: Qatar National Food Security Programme
In 2013, the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee (Q22) committed to investing in the research and development of adapting athletic cooling facilities into sustainable greenhouse food production infrastructure. This technology aims to impact the two million people living in Qatar, with the potential to expand into regions of the world that also suffer from food insecurity due to harsh climate.
The Girl Declaration: Girls in the Post-2015 Framework Commitment by: Nike Foundation Partners: International Center for Research on Women; United Nations Foundation; NoVo Foundation; Girls Not Brides
In 2013, The Nike Foundation committed to launch and mobilize action through the Girl Declaration, which will inform and influence the new global development framework to replace the Millennium Development Goals. The Girl Declaration is a call to action to embed adolescent girls in this Post-2015 development framework, amplifying the needs of adolescent girls, and building on the evidence base about the actions that are most critical to unleashing girls’ potential. The commitment will bring together politicians, industry leaders, private sector executives, and influential personalities to mobilize a series of actions to further these priorities through targeted outreach and dedicated resources for girls.
Progress reports were announced in Plenary Sessions today:
The WELL Building Standard Commitment by: Delos Living Partners: Jason F. McLennan; Deepak Chopra; Shangri-La Industries; Webcor Group
In 2012, Delos committed to developing and deploying the WELL standard, the first building standard focused exclusively on people’s health and wellness, prescribing construction techniques and technologies to address key parameters identified by Delos as impacting human health. The Standard is meant to operate alongside new and existing sustainability-based building standards, such as LEED and the Living Building Challenge. Delos is currently continuing to refine the WELL Building Standard as new technologies are developed and new health pathways are understood. The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently endorsed the Standard and encourages buildings to achieve it. Delos and the MGM Grand recently collaborated to launch a StayWell program in Las Vegas in over 170 hotel rooms. In addition, Delos is constructing a five unit wellness residence in New York City, with occupancy before the end of 2013. Delos is also helping CBRE create a wellness office for their headquarters in downtown Los Angeles and office in New York City.
PROMESA: Hope Azteca Symphony Orchestra Commitment by: Fundación Azteca Partners: Department of Public Education, Mexico; Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes; FESNOJIV; Estrella Blanca
In 2010, Fundación Azteca committed to establishing orchestras for young people throughout the 32 Mexican states, each serving a unique community and allowing children to learn about and experience music in a new way. To date, Fundación Azteca has successfully established working orchestras in 29 states in Mexico, serving nearly 12,000 young people, and is ready to reach 500,000 over the next ten years.
The 2013 CGI Annual Meeting is sponsored by Tom Golisano, Ambassador Gianna Angelopoulos, Hult International Business School, Rockefeller Foundation, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Barclays, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Coca-Cola Company, Duke Energy, Ford Foundation, P&G, Shangri-La Industries, United Postcode Lotteries, Varkey Gems Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, Cisco, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, NRG, APCO Worldwide, Aft, Booz Allen Hamilton, Delos, Deutsche Bank, Dow, ExxonMobile, HP, Fuel Freedom Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank, InterEnergy, Laureate International Universities, Microsoft, Nike Foundation, Pfizer, Standard Chartered, Swiss Re, Toyota, unite4:good, Western Union, Diageo and Jive.
October commenced with Mme. Secretary still in NYC for a final UNGA event on small states.
She returned to D.C. the following day to give an address on travel and tourism. On the third she hosted the U.S.-Afghanistan Bilateral Commission and presented the McGovern Awards with which she herself had been honored the previous year.
For the next several days she worked behind closed doors and emerged on the 10th to receive Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the State Department.
On the 12th she met with Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata and delivered a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Home for the weekend on the 13th she was out and about in Chappaqua with her best guy and stopped to say hello to their congresswoman Nita Lowey who was campaigning. These two are so cute together. Note in the second picture with Lowey they are holding hands.
In Peru on the 15th and 16th she met with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, delivered a speech on women as drivers of growth and inclusion, and sent shock waves around the world by taking full responsibility for the September 11th events in Benghazi.
Back in D.C. on the 18th she gave a speech at Georgetown on energy diplomacy.
In the north of Haiti on the 22nd she and her best guy dedicated an industrial park.
There were some State Department events; an awards ceremony and a swearing in of an ambassador, and she met with Brazilian Foreign Minister Patriota.
On the 25th she inaugurated the Work-Life and Family Month Event at the State Department wearing one of my favorite jackets.
She spent her 65th birthday weekend privately and quietly with her family in Connecticut.
Then she was off on foreign travel again – to Algeria and the Balkans.
One of the hallmarks of Secretary Clinton’s tenure at the State Department has been her initiative on the use of social media to bring ordinary voices like yours and mine into the international diplomatic forum. Her vision of the citizen-diplomat is what has sustained this incarnation of this blog, in fact. Visitors/readers come here from all over the world, including China and Iran, to see what our Secretary of State is saying and doing. You may remember this video from 2009 when she assumed office.
If you have always wanted to participate in a State Department press conference, ask a question, or state your case, now is your chance!
U.S. Department of State Hosts Twitter Briefing
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
June 14, 2012
On Wednesday, June 20, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. EDT, the U.S. Department of State will host a special Twitter Briefing. Department Spokesperson Toria Nuland will take questions submitted to the Department’s official English-language Twitter feed @StateDept and official Arabic-language feed @USAbilAraby. Questions can be submitted starting today to @StateDept and @USAbilAraby using the hashtag #AskState.
Spokesperson Nuland will answer questions from the podium in the Department’s press briefing room. Video clips of her responses will be made available on the Department’s YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/statevideo.
@StateDept and @USAbilAraby are two of the Department’s 11 official Twitter accounts. Others include @USAenEspanol (Spanish), @USA_Zhongwen (Chinese), @USAdarFarsi (Farsi), @USAenFrancais (French), @USAHindiMein (Hindi), @USAemPortugues (Portuguese), @USApoRusski (Russian), @ABDTurk (Turkish), and @USAUrdu (Urdu). These social media accounts serve as a conduit for the U.S. Department of State to inform and engage publics around the world on foreign policy issues. They also support the Department’s 21st Century Statecraft efforts, complementing traditional foreign policy by harnessing the digital networks and technologies of an interconnected world.
These Twitter briefings are part of the State Department’s on-going effort to engage audiences directly on foreign policy issues using our in-language social media properties.
While, for a second time in two attempts at island vacations, the Secretary of State has been chased by a hurricane, she has nonetheless issued strong statements against terrorist attacks today and yesterday. In the midst of East Hampton, Long Island, her current vacation spot, being evacuated as Hurricane Irene approaches the NY metro area, the intrepid SOS made sure that her voice registered regarding recent, horrific attacks.
Firebombing at Casino Royale in Monterrey, Mexico
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
August 26, 2011
I was shocked and saddened to learn of yesterday’s firebombing of a casino in Monterrey, Mexico. The United States strongly condemns this brutal attack and all acts of criminal violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all those who were killed and injured.
President Calderon, the Mexican government and the Mexican people have shown great courage and determination in facing the challenges and threats posed by transnational criminal organizations. The United States will continue to assist Mexico’s efforts to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations in strict accordance with Mexican law and respect for Mexican sovereignty. We stand by Mexico now and always as a committed partner and friend.
I would bet you did not even know that happened. I did not until I saw the press statement. Neither did I know about this until I received the press release.
Attack on the United Nations in Nigeria
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
August 26, 2011
The United States strongly condemns today’s terrorist attack on United Nations offices in Abuja, Nigeria. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who were killed and injured.
There is no justification for this violence. These individuals were working to promote peace, expand opportunity and build a safer and more prosperous nation. The United Nations has been working side by side with Nigeria for more than five decades and the United States strongly supports its efforts. Vicious terrorist attacks such as these only strengthen our resolve and commitment to the work of the United Nations and the people of Nigeria.
Poor HRC, always getting chased off islands by hurricanes! Not to mention the reputation she has attained for causing earthquakes by her very presence. (Yes, some are blaming the east coast earthquake of last week on her having been in DC just prior. Well, she does rock my world!)
Some of you might remember the last time she tried, officially, to take a vacation and the doings around that. It was in Bermuda in August 2009 (yes, it has been that long since the last one). If you do not remember, or never saw the tangential stories of the day, here is the original post about that situation along with a surprise treat for Davey’s fans.
The upshot of all that is that we never heard another thing about the Uighurs on Bermuda, but Al Megrahi’s name is in the air again along with his tyrannical and perverted savior and protector who kept a photo album of HRC’s predecessor as SOS, Condi Rice, which totally creeps me out! It was Scotland’s “bad” to let Al Megrahi out. So Davey lost that round. Old times tend o resurge.
Speaking of surges, everybody batten down and stay safe. Make preps and follow advisement. Love you all. If you do not see me for awhile, it will be that I have lost power. Oh, Lord! Me? Powerless? God said, “You always have been!”
Happy Women’s Equality Day. Hillary won the August 2009 stand-off. She is still with us. Davey is gone. The Guantanamo guys are causing no trouble in Bermuda, and Gadhfi is on his slow way to justice as will be Al Megrahi.
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Flint Child Health & Development Fund
"If you can, please chip in to support the Flint Child Health & Development Fund, which is working to provide health care and educational support to families in Flint affected by this crisis." - Hillary Clinton
Thank you for everything, Mme. Secretary!!!!
Thank you for all of your dedicated service and brilliant leadership!
Hillary Clinton’s Cover Letter to Congress on the ARB Report
Hillary because…
She would NEVER have allowed social safety nets to be "on the table."
Read the unclassified ARB Report on Benghazi here.
@U.S. Senate: Time to ratify LOST!
"... ratify the Law of the Sea Convention, which has provided the international framework for exploring these new opportunities in the Arctic. We abide by the international law that undergirds the convention, but we think the United States should be a member, because the convention sets down the rules of the road that protect freedom of navigation, provide maritime security, serve the interests of every nation that relies on sea lanes for commerce and trade, and also sets the framework for exploration for the natural resources that may be present in the Arctic." -HRC, 06-03-12, Tromso Norway
"I deeply resent those who attack our country, the generosity of our people and the leadership of our president in trying to respond to historically disastrous conditions after the earthquake." - HRC 01-26-10
Good Advice!
“You can’t keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbors. Eventually those snakes are going to turn on whoever has them in the backyard.” HRC
Hillary! Leadership we need!
Politics & Foreign Policy
"What I have always found is that when it comes to foreign policy, it is important to remember that politics stops at the water's edge." -HRC 11-04-10
What a difference one woman can make!
"...whether it’s here, in the absolute best embassy in the world, or whether it’s in Washington, or whether it’s elsewhere, what a difference one woman can make. And that woman is right here, the woman who needs no introduction, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton." 07.05.10 - Unidentified speaker, Embassy Yerevan
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"So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you your Secretary of State, and perhaps the most respected person on the world stage today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton." - Jon Huntsman 05-23-2010
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“When people attack you, you always have to remember that a lot of what others say about you has a lot more to do about them than you.” – Hillary Rodham Clinton
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