Clinton to stress 'smart power' at confirmation hearing
(CNN) - The Obama transition talking points for Sen. Hillary Clinton's Tuesday confirmation hearing as secretary of state say she will stress "a renewal of American leadership" and a "revitalization of diplomacy to promote our security interests and advance our values." She will be introduced tomorrow by New York's senior senator, Chuck Schumer.
Talking points as relayed by a transition official follow after the jump:
–Senator Clinton is looking forward to the conversation with her colleagues. She has had the opportunity to speak with all of the committee members in the past few weeks and has appreciated the chance to discuss a range of issues. In addition to testifying, she is submitting answers to many of their questions in writing.
–We expect that she will reiterate that she and the President-elect believe that America must be smarter to be stronger. Senator Clinton believes in “smart power” – using all the tools of foreign policy that are at our disposal. She also believes, as does the President-Elect, that diplomacy must be at the forefront of US foreign policy, and that it must be balanced with military power in ways that work for the 21st century.
–Senator Clinton agrees with the President-elect that our country must be strong at home in order to be strong abroad - that our own progress depends on repairing our economy and working for shared economic growth and prosperity globally.
–The Obama Administration will pursue engaged, cooperative American global leadership consistent with our democratic values. This will mean reaching out to create stronger partnerships with our allies and working to forge new bonds around the world. It will also mean investing in our common humanity as a way to achieve greater security.
–Senator Clinton will speak about the importance of the State Department having the resources it needs to fulfill the critical demands of foreign policy in this new century and pursue the aggressive diplomacy of the Obama Administration.
–Senator Clinton will emphasize that she will actively work in cooperation with Congress on foreign policy. She will stress the importance of bipartisanship, and of decision-making that is based on a marriage of principle and pragmatism, not ideology.
Nothing smart about serving under someone who is arrogantly street smart. I mean don't they see it seething behind his facial masks and rabbit ears. Goodness, how can you see the enemy coming at you abroad? Good luck anyway.
I still don't understand how people believe that Hillary is qualify to be secretary of state. being first lady does not qualify her since she has no negotiation or foreign policy experience.
She is going to do greaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttt!!!
To concerned Democrat – I can't imagine why you would be concerned if it were John Kerry picked. The fact is that both Clinton and Obama had vvariations of Kerry/Feingold – which they voted against as their Iraq position – with HRC actually using nearly word for word Kerry's justifications given a year earlier.
They both echoed Kerry's view of how to fight non-state terrorism. On broader issues – even here you see echoes of stronger at home, stronger abroad – a major Kerry 2004 slogan.
Kerry has 24 years of real foreign policy experience and he has been a successful diplomat, when he was allowed to be. Kerry also has had a clear foreign policy point of view – expressed as early as in a 1966 Yale speech which Madeline Albright quoted in one of her books. Kerry, unlike Clinton, fought the Reagan foreign policy of arming the Contras.
More than HRC or Biden, Kerry as SoS would have been real change. As Chair of SFRC he will still have a voice on foreign policy and independence. If Obama really agrees with him on foreign policy – and he used Kerry as his key foreign policy surrogate – Kerry will just as influential as Senator as he would be as SoS.
Diplomacy? What's that?
Hillary – you GO GIRL....Can't wait for you to Save and Change the World!!
Wow... all this while under sniper fire?
will she comment how smart she was when she FAILED the DC bar exam?