Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday that recent talks with North Korea were 'quite positive.'

Washington (CNN) - The Obama administration's first high-level direct talks with North Korea yielded no promise by Pyongyang to return to Six- Party negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear program, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton nonetheless Thursday called the meeting "quite positive."

Asked about the three-day visit to North Korea by special envoy Stephen Bosworth, Clinton told reporters, "I think for a preliminary meeting it was quite positive."

Clinton said she agreed with Ambassador Bosworth that the talks were "very useful" and added: "It does remain to be seen whether and when the North Koreans will return to the Six-Party talks but the bottom line is that these were exploratory talks, not negotiations."

Clinton said the talks "were intended to do exactly what they did: reaffirm the commitment of the United States to the Six-Party process, to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and to discuss with the North Koreans their reactions to what we are asking them to do in order to move forward."

North Korea has refused to return to the talks conducted by the United States, Russia, China, South Korea and Japan since last year when it carried out a nuclear test and a series of missile tests, insisting that it wanted to talk directly with the United States.

Clinton previously said the United States was willing to meet bilaterally with North Korea but only within the framework of the six-party talks. She also has warned that the United States will not normalize ties with Pyongyang or lift sanctions unless North Korea takes irreversible steps toward dismantling its nuclear program.

"I am officially an MOTB: a mother of the bride," Clinton said Friday in an interview with CNN's John Roberts. "And I am very excited about it"

Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, is engaged to marry Marc Mezvinsky, the son of former congressmen Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky of Pennsylvania and Ed Mezvinsky of Iowa.

"For me, [it's] particularly an extraordinary moment to see how happy my daughter is and to have a wonderful man that will become my son-in-law. But it's daunting to try and plan a wedding."

Related video: Clinton discusses NATO troops.

Clinton, who has been criss-crossing the globe since becoming Secretary of State, said she recently received an encouraging call from former Secretary of State Madeline Albright.

"Madeline Albright called me the other night and said, 'Well, when I was Secretary of State and had not a minute to myself, I had to plan a wedding, so if you need any advice, just call me,'" Clinton told Roberts in an interview in Brussels, where she is trying to rally European support for President Obama's new strategy in Afghanistan. "And I said, "I'll be calling."

Clinton said the size of the wedding has not been determined, but noted it would be private.

Clinton makes light of Chelsea's engagement.

Washington (CNN)– Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made light of months of speculation regarding her daughter's engagement Wednesday during the House Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan.

When congratulated on her daughter's engagement by New York Congressman Gregory Meeks, Clinton responded saying, "Thank you, it was a very long, thoughtful process."

Speculation of Chelsea Clinton's engagement and marriage began swirling early last summer.

According to an email sent out by Chelsea Clinton announcing her engagement, she and longtime boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky are planning to get married next summer.

Sen. Evan Bayh also took time out of the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan to congratulate Clinton.

–CNN's Emily Sherman contributed to this report.

Washington (CNN)– Sen. Evan Bayh took time out of the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan Wednesday to congratulate Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her daughter's recent engagement.

"I haven't had a chance to see you since the news about your daughter was announced. Congratulations," Bayh said.

Earlier this week CNN confirmed Chelsea Clinton is engaged to longtime boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky.

As President Obama prepared to explain his military strategy for Afghanistan Tuesday, his secretary of state said U.S. civilian efforts are just as critical to successfully getting Afghanistan back on its feet.

Washington (CNN) - As President Obama prepared to explain his military strategy for Afghanistan Tuesday, his secretary of state said U.S. civilian efforts are just as critical to successfully getting Afghanistan back on its feet.

At the same time, a diplomatic source says the United States is pushing for an international "special coordinator" to work in parallel with the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Speaking Monday in New York to the Business Executives for National Security Gala, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington's "goals in Afghanistan include providing the government with the support that it needs to take full responsibility for its own country.

"That makes civilian efforts as vital as military operations and of longer duration," she said. "We have begun to elevate diplomacy and development alongside defense in our national security strategy, and we are certainly engaged in doing so in Afghanistan."

Clinton described the work of the State Department, USAID and other government agencies deployed in Afghanistan. She said experts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture are embedded with the U.S. military and "rule of law" experts are working to extend a system of justice "so that the Taliban would not offer the only form of justice in Afghanistan."

The State Department says it is tripling the number of civilian staff deployed to Afghanistan, and plans to have 974 staff members there by early 2010.

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Secretary of State Clinton spoke Tuesday about the special relationship between India and the United States.

Washington (CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, praising what she called the special U.S.-Indian relationship, welcomed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Vice President Joe Biden to a formal lunch at the State Department Tuesday.

"You are the hottest ticket in town," Biden told Singh in remarks at the start of the lunch. The Indian leader will be honored at a White House state dinner Tuesday evening.

Clinton praised the relationship between the two countries, adding that India - like the U.S. - is what she called a "diverse" and "occasionally raucous democracy."

Singh, whose visit comes as the Obama administration is finalizing its policy on Afghanistan, made his feelings clear. "We have a common stake in peace and security in Afghanistan," he said. And he told Clinton, "Your visit to India in July has prepared the groundwork for a greatly strengthened strategic partnership between our two countries."

Two hundred senior U.S. and Indian officials and other dignitaries gathered in the Ben Franklin room on the eighth floor of the State Department building for the lunch.

Dark-suited Americans mingled with men in brightly colored turbans and women in flowing saris as guests sat at tables decorated with arrangements of fragrant geraniums, roses and peonies set on cinnamon and burgundy table-cloths.

Singh sat at a large oval table with Clinton; Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed in Kabul Wednesday in a surprise visit.

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed in Kabul Wednesday in a surprise visit on the eve of the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai.

Clinton went straight into a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry and Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, before having dinner with Karzai.

Her first visit to Afghanistan as secretary of state comes as President Obama is deciding whether to send up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, as requested by McChrystal.

Clinton will attend Karzai's Thursday inauguration to a second term, showing U.S. support for his government, after an election which was tainted by fraudulent balloting.

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Clinton would 'look forward' to meeting with Palin.

(CNN) - While their fictional personas have teamed up on Saturday Night Live, Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton have actually never met.

But the secretary of state said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press she'd "look forward" to talking politics with Palin over coffee sometime soon.

Clinton was responding to an excerpt in Palin's forthcoming memoir in which the Alaska governor praises the then senator Clinton's 2008 presidential primary campaign effort.

"Should Secretary Clinton and I ever sit down over a cup of coffee, I know that we will fundamentally disagree on many issues," Palin writes in the new book called "Going Rogue: An American Life. "But my hat is off to her hard work on the 2008 campaign trail. A lot of her supporters think she proved what Margaret Thatcher proclaimed. 'If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.'"

TOPICS: Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden

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(CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday the primary U.S. mission in Afghanistan is defeating al Qaeda, rather than making a long-term commitment to rebuild the country.

"We're not interested in staying in Afghanistan; we're not interested in any long-term presence there," Clinton told the NBC program "Meet the Press."

"We want to get al Qaeda, we want to disrupt, dismantle and defeat those who attacked us, and we want to be able to give the Afghans the tools that they need to be able to defend themselves," Clinton said.

On the ABC show "This Week," Clinton said she has "made it clear" the United States won't provide civilian aid to Afghan government agencies without an effective certification process that shows the money will be spent on its intended purposes.

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Updated: 1:50 p.m.

(CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used no diplomatic doublespeak Sunday when asked about a rumor she was considering a run for governor of New York next year.

"No, no," she said on the ABC program "This Week," adding: "I hope maybe we can put it to rest today."

Clinton said she was committed to her job in President Barack Obama's Cabinet, adding it was "an extraordinarily important time to be secretary of state for our country."

"That rumor is dead," Clinton said. "If you could please put it in a little box and send it off somewhere, I'd appreciate it."

Clinton tries to put praise of Israel in context.

MARRAKESH, Morocco (CNN) – Two days after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton angered Palestinian leaders by praising Israel for what she called "unprecedented" steps to limit - but not fully halt - the construction of Jewish settlements, she clarified her remarks.

Reading Monday from a prepared statement, Clinton said, "They (the Israelis) will build no new settlements, expropriate no new land, allow no new construction or approvals. And let me just say, this offer falls far short of our position or what our preference would be. But if it is acted upon it will be unprecedented restrictions on settlements and would have a significant effect upon restraining their growth."

For months, the Obama administration has insisted that Israel freeze all new settlement construction. In May, Clinton said President Barack Obama "wants to see a stop to settlements. Not some settlements, not outposts, not natural growth exceptions."

But on Saturday, standing beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Clinton praised him for simply slowing settlement
construction.

"What the prime minister has offered in specifics of a restraint on the policy of settlements, which he has just described - no new starts, for example - is unprecedented in the context of the prior two negotiations," she said.

Earlier that day, at a hastily scheduled meeting in Abu Dhabi, Clinton urged Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to return to the
negotiating table with no preconditions over freezing settlements. Abbas refused.

Monday in Marrakesh, Clinton was lobbying Arab foreign ministers to support the resumption of the stalled peace talks. But the frustration over Clinton's comments was evident, with Amr Moussa, secretary general of Arab League, calling the Israeli position on settlements a "slap in the face" of the Palestinians.

That followed Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat's strongly worded statement issued Sunday.

"What the Israelis are offering is not unprecedented," he said. "What would be unprecedented is a comprehensive settlement freeze by Israel ... and a halt to Israeli policies in occupied East Jerusalem such as home demolitions, evictions and rapid settlement expansion."

He added, "If America cannot get Israel to implement a settlement freeze, what chance do Palestinians have of reaching agreement with Israel on permanent status issues?"

Clinton, in her statement Monday, said she wanted to "take a step back because I want to put this into the broader context. I will offer positive reinforcement to the parties when I believe they are taking steps that support the objective of reaching a two-state solution.

"I will also push them as I have in public and in private to do even more."

She said that in a report to Obama last month, she praised both Israel's "willingness to restrain settlement activity" and the Palestinian Authority's "security measures on the West Bank."

"The steps being taken under President Abbas and Prime Minister (Salsam) Fayed are also unprecedented and we have never seen such effective security," she said. "I have on many occasions ... praised the accomplishments that the Palestinian Authority has demonstrated in building, training, and reforming their security forces."

Clinton says it's time to move past the 2008 election.

(CNN) - One day after a new book revealed former President Bill Clinton's 2008 campaign trail outbursts may have prevented his wife from landing a spot on the Democratic ticket, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says it's time to move past last year's election.

"I'm very happy with the position that I have and I think Joe Biden's doing a great job as vice president, so I think we should move on from the campaign of 2008," Clinton told CNN's Jill Dougherty in Pakistan earlier Friday.

In excerpts released Thursday of David Plouffe's forthcoming book, the former Obama campaign manager writes he was surprised at how interested Obama was in picking Clinton for his running mate after the hard-fought Democratic primary race came to an end.

Ultimately, Plouffe writes, Obama ruled against Clinton in fear her husband may have proved to be "too big a complication."

"If I picked her, my concern is that there would be more than two of us in the relationship," Plouffe quotes Obama as saying.

The new book, titled The Audacity to Win, hits book stores November 3.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday questioned why Pakistani officials have not been able to capture or kill members of al Qaeda taking refuge in the country.

"Al Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002," she told a group of Pakistani journalists during her trip to the country.

"I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to ... Maybe that's the case," she added. "Maybe they're not gettable. I don't know."

Al Qaeda, she said, has launched attacks on Indonesia, the Philippines and many other countries, "so the world has an interest in seeing the capture and killing of the people who are the masterminds of this terrorist syndicate."

"As far as we know, they are in Pakistan."

Asked to comment on the secretary's statements, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Ann Patterson, who was traveling aboard Clinton's plane, said that U.S. officials have made similar points to Pakistani officials.

"What we often say (is) that, yes, there's needs to be more focus on finding these leaders...They (the Pakistanis) have lost control of much of this territory in recent years and that's why they're in South Waziristan right now and that's where al Qaeda mostly is. So I think they are making a good-faith attempt to re-claim their own territory and go after them, and to re-claim their own territory which has served as a safe haven for these activities throughout the rest of the country for the past few years."

The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, also traveling with Clinton, added: "In terms of the risk to American troops in Afghanistan, what they (the Pakistanis) are doing now is the highest priority....so going after them is something that we have strongly supported."

Secretary Clinton, he said, "has spoken at every public event, she has praised the army for doing this."

In her conversations with the journalists, Clinton said, "I am more than willing to hear every complaint about the United States" and "answer, but also to change where we can, so we that we do have better communication and we have better understanding."

"But this is a two-way street," she said. "If we are going to have a mature partnership where we work together," then "there are issues that not just the United States but others have with your government and with your military security establishment."

"I don't believe in dancing around difficult issues, because I don't think that benefits anybody," Clinton said, adding, "I ask in the pursuit of mutual respect that you take seriously our concerns."

Updated: 4:35 p.m.

Obama was seriously considering picking Clinton as his running mate, a new book reveals.

(CNN) - Some Democrats had dubbed the possibility of a Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton pairing last year as a "dream ticket," though the notion that the two once-bitter primary rivals would team up always seemed far-fetched.

But then-Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was more seriously considering picking Clinton as his running mate than any of his senior aides realized, according to a forthcoming book by former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe.

Yet in the end, it may have been her husband Bill Clinton - who had made headlines for his outbursts on the campaign trail during the primary season - that ultimately scuttled the possibility.

In the new book, excerpts of which are running in the new issue of Time Magazine, Plouffe said Obama took both him and senior aide David Axelrod by surprise when he insisted on including Clinton on the initial list of potential picks for the No. 2 spot on the ticket.

"Obama was clearly thinking more seriously about picking Hillary Clinton than Axelrod and I had realized," Plouffe writes. "He said if his central criterion measured who could be the best VP, she had to be included in that list."

While Obama continued to consider picking Clinton throughout the summer of 2008, he ultimately eliminated her name from the list in early August, fearing, Plouffe writes, that there "were just too many complications outweighing the potential strengths."

"I think Bill may be too big a complication," Plouffe quotes Obama as saying. "If I picked her, my concern is that there would be more than two of us in the relationship."

The new book, titled The Audacity to Win, hits book stores November 3.

Secretary of State Clinton, pictured here with the Pakistani flag, is overseas meeting with Pakistani officials.

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) - Just a few hours after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Islamabad, a massive car bomb exploded in a crowded market frequented by women in the northwest city of Peshawar, a two-hour drive away.

The city lies near Pakistan's tribal areas where al Qaeda and other extremist groups are believed to be hiding.

Condemning what she called "vicious attacks," Clinton called those who carry them out "cowards."

"They are not courageous, they are cowardly," she told reporters, speaking slowly and deliberately. "If the people behind these attacks were so sure of their beliefs, let them join the political process. Let them come forth to the people of Pakistan in this democracy and make their case that they don't want girls to go to school. That they want women to be kept back."

Full story

Secretary Clinton will visit Pakistan 'soon,' official says.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Senior U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke announced Friday that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Pakistan "soon," but said details of the trip would be withheld for security reasons.

"So I am not going to talk about timing, details or who she [Clinton] is going to see.," Holbrooke said at a special briefing at the State Department. "Except to say she will see the leadership of the country, the leading members of the opposition, civic society, businessmen and as many people as she can in a limited period of time, with the limits of a very, very dramatic situation going on."

Clinton's visit comes as Pakistan is fighting a major military offensive against the Taliban - and reeling from a wave of terror attacks that have caused hundreds of deaths. The country also faces new tensions with the U.S.

Holbrooke, as other U.S. officials have done in recent weeks, again said that billions of dollars in U.S. aid to Pakistan places no conditions on the government or the military there. Pakistan politicians have accused the U.S. of meddling and micro managing.

"There are no conditions in the [aid] bill," Holbrooke said. "There are no conditions."

On Afghanistan, Holbrooke denied that he had been invisible in recent dealings with Afghanistan.

His formal title is Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and until recently he was the highly visible point man for the administration in that part of the world.

But new questions about his role surfaced during intense consultations with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai over whether Karzai would agree to a run-off election. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, was public and prominent in marathon, face-to-face talks with Karzai, eclipsing Holbrooke's role.

"I'm not sure how to answer that. I'd like to make a joke and say I'm always happy to be eclipsed by John Kerry but then you'd take it seriously and that will cause more problems," Holbrooke said with a smile on his face.

Holbrooke said his regular visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan were right on schedule, and that he had said he would come back right after the elections.

"My job is to be here [in Washington] to help staff Secretary Clinton and prepare for these extensive [White House] meetings in which both she and I participate," Holbrooke said.

The attention paid to Kerry prompted a New York Times editorial to ask if Holbrooke was taking a secondary role.

"Like many, we wonder what happened to Mr. Obama's special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, who established a bureaucratic fiefdom at the State Department but has been neither seen nor heard from during this critical period," the Times editorial said

Holbrooke also denied on Friday that his relationship with Karzai was strained to the breaking point.

"In terms of my relations with President Karzai, they are fine. They are correct, they are appropriate. I speak to him on behalf of my governmentÉI personally look forward to seeing him in a few days. I have absolutely no problems with him. And it is as simple as that."

Secretary of State Clinton spoke Wednesday at the U.S. Institute of Peace, a non-partisan think tank.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed Wednesday that the White House remains open to diplomatic engagement with the Iranian government if Tehran is serious about negotiations regarding its controversial nuclear program.

"If Iran is serious about taking practical steps to address the international community's deep concerns about (the) program, we will continue to engage both multilaterally and bilaterally to discuss the full range of issues that have divided Iran and the United States for too long," she said.

"The door is open to a better future for Iran. But the process of engagement cannot be open-ended. We are not prepared to talk just for the sake of talking."

Clinton made her remarks during a wide-ranging speech on nuclear non-proliferation at the U.S. Institute of Peace, a non-partisan think tank.

Tehran says its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes.

But many in the West believe Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities.

The Obama administration is working on a substantial sanctions package against Iran in case current diplomatic efforts to curb its nuclear program fail, top officials told Congress earlier this month.

Negotiators recently hammered out the details of a tentative deal calling for low-enriched uranium produced in Iran to be sent abroad for further enrichment and then returned for use in medical research and treatment.

Clinton's address touched on U.S. policy in a range of hot spots around the globe, including North Korea, Pakistan, and Russia.

Among other things, Clinton said the United States is prepared to meet with North Korea. Current sanctions will not be relaxed, however, until Pyongyang takes verifiable, irreversible steps to dismantle its nuclear
program, she added.

The State Department recently decided to authorize visas for a North Korean nuclear delegation so members can attend conferences in the United States later this month.

North Korea pulled out of talks in April in protest of the United Nations' condemnation over its nuclear test and missile launches.

Turning her attention to central Asia, Clinton said Pakistan's embattled government has reassured administration officials that, despite a recent spate of attacks by militants, its nuclear stockpile remains secure.

While the attacks do not pose a threat to Pakistan's nuclear weapons, she noted, U.S. officials "have asked a lot of questions" of the Pakistani government.

The secretary also hit back against domestic critics of the administration's willingness to negotiate a new START arms control agreement with Russia.

The United States is interested in a new agreement because it will bolster American security, she asserted. "Clinging to nuclear weapons in excess of our security needs" will not protect the United States, she said.

Clinton called for an expansion of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and appealed for ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty by the Senate. She conceded the administration has its "work cut out" in winning approval, but argued it is "the right thing to do." The secretary noted that the U.S. government is already is observing a moratorium on nuclear testing.

Finally, Clinton pushed for passage of the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty, which would ban the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.

Congress has yet to approve the measure.

She warned that "vast stocks of potentially vulnerable nuclear material remain vulnerable to theft and diversion."

There is a danger of a world with a "steadily growing number of nuclear states and terrorists getting their hands on nuclear material," she said.

–CNN's Alan Silverleib contributed to this report.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will deliver a major address on arms control and international security at the U.S. Institute of Peace Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will deliver a major address on arms control and international security at the U.S. Institute of Peace Wednesday.

While promoting President Barack Obama's goal of reducing the role of nuclear weapons in the United States' defense posture, Clinton will argue that the U.S. will retain a safe, secure and effective strategic force.

According to talking points provided to CNN by a senior administration official, Clinton will say that U.S. allies and partners "should know that we have their backs; any adversary should know we will defend ourselves."

Clinton will focus on efforts by President Obama to restore the strength of the nuclear nonproliferation regime, eliminate the potential sources of nuclear terrorism, and move toward the vision of a world without nuclear weapons.

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Hillary Clinton lauds the president's patience and persistence while deciding about troop strength.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – With a runoff presidential election in Afghanistan appearing likely, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told CNN Friday that she expects the current president, Hamid Karzai, will win.

"It is likely that they will find that President Karzai got very close to the 50-plus-1" in August's balloting, she said in an exclusive CNN interview, referring to the 50 percent plus one vote needed to avoid a runoff. "... I think one can conclude that the likelihood of him winning a second round is probably pretty high."

Clinton said the timing of President Barack Obama's decision on whether to commit more troops to the fight in Afghanistan will not hinge on the election results. "I think the president is expecting to make a decision on his own timetable," she said, "when he is absolutely comfortable with what he believes is in the best interest of the United States."

Karzai faces allegations of corruption and vote fraud in the election, but the secretary of state sidestepped a question of whether he is a "reliable" partner for the United States and the international community. Administration officials have said that without a reliable partner, a counterinsurgency effort in Afghanistan would not succeed.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday that she is "very optimistic" a decent health care reform package will be enacted. She refused, however, to offer any opinion regarding the specifics of what should go into such a package.

"I have a different role now" than she did when she took the lead in attempting to craft a health care plan during her husband's administration, she told CNN's Jill Dougherty "I'm going to cheer from the sidelines."

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday that former President George W. Bush's administration was "unrealistic" in its dealings with the war in Afghanistan.

Clinton told CNN the Bush administration was unrealistic both in terms of the number of U.S. soldiers it committed to the conflict and in its
relationship with certain Afghan political leaders.

The war was "under resourced" since its start in 2001, she said, and she indicated the Bush administration's attention was improperly shifted to Iraq.

Castle will make a run for Senate.

WASHINGTON (CNN) –  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's campaign debt from her failed 2008 presidential bid has fallen below the $1 million-mark for the first time since she launched her candidacy almost three years ago, according to documents filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission.

Clinton's campaign reported having $2 million in the bank as of September 30, more than enough to pay off the $995,500 it carried in unpaid bills.

The sole remaining creditor is the political consulting firm Penn, Schoen & Berland, which at the start of the year had been owed $5.4 million. The campaign paid the firm over $500,000 on September 30, the last day of the 3rd quarter reporting period.

Clinton's debt reached its peak in June 2008 shortly after the former New York senator suspended her campaign. At that point, her presidential committee owed $12 million to almost 500 creditors and $13.2 million to the candidate herself, who dipped into her personal funds to help finance her campaign. Campaign finance laws forced Clinton to forgive the amount she loaned her committee because she was not able to repay the funds by the required deadline.

The campaign raised only $9,300 in contributions from July through September but generated an additional $172,000 from both bank interest and from the rental of its campaign mailing lists to other organizations.

A federal law known as the "Hatch Act" prohibits Secretary Clinton and other federal government employees from personally soliciting or accepting political contributions. The law does allow others to raise funds on Clinton's behalf, without her direct involvement.

Poll: Hillary Clinton more popular than Barack Obama.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – She lost to him in last year's battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, but a new national poll suggests that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is now more popular than her boss, President Barack Obama.

A Gallup survey released Thursday indicates that 62 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of Clinton, 6 points higher than the 56 percent who view Obama favorably.

According to the poll, the president's favorable rating has dropped 22 points from its inaugural-month level in January. The survey indicates that Clinton's favorable rating has only edged down 3 points since the beginning of the year.

Nine in 10 Democrats questioned in the poll view both Obama and Clinton favorably, with independents split. Fewer than one in five Republicans hold a favorable opinion of the president, while 35 percent see Clinton in a positive light. According to the survey, Obama has dropped 23 points with independents and 41 points with Republicans since January, while Clinton has dropped just 6 points among independents and stayed even among Republicans since the start of 2009.

"This is a common pattern in recent polling," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice consistently had higher favorable ratings than George W. Bush. Madeleine Albright was more popular than Bill Clinton. Secretaries of State don't get blamed for economic problems or unpopular domestic policies, and they often don't get the same share of the blame as the commander-in-Chief for international slip-ups either."

The Gallup telephone poll of 1,013 adults was conducted October 1-4, before the president was named winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev shakes hands with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outside Moscow.

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) - An impassioned U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking to students at Moscow State University on Wednesday, admonished those in the U.S. and Russian governments who haven't moved beyond a Cold War mentality.

Clinton said such people are "living in the past" and aren't able to cooperate on issues such as missile defense because they "don't trust each other." She also called on the nations to find common ground, saying they "shouldn't end all cooperation" just because they can't agree on everything.

"Let's be smarter than our past," Clinton said, offering to bring a "new attitude bring to the relationship."

The town-hall meeting followed sessions Tuesday with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that yielded no breakthroughs on arms control, Afghanistan or possible sanctions against Iran as it pursues a controversial nuclear program.

Following those meetings, Clinton spoke about surmounting historical difficulties in U.S.-Russian relations, changing a relationship "once defined by the shadow of mutually assured destruction into what is based on mutual respect and, over time, increasingly mutual trust."

"We are different countries; we have different historical experiences, different perspectives," she said. "But we are planting those disagreements in a much broader field of cooperation, and hopefully we are enriching the earth in which this cooperation can take root."

Clinton wraps up her trip to Russia on Wednesday.

CNN=Politics Daily is The Best Political Podcast from The Best Political Team.

In the latest installment of CNN=Politics Daily: History was made at the Capitol on Tuesday as the Senate Finance Committee voted to move an $829 billion health reform bill to the floor of the Senate. Congressional Correspondent Brianna Keilar has the story.

Meanwhile: In Russia, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sat down with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jill Dougherty is in Moscow with details on how these diplomats dealt with the highest priority on the agenda - potential sanctions on Iran.

Finally: In a special report, CNN Correspondent Jessica Yellin delves into the murky past of health care reform legislation and breaks down what has to happen in both houses of Congress for pending health care bills to make it to President Obama's desk.

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Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agree to work together on Iran.

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed Tuesday that Washington and Moscow are working together to make sure Iran's controversial nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes, but Russia has stopped short of committing to Iran sanctions.

Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting, indicated that there has been no agreement between the countries on any sort of sanctions plan, even though Russia is not opposed to sanctions in principle.

The United States is using a two-track approach, pursuing diplomacy with Iran and going on to stronger measures - such as sanctions - if that fails.

"We are aware that we might not be as successful as we need to be. So we have always looked at the potential of sanctions in the event that we are not successful, that we cannot assure ourselves and other that Iran has decided not to pursue nuclear weapons," Clinton said.

Clinton quoted Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's recent comment that sanctions might be "inevitable" but not at this stage. While the Obama administration has been cautiously optimistic about the "inevitable" comment, Russia has long believed that sanctions are not yet necessary, even though they may be a factor to consider down the road.

Lavrov said that sometimes sanctions theoretically need to be imposed when all diplomatic efforts are exhausted - but not in the case of Iran.

"Threats, sanctions and threats of pressure in the current situation, we are convinced, would be counterproductive," he said.

World powers have long been concerned that Iran wants to build a nuclear weapon, and those suspicions were heightened by the discovery of a secret uranium enrichment plant near Qom. However, Iran has consistently said it is developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes.

"Iran's nuclear program remains a matter of serious concern. We're closely with Russia through the P5 and 1 process," Clinton said, referring to the diplomacy with Iran conducted by Germany and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia.

"We are working to ensure that Iran moves forward with us on this engagement track," said Clinton - who said Iran must show without any doubt that it is pursuing unequivocally only a peaceful use of nuclear power.

Clinton also met with Medvedev at his residence outside Moscow. Other items were on Clinton's agenda: Afghanistan, arms control, and the new U.S.-Russia bilateral presidential commission.

Clinton spoke about surmounting historical difficulties in U.S.-Russian relations, changing a relationship "once defined by the shadow of
mutually-assured destruction into that is based on mutual respect and over time increasingly mutual trust."

"We are different countries, we have different historical experiences, different perspectives," she said. "But we are planting those disagreements in a much broader field of cooperation, and hopefully we are enriching the earth in which this cooperation can take root."

CNN's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report

MOSCOW (CNN) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has invited U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to his private residence in suburban Barvikha for a discussion Tuesday of a broad range of issues in what one senior State Department official called a "relaxed setting."

Issues on the agenda for the two-hour meeting include the next steps on Iran, the Mideast conflict, cooperation on Afghanistan, possible joint work on a missile defense system, Russia's "neighborhood" and climate change.

Clinton also will meet with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, following up on many of the same issues, as well as getting progress reports on the new bilateral presidential commission they jointly chair. The commission, created by presidents Medvedev and Barack Obama during Obama's July visit to Moscow, has 16 working groups dealing with a number of aspects of the relationship, from arms control to health care.

A key issue during Clinton's two-day visit to Russia will be arms control and reaching an accord to replace the 1991 Start II arms control agreement, which expires in December.

Also at the top of the agenda are Iran and international efforts to induce Tehran to end its nuclear program. A senior administration official, briefing reporters on background because of the diplomatic sensitivity of the
talks, said Clinton will speak with Medvedev and Lavrov "about what specific forms of pressure Russia would be prepared to join the U.S. and other nations in."

The Obama administration has been cautiously optimistic about previous comments by Medvedev that sanctions "sometimes are inevitable." Russia traditionally opposes sanctions and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has been highly critical of such steps. Other Russian officials have made contradictory statements on the issue.

Putin will not be in Moscow during the Clinton visit. A State Department official said he is on a previously scheduled trip to China.

During her visit, Clinton also will meet with members of Russia's civil society, including human rights leaders. She will stop by a center where Russian engineers design airplanes for U.S.-based Boeing.

She will hold a town-hall-style meeting with students at Moscow State University, attend an opera at the Bolshoi Theater and participate in the dedication of a statue to American poet Walt Whitman, one of the favorite poets of many Russians.

Clinton said Monday she would not run for president again.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday she would not run for president again, and brushed off suggestions that she is being marginalized in the Obama White House.

Clinton, who lost the Democratic presidential nomination to Barack Obama, said "No" three different times when asked by NBC's Ann Curry "Will you ever run for president again? Yes or No?"

"This is a great job," Clinton said in the interview broadcast Monday. "It is a 24-7 job. And I am looking forward to retirement at some point."

After the 2008 elections, Clinton accepted Obama's offer to serve as his top diplomat.

Unless she challenged President Obama in the 2012 Democratic presidential primary, Clinton would have to wait until 2016 to run again if she changed her mind. She turns 62 on October 26.

Clinton also denied that her voice is not being heard in the administration, and said it is not her style to try and be the center of attention.

"I find it absurd," she said. "I find it beyond any realistic assessment of what I am doing everyday."

"Maybe there is some misunderstanding which needs to be clarified. I believe in delegating power. You know, I am not one of these people who feel's like I have to have my face in the front of the newspaper or on the TV every moment of the day. I would be irresponsible and negligent were I to say 'Oh no everything must come to me,'" she said.

"Now, maybe that is a woman's thing. Maybe I am totally secure and feel absolutely no need to go running around in order for people to see what I am doing. It is just the way I am. My goal is to be a very positive force to implement the kind of changes that the president and I believe are in the best interests of our country. But that doesn't mean it all has to be me, me, me all the time. I like lifting people up."

Follow Mark Preston on Twitter: @prestoncnn

Belfast, Northern Ireland (CNN) – In a passionate address to Northern Ireland's legislature, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged Washington's commitment Monday to the Northern Ireland peace process.

There still are those who want to undermine that process, she warned, trying to derail it with "thuggish tactics."

In the Stormont Assembly were members of at least six political parties - men and women, she said, "who once were sworn enemies who now work side by side."

"Please know that the Obama administration and the United States is committed to helping you finish your journey - to put far behind you the long years of division and conflict, to build confidence and trust across all communities and political parties, and to honor the hopes and sacrifices of your people by making whole and permanent Northern Ireland's emerging peace," she said, promising the United States would be supportive without meddling.

She cited the worldwide economic crisis as a major challenge to the peace process.

"Northern Ireland is now facing a new challenge with the global economic downturn, which threatens some of the gains you have made in the pastdecade," she said.

After the speech she met with a large group of American and Northern Ireland business leaders who discussed investment possibilities in the province.

Clinton recently named Declan Kelly as economic envoy to Northern Ireland.

Clinton recalled her previous visits to the province and the engagement of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, in pushing for peace.

In the 14 years since their first trip, she said, "I have often wondered about the children whose lives were saved because of what you do."

Clinton also mentioned "the killings this March of Police Constable Stephen Carroll and soldiers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar."

The shootings raised fears that Northern Ireland could be plunged back into the sectarian violence that left about 3,600 people dead over the course of three decades. But political leaders from across the spectrum condemned the killings, and the violence did not escalate.

Clinton is in Belfast as part of a six-day trip to Europe and Russia. The centerpiece of the trip will be Clinton's visit to Moscow.

At the top of the agenda is working toward an agreement to take the place of the Start II arms control pact, which expires December 5, as well as the newly created bilateral presidential commission that is working on a broad range of issues, from arms control to health.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton embarks Friday on a six-day trip to Europe and Russia that comes at a crucial time in the Obama administration's decision-making on a strategy for Afghanistan.

She will depart one day after the inaugural flight of the "lethal transit" agreement, signed in July by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, which allows transport of military personnel and equipment across Russia to support the U.S.-NATO mission in Afghanistan.

On the trip, the secretary will confer with key allies about Obama's emerging strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Phil Gordon, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs.

Meetings are planned with the French foreign minister, the British foreign secretary and prime minister, the Russian foreign minister and Medvedev. She also will discuss the next steps on Iran and North Korea and international efforts to have the two countries end their nuclear programs.

Clinton also will highlight two enduring conflicts that have come or are coming to a close: one in Northern Ireland and the other involving Turkey's relations with Armenia.

In Northern Ireland she will underscore both the peace process and economic development. The United States now has an economic envoy to Northern Ireland and a U.S. delegation of business leaders will accompany Clinton to Belfast.

In Zurich, Switzerland, she will attend a signing ceremony normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia. Relations between the two were disrupted 16 years ago over Armenia's occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave in Azerbaijan.

Gordon called the signing a "historic step" that will "contribute to peace and security throughout the region."

However, the parliaments of both countries still must ratify the agreement and a senior State Department official - authorized to brief reporters without attribution because of diplomatic sensitivities - said the situation remains "difficult."

"There's opposition both in Turkey and in Armenia," the senior official said, "but both governments realize ultimately it's in their interest to have normalized relations and an open border after years of tension and the economic isolation, particularly of Armenia."

The centerpiece of the trip will be Clinton's visit to Moscow. At the top of the agenda is working toward an agreement to take the place of the Start II arms control pact, which expires December 5, as well as the newly created bilateral presidential commission that is working on a broad range of issues, from arms control to health.

A senior State Department official said the negotiating teams working on Start are "making good progress ... but there is a lot of work that has to be done in a short amount of time." The official said there are sticking points on delivery vehicles - the missiles that carry nuclear bombs - and the number of warheads.

In Moscow, Clinton will meet with human rights and civil society supporters. The State Department official said she will raise the issue of recent slayings of journalists in Russia. She also will discuss Russia's incursion into Georgia, an issue that he said "is not satisfactorily settled."

During a stop in Kazan, Russia, Clinton will highlight interfaith cooperation. She will solicit ideas from religious leaders, young Muslims, exchange students and others on how to bridge the divide between faiths. Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan, a majority-Muslim part of the Russian Federation.

Her trip will begin in Zurich, then move to London, England; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Moscow and Kazan. She will return to Washington on Wednesday.

According to the State Department, Clinton has visited 34 countries and flown 130,748 miles since becoming secretary of state.

CNN=Politics Daily is The Best Political Podcast from The Best Political Team.

WASHINGTON(CNN)–In the latest installment of CNN=Politics Daily: President Obama talked strategy with his national security team Wednesday. CNN's White House Correspondent Dan Lothian reports on who is advising the president.

Meanwhile First Lady Michelle Obama is in Copenhagen to lend her support for Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid. CNN's Mary Snowe takes a look at the odds that the first lady's hometown will land the games.

Plus: Revelations last week about a Iranian nuclear facility have prompted calls for action against Iran's regime on the eve of talks with the country. CNN's State Department Correspondent Jill Dougherty is in the Situation Room to analyze the high stakes negotiations.

Finally: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was "president" for a day as she chaired a United Nations Security Council session regarding violence against women. "It is time for all of us to resume our responsibility," the long time women's rights advocate told her male counterparts. CNN's Senior United Nations Correspondent Richard Roth has the story.

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Former President Bill Clinton will headline a major fundraiser for the New Hampshire Democratic Party in December.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former President Bill Clinton will headline a major fundraiser for the New Hampshire Democratic Party in December, giving a little back to a state that has favored his family when it comes to politics.

Ray Buckley, chair of the state Democratic Party, announced Monday that Clinton would appear at the Dec. 2 Jefferson Jackson Dinner, a $100 per person fundraiser.

For Clinton, New Hampshire has played a key role in his family's political career. His second place showing in the New Hampshire Primary, at a time when he was battling allegations of infidelity, helped put Clinton on course to win the 1992 Democratic nomination and eventually the presidency. And it was a New Hampshire Primary victory in 2008 that breathed new life into then-New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign for the Democratic nomination following a poor, third place showing in the Iowa caucuses.

While no longer an elected official, the former president continues to make news. In an interview this week on NBC's "Meet the Press," Clinton said that he believes a "vast right wing conspiracy" still exists. "It's not as strong as it was, because America's changed demographically, but it's as virulrent as it was" during his time in the White House, Clinton said.

With an open Senate seat and an open House seat, New Hampshire is expected to be a major battleground in the 2010 congressional elections.

Follow Mark Preston on Twitter: @prestoncnn

In an interview that aired Sunday, former President Clinton said forces once allied against him are now focused on President Obama.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The "vast right-wing conspiracy" that attacked him during his presidency has been weakened, but continues to operate against President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton said Sunday.

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Clinton was asked about the term his wife Hillary Clinton, now Secretary of State, famously coined. "Is it still there?" asked host David Gregory.

"Oh, you bet. Sure it is. It's not as strong as it was, because America's changed demographically, but it's as virulent as it was," said the former president.

"I mean, they're saying things about him [Obama] - you know, it's like when they accused me of murder and all that stuff they did," Clinton said, in an apparent reference to conspiracy theories surrounding the suicide of White House deputy counsel Vince Foster.

He added, "It's not really good for the Republicans and the country, what's going on now. I mean, they may be hurting President Obama. They can take his numbers down, they can run his opposition up. But fundamentally, he and his team have a positive agenda for America."

The nation needs "a credible debate about what's the right balance between continuing to expand the economy through stimulus and beginning to move back to fiscal balance," Clinton said. "We need a credible debate about what's the best way to get to universal [health care] coverage."

Clinton praised Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine as "the one Republican who's come up with a good idea" on health care.

Clinton was asked whether he is concerned that the 2010 midterm elections could resemble those of 1994 - two years into his first term, when Republicans took control of the House and Senate.

"There's no way" that could happen, Clinton said, adding that "the country is more diverse and more interested in positive action." Also, he said, Republicans had control of the White House and the Congress for several years under President Bush, "and they know the results were bad."

And, he said, "the Democrats haven't taken on the gun lobby like I did."

"Whatever happens, it'll be manageable for our president," Clinton said.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Top U.S. officials say the underground nuclear facility that Iran revealed last week is illegal and likely intended for military purposes.

"I think that certainly the intelligence people have no doubt that … this is an illicit nuclear facility, if only … because the Iranians kept it a secret," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in an interview broadcast Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

"If they wanted it for peaceful nuclear purposes, there's no reason to put it so deep underground, no reason to be deceptive about it, keep it a … secret for a protracted period of time," Gates said.

In a separate interview broadcast Sunday on the CBS program "Face the Nation," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also called for the strongest possible sanctions if Iran can't prove a peaceful intent for the newly disclosed facility and its entire nuclear program.

"It would have been disclosed if it were for peaceful purposes," Clinton said, adding: "The Iranians keep insisting no, no, that's for peaceful purposes. That's fine. Prove it. Don't assert it. Prove it."

Full story

NEW YORK (CNN) – One of America's pre-eminent political power couples made a rare joint appearance Friday, when Bill and Hillary Clinton took the stage at the former president's Clinton Global Initiative conference.

"I want to begin by expressing my extreme indebtedness to the Clinton Global Initiative, to all of you who participated, for giving me the first chance I have had in a week to see Hillary," Bill Clinton told the audience of social activists and business leaders at the closing session of CGI, a week-long conference designed to find solutions to global problems through public and private partnerships.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was at the session to unveil a new State Department initiative on food security.

As he introduced her, the former president was effusive in his praise for his wife, saying that her approach to food security - helping farmers around the world grow their own food to earn income and alleviate poverty - was much smarter than the decades-long policy of simply giving humanitarian aid and food to countries.

"It was a wrong-headed policy. It persisted through Democratic and Republican policies alike, including mine. We were all wrong and she is determined to reverse it," Bill Clinton said, adding that while he was busy engaging in politics, Hillary had "become her own NGO."

"Most of what I know about what I do today, I learned from her and she has become the best public servant our family has produced," he added. "I am very proud of her and honored that she came here."

Secretary Clinton, who received a standing ovation, had equally kind words for her husband.

"It won't surprise you to hear that I am very proud of my husband and I think what he has invented and brought to life here is extraordinary," she said, adding that the new State Department food initiative, in part, was an idea she developed by seeing the kinds of partnerships the Clinton Global Initiative produced.

The Clintons posed for a photo-op with State Department officials and executives from General Mills and other organizations, who pledged at the conference to start a program to help farmers around the world.

And then, for fans of the former first couple, a rare treat. As she
walked off the stage, Hillary's proud husband drew some more cheers when he gave his wife a kiss.

Bill Clinton continued to read off the million-dollar commitments he received at the conference for additional social programs. And Hillary Clinton left to meet with 15 ministers from the Caribbean.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlines sweeping agenda for U.N. conference.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton laid out an ambitious U.S. agenda Friday for next week's United Nations gathering, citing issues such as nuclear non-proliferation, climate change, women's rights and ongoing wars.

She also strongly defended the Obama administration's decision to scrap Bush-era plans for a missile defense shield in Europe, calling it a decision that will ultimately leave the United States and its allies better positioned to defend against a potential threat from Iran.

"Our agenda is ambitious," she told an audience at the Brookings Institute when discussing the highly anticipated U.N. session. It stems from
President Barack Obama's belief that the United Nations is "a critical, central institution."

Obama is slated to makes his first appearance before the U.N. General Assembly next week. He is scheduled to address a meeting on climate control on Tuesday, address the General Assembly on Wednesday, and chair a special session of the U.N. Security Council dealing with nuclear non-proliferation on Thursday.

Obama's U.N. engagement marks a sharp shift in emphasis from George W. Bush's administration, which generally placed a lower priority on the need to act through international institutions.

Emphasizing the issue of non-proliferation, Clinton said that Iran's failure to prove that its nuclear program will not be used for military
purposes remains a source of "deep concern" to the international community. She promised continuing "costs" for Iran in the form of diplomatic isolation and economic sanctions if Tehran does not allow greater international oversight of the program.

Clinton defended the administration's decision to open the door to talks with the Iranian government, which has been criticized for cracking down on domestic political opponents in the wake of its disputed June presidential election.

"Dialogue along doesn't guarantee any outcome," she conceded. But she added that Bush's refusal to engage with Tehran didn't yield any progress on the nuclear issue or reduce Iranian support for terrorist groups.

At the same time, she warned, the Obama administration is not seeking greater diplomatic engagement "just for the sake of talking." She stressed that U.S. officials are hoping for "some movement" on Iran's part by the end of the year.

Clinton defended the U.S. troop drawdown in neighboring Iraq, noting that the relationship between Washington and Baghdad is entering what she termed a "period of transition."

A "new, sustained and more mature partnership" is coming, she said, one in which a stable, sovereign Iraq can contribute to peace in the Middle East.

Turning to central Asia, the secretary emphasized the continuing need to roll back al Qaeda and other extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Afghanistan's recent election - with its charges of corruption and a disputed outcome - illustrates both the possibilities and challenges in the embattled Islamic republic, she said.

"Corruption is as big a national security threat as I can imagine," she said. The United States has "to take some of the responsibility" for it in
Afghanistan. "We aided and abetted it in implicit ways by not demanding more earlier."

Regarding the quest for a comprehensive Middle East peace, Clinton said it is fitting that next week's U.N. gathering is happening at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and amid the Jewish high holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

The administration is "very patient and very determined" to bring Palestinians and Israelis to the bargaining table, she said. But ultimately,
she noted, the decision to reach an agreement is not in U.S. hands.

Clinton opened her remarks by raising the administration's controversial decision on missile defense.

Obama is not "shelving" missile defense plans, she argued. The Pentagon will instead deploy a more comprehensive, proven system on a faster timetable than had been proposed under Bush, she asserted.

"We would never, never walk away from our allies," she said. "We believe this is a decision that will leave America stronger" and more capable of defending against the threat posed by missiles launched by Tehran.

Clinton denied critics' claims that pressure from Russia - which had opposed the previous system - was a factor in the decision.

The campaign finance case before the court stems from a film critical of then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Supreme Court heard new arguments Wednesday in a dramatic case that started with a movie attacking Hillary Clinton - but that could have far-reaching implications for U.S. elections.

"If you thought you knew everything about Hillary Clinton, wait till you see the movie," said an ad last year for "Hillary: The Movie," a scorching attack on the woman then running for president.

Citizens United, the conservative group behind the film, promoted it as featuring 40 interviews - a "cast to end all casts"– and promised that if "you want to hear about the Clinton scandals of the past and present, you have it here! 'Hillary: The Movie' is the first and last word in what the Clintons want America to forget!"

Few Americans ever saw the ad; a federal court ruled that it broke the law on campaign advertising.

Full story

The campaign finance case before the court stems from a film critical of then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Money and politics are often equated as the fuel and engine of American democracy, but thanks to the Supreme Court, century-old government speed bumps on the campaign speech superhighway may soon be a thing of the past.

Those are the monumental stakes when the justices return early from its summer recess Wednesday to re-hear a case which could radically alter the election calculus for corporations, unions, advocacy groups, and individuals seeking a voice in the crowded national political debate.

The court will hold a rare special session, which also marks the debut of Justice Sonia Sotomayor. At issue is whether prior rulings limiting corporate spending on federal elections should be overturned. The justices could decide to erase the subtle but important distinction between corporate donors - which are subject to regulation - and individual donors, who largely are not.

Full story

The Clintons are reportedly headed to Bermuda this weekend.

(CNN) - President Obama isn't the only member of his administration planning an island getaway this month.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is slated for a four-day stay in Bermuda this weekend with husband Bill, the Bermuda Sun reports.

According to the paper, it's the first trip back to the island for the famous political couple since a stay in the summer of 1979, before the birth of daughter Chelsea.

The Clintons had even sought to stay in the same cottage they did three decades ago, but the venue was unable to meet their needs.

The Clintons will instead stay at Cambridge Beaches Resort and Spa, a facility where, according to the resort's Web site, room rates can run as high as nearly $2,000 a night.

The famous duo's plans could be hampered by the fast moving Hurricane Bill, a Category 3 storm that is currently on track to pass near the island at the end of the week.

Meanwhile, next week President Obama plans to take his family to Martha's Vineyard, the island off Massachusetts where the Clintons annually vacationed during their years in the White House. Chelsea Clinton is expected to be on the island this weekend

The State Department had no comment on reports of the trip, and a spokeswoman for the resort said there is no reservation for the Clintons this weekend.

"Even if they did [have a reservation], we wouldn't say," she said.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Cape Verde on Friday, the final stop on her seven-nation Africa tour.

(CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Cape Verde on Friday, the final stop on her seven-nation Africa tour in which she emphasized good governance and urged officials to implement reforms.

Clinton is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Pedro Maria Neves before returning to the United States.

The Obama administration describes the island nation on the western coast as an African success story.

"Cape Verde enjoys a stable democratic system, high transparency and low corruption," said Marianne M. Myles, the U.S. ambassador to Cape Verde.

The relationship between the two countries is based on a long history of partnership, which started in 1818 when the first U.S. consulate in sub-Saharan Africa was established in the country, Myles said.

Clinton's 11-day trip started in Kenya, and has included stops in South Africa, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Liberia.

She arrived at Cape Verde from Liberia, where she applauded the work of pro-American president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the first woman elected head of state in Africa.

"Today, (Liberia) is a model of successful transition from conflict to post-conflict, from lawlessness to democracy, from despair to hope," Clinton said.

"For the last three years, the people of this country have been working to promote reform, reconstruction and reconciliation. Liberia has adopted sound fiscal policy and seen strong economic growth."

Clinton's trip comes after President Barack Obama's visit to Ghana last month, where he urged African leaders to improve government stability.

During her visit, the secretary of state echoed Obama's sentiment on government reform. Like Obama, Clinton made it clear that America is willing to help, but from the background. African leaders must take the lead in reforming their own countries, she said.

Clinton's message was a mix of praise and criticism. She also addressed other issues including democracy, trade and sexual abuse.

Hours before her arrival in Kenya, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said that Africa did not need another lecture on good governance. But Clinton said she was delivering a "tough but lovingly presented" message to the East African nation.

"As President Obama pointed out in his speech in Ghana, Kenya has not fulfilled its economic promise because it hasn't yet realized fully what it means to have a functioning, dynamic democracy, and a free press and an independent judiciary," she said.

She urged Angolan officials to adopt a new constitution and hold a proper presidential election. However, she also lauded the nation's commitment to fighting HIV as the two countries signed a partnership to combat the epidemic.

At a town hall meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, Clinton talked about the importance of democracy and warned that though Nigeria produces 2 million barrels of oil a day, its poverty rate has gone up over the past 13 years. She blamed the lack of progress on corruption.

"The most immediate source of the disconnect between Nigeria's wealth and its poverty is a failure of governance at the local, state, and federal level," she said.

During a visit to Congo, Clinton denounced sexual attacks on women and announced $17 million in funding to help fight abuse in the country.

"In the face of such evil, people of good will everywhere must respond,"she said. "The United States is already a leading donor to efforts aimed at addressing these problems."

Clinton also met with the leaders of Somalia's transitional government in neighboring Nairobi. The country has been waging a bloody battle against al Qaeda-linked militants with help from the United States.

The State Department notes it is the earliest trip by a secretary of state and a president to Africa of any previous U.S. administration.

Clinton's trip is designed to show U.S. commitment to Africa.

MONROVIA, Liberia (CNN) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived Thursday in a dark and rainy Liberia, where she planned to hold a bilateral meeting with the country's pro-American president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Liberians have a historic fondness for Americans and view Clinton's visit as a show of support and affirmation of the special relationship between Liberia and the United States, said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to Liberia.

"Women in Liberia are pleased to welcome the secretary for her meeting with the first woman elected head of state in Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf," Thomas-Greenfield wrote in a State Department blog. "After the ravages of the conflict here, which affected women and children very heavily, Liberians are proud of their progress in women's empowerment and inclusion in government. Secretary Clinton has emphasized the link between women's empowerment and social and economic progress throughout her seven-nation trip."

Clinton's trip is designed to show U.S. commitment to Africa. Wednesday, Clinton visited Nigeria and met the country's president and senior politicians.

In a town hall meeting in the capital, Abuja, Clinton talked about the importance of democracy and warned the country that it could be a target for al Qaeda.

Nigeria has been wracked by violence between Christians and Muslims, and hundreds have died in riots over the past several years.

"Al Qaeda has a presence in Northern Africa," Clinton said. "There is no doubt in our mind that al Qaeda and like organizations that are part of the syndicate of terror would seek a foothold anywhere they could find one, and whether that is the case here or whether this is a homegrown example of fundamentalist extremism - that's up to the Nigerians to determine."

Clinton opened her 11-day Africa trip in Nairobi, Kenya, then went to South Africa, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo before going to Nigeria. After Liberia, she plans to visit Cape Verde.

The Obama administration is also using Clinton's tour to promote development and good governance, the State Department has said.

Secretary of State Clinton is overseas visiting several countries in Africa.

ABUJA, Nigeria (CNN) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday visited Nigeria, warning it could be a target for al Qaeda.

The country has been racked by violence between Christians and Muslims, with hundreds having died in riots over the past several years.

"Al Qaeda has a presence in Northern Africa," Clinton said. "There is no doubt in our mind that al Qaeda and like organizations that are part of the syndicate of terror would seek a foothold anywhere they could find one, and whether that is the case here or whether this is a homegrown example of fundamentalist extremism - that's up to the Nigerians to determine."

Clinton met President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and other leading politicians in the capital Abuja, the latest stage on an 11-day African tour designed to show U.S. commitment to the continent.

In a town hall meeting she talked about the importance of democracy, making a reference to her own unsuccessful run for president last year.

"I have won some elections and I have lost some elections. And in a democracy there have to be winners and losers," she said, before looking ahead to Nigeria's next elections.

"Part of creating a strong democratic system is that the losers, despite how badly we might feel, accept the outcome, because it is for the good of the country we love," she said.

"And of course in my country the man that I was running against, and spent a lot of time and effort to defeat, asked me to join his government. So there is a way to begin to make this transition that will lead to free and fair elections in 2011,"

Nigeria is "the most important country in sub-Saharan Africa" and one of the most corrupt, according to a senior official on the trip.

It is a major oil and gas producer, one of the largest suppliers to the American market, said Johnnie Carson, assistant secretary at the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs.

Clinton opened her Africa trip in Nairobi, Kenya, then went to South Africa, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She will travel next to Liberia and Cape Verde.

The Obama administration is also using Clinton's tour to promote development and good governance.

She brought an offer of help Tuesday for victims - especially victims of sexual violence - in Africa's longest war, a regional conflict that's dragged on more than a decade.

"We want to banish the problems of sexual violence into the dark past where it belongs," she said during her visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a meeting with leaders of non-governmental organizations, Clinton said the United States will provide "more than $17 million in new funds to prevent and respond to gender and sexual violence."

On Monday, Clinton had delivered a blunt message to Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito when he hosted a dinner in her honor.

"There must be an end to widespread financial corruption and abuses of human rights and women's rights," she said. "There must be an improvement in governance and the respect for the rule of law."

The United Nations estimates 200,000 women and girls have been raped in Congo since war broke out 12 years ago.

Updated: 4:54 p.m.

(CNN) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to the epicenter of Africa's longest war Tuesday to try to help victims, especially those of sexual violence, of a regional conflict that's dragged on more than a decade.

She delivered a blunt message to Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday when he hosted a dinner in her honor.

"There must be an end to widespread financial corruption and abuses of human rights and women's rights," she said. "There must be an improvement in governance and the respect for the rule of law."

She also called for "changes in the business climate, changes in the rules and regulations that involve contracts and the protection of property" in order to promote foreign investment.

On Tuesday, she offered help to the country's president, Joseph Kabila.

"I offered and the president accepted my sending of legal and financial and other technical experts to the DRC to provide specific suggestions about how to overcome these very serious obstacles to the potential of this country," she said, according to a pool report from Goma, in the east of the country.

Clinton took a small U.N. plane on the 1,000-mile trip from Kinshasa to Goma, the scene of intense fighting over the past several years.

The smaller aircraft was necessary because the U.S. plane being used on her seven-nation Africa trip is too big for the local landing strip, Clinton told reporters Monday.

The secretary is due to visit U.N. peacekeepers in Goma, and is also expected to take part in a roundtable discussion with victims of sexual and gender-based violence in the country.

The Congo conflict has involved several countries and resulted in an estimated 5 million deaths from fighting and collateral problems such as disease and starvation, according to an International Rescue Committee survey conducted more than a year ago. In addition, tens of thousands of women have been raped in the ongoing regional strife stoked by competition for mineral riches.

"I will be pressing very hard for not just assistance to help those who are being abused and mistreated, in particular the women who are turned into weapons of war through the rape they experience, but also looking for ways to try to end this conflict," Clinton said.

She opened her Africa trip in Nairobi, Kenya, then went to South Africa and Angola. After Congo, she will travel to Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.

The Obama administration is using Clinton's tour to promote development and good governance and underscore the president's commitment to Africa.

The tense moment happened as Clinton spoke to students at a Congolese university in Kinshasa. A male student rose to ask a question about Chinese financial contracts in his country. The student asked Clinton what President Obama would think of the deal, but pool reporters in the room said the translator made a mistake and asked what Bill Clinton would think.

Clinton looked surprised when she first heard the translation in her headset, and then sharply replied, "You want me to tell you what my husband thinks? My husband is not the Secretary of State, I am. You ask my opinion, I will tell you my opinion. I'm not going to channel my husband."

At the State Department, Assistant Secretary P.J. Crowley said the question she heard "struck a nerve" - that her opinion on the matter was apparently of less interest than that of her husband, the former president.

Crowley told CNN her answer must be considered in the context of her African trip.

"The Secretary of State is going to Goma Tuesday, to draw attention to the plight of women who are victims of rape as a weapon of war" in Congo, he said. "She did react to what she heard," Crowley explained. Even if the interpreter mixed up the translation, he said, "you can't separate the question from the setting."

"If Africa, if Congo is going to advance, women have to play a more significant role," Crowley said. "She was in the setting of a town hall, and the questioner was interested in what two men thought, not the Secretary of State."

Crowley, who has just returned to Washington after traveling with Secretary Clinton during the first part of her trip to Africa, said the State Department has not yet reviewed recordings of the original question in French to learn whether the student clearly intended the question to refer to President Obama, not former President Clinton.

"She did talk with the student afterward, and they seemed to have reached an understanding," Crowley said.

The tense moment happened as Clinton spoke to students at a Congolese university in Kinshasa. A male student rose to ask a question about Chinese financial contracts in his country. The student asked Clinton what President Obama would think of the deal, but pool reporters in the room said the translator made a mistake and asked what Bill Clinton would think.

Clinton looked surprised when she first heard the translation in her headset, and then sharply replied, "You want me to tell you what my husband thinks? My husband is not the Secretary of State, I am. You ask my opinion, I will tell you my opinion. I'm not going to channel my husband."

At the State Department, Assistant Secretary P.J. Crowley said the question she heard "struck a nerve" - that her opinion on the matter was apparently of less interest than that of her husband, the former president.

Crowley told CNN her answer must be considered in the context of her African trip.

"The Secretary of State is going to Goma Tuesday, to draw attention to the plight of women who are victims of rape as a weapon of war" in Congo, he said. "She did react to what she heard," Crowley explained. Even if the interpreter mixed up the translation, he said, "you can't separate the question from the setting."

"If Africa, if Congo is going to advance, women have to play a more significant role," Crowley said. "She was in the setting of a town hall, and the questioner was interested in what two men thought, not the Secretary of State."

Crowley, who has just returned to Washington after traveling with Secretary Clinton during the first part of her trip to Africa, said the State Department has not yet reviewed recordings of the original question in French to learn whether the student clearly intended the question to refer to President Obama, not former President Clinton.

"She did talk with the student afterward, and they seemed to have reached an understanding," Crowley said.

(CNN) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday she will travel to the epicenter of Africa's longest war Tuesday to try to help victims of more than a decade of regional conflict.

Clinton will fly on a United Nations plane to Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo because the U.S. plane for her seven-nation Africa trip is too big, she told reporters.

The Congo conflict has involved several countries and resulted in an estimated 5 million deaths from fighting and collateral problems such as disease and starvation, according to an International Rescue Committee survey conducted more than a year ago. In addition, tens of thousands of women have been raped in the ongoing regional strife stoked by competition for mineral riches.

"I will be pressing very hard for not just assistance to help those who are being abused and mistreated, in particular the women who are turned into weapons of war through the rape they experience, but also looking for ways to try to end this conflict," Clinton said.

She spoke to reporters while flying from Angola to Kinshasa, the Congo capital, after meeting with Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos on the third leg of her 11-day trip.

Dos Santos noted that "there's a lot of money being made in the eastern Congo because of the mineral trade, and there has to be a way with the United States and the United Kingdom and France and Rwanda and everybody coming together and trying to prevent the mining from basically funding a lot of these militias that are keeping the fighting going," Clinton said.

Angola, a nation wracked by 27 years of civil war that ended in 2002, is a major provider of oil to the United States. The former rebel group UNITA complains dos Santos is delaying work on a new constitution and subsequent elections to maintain his hold on power.

Clinton pressed dos Santos and the Angolan National Assembly to complete the new constitution that would formalize democracy.

"We talked at length about the process leading to a new constitution, and how important it was that that be resolved as quickly as possible and elections be held," Clinton said. "We talked about greater transparency in the energy sector, and what more could be done to create accountability."

On Sunday, Clinton gave some pointers to leaders of the National Assembly on American-style democracy.

"What is important is the role of both the majority and minority parties to serve as a check and balance on the executive branch of government," she said, adding: "In a democracy such as yours, the parliament must demand accountability and transparency, and stand against financial corruption and abuse of power."

Clinton opened her Africa trip in Nairobi, Kenya, and then went to South Africa and Angola. After Congo, she will travel to Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.

(CNN) – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton headed to Luanda, Angola, on Sunday on the third leg of a journey that is taking her to seven African nations in 11 days.

The State Department has described Angola as a nation with "enormous economic potential."

The country, in southern Africa, is one of the largest energy producers south of the Sahara and is a major supplier of petroleum and liquefied natural gas to the U.S. market.

Clinton flew to Angola after a two-day stop in South Africa, where she met with the country's new leader, President Jacob Zuma, and the foreign minister.

She ended the South African trip Saturday with a visit to a housing project on the outskirts of Cape Town, where she and daughter, Chelsea, laid the first bricks 12 years ago.

Clinton opened her Africa trip in Nairobi, Kenya. She will also travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.

"In each nation, she will emphasize Africa as a place of opportunity, built on an ethic of responsibility," said Ian Kelly, state department spokesman.

"She will underline America's commitment to partner with governments, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations and private citizens to build societies where each individual can realize their potential."