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Hillary’s No-Nonsense Resolve Appeals to Her Former Critics

By Bronwyn's Harbor on July 26, 2009 at 11:30 PM in Current Affairs

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the sole guest for the hour today on NBC’s Meet The Press. Below are videos and commentaries on each segment:

#1. Hillary on a nuclear-armed Iran. But, before the video, let’s check out Roger L. Simon, on his Pajamas Media blog, who posted, “Iran: Hillary, yes! Barack, no!“ and wrote:

That most emotionally disconnected of presidents, Barack Obama, underscored his deep weirdness when it took him a full week to get on the right side of the continuing democracy struggle in Iran. Even then one wonders if Obama still doesn’t have Bill Ayers whispering unconsciously in his ear, reminding him that the “enemigo centrale” was still Amerika, not a regime of sick theocratic misogynists.

Thank the deity for Hillary. At least she seems to have her head screwed on right. In this instance, too bad she’s not President and Obama Secretary of the Interior or some other useless job.

UPDATE: From today’s Debkafile: DEBKAfile’s military and Washington sources report that President Barack Obama is getting set for some military arm-twisting against Iran spearheaded by Israel. This will be the main subject of defense secretary Robert Gates talks in Israel Tuesday, July 28 and was presaged by a strong message secretary of state Hillary Clinton broadcast to Tehran Sunday, July 28, over NBC: “… if you’re pursuing nuclear weapons for the purpose of intimidating, or projecting your power, we are not going to let that happen,” she said. “Your pursuit is futile. We believe as a matter of policy it is unacceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons.”

Adds Paleo Pat at the Political Byline blog:

If you would have told me, a year ago, that I would be praising Hillary Clinton for something she said; I would have asked you what kind drugs you were on and to share some of it with me! (I kid about the drugs, but this still is a very good story.)

[VIDEO and TRANSCRIPT.]

I do commend Secretary Clinton for her tough stance towards Iran’s terrible President and Islamic Oligarchy.

I just hope that President Obama agrees with Secretary Clinton and does not try and back-peddle that stance and play the role of terrorist appeaser. If he does, it would mean the total discrediting of Secretary Clinton and further more of America’s leadership role in the World.

NOW for the MSNBC video of Secretary Clinton on Iran:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Hillary on North Korea (see also pm317′s “Sexism Alive and Well among the Crazies“):

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Hillary on relations with Russia:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Hillary answers questions sent in by MTP viewers via the Internet:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

———————————

Go here for videos, a netcast, and the full transcript.

Sec. of State Hillary Clinton Meets the Press live, for the full hour. She goes one-on-one with David Gregory about her role in the Obama administration and the many hot spots around the globe: Nuclear threats in Iran and North Korea; Fighting terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan; the continuing war in Iraq; her trip this week to India and Thailand; and upcoming talks with China.

  • http://www.politicalbyline.com PaleoPat

    FIRST!

    and… thanks for the linkie Love sir!

    :D

    -Pat

  • pm317

    Thanks for the videos for those of us who are boycotting NBC.

    Thank the deity for Hillary. At least she seems to have her head screwed on right. In this instance, too bad she’s not President and Obama Secretary of the Interior or some other useless job.

    Yes and it hurts to think it may never happen. I would have been willing to give him the useless job of the VP (and so would have Hillary).

  • Pingback: Secretary Clinton: Iran’s Pursuit of Nukes ‘Futile’ | Political Byline

  • politicsisdirty

    Hillary Clinton could have been one of the greatest President of the USA. Unfortunately the Main Stream Media and the democratic party does not think so and the people could hardly do anything about it.

    Unfortunately, Hillary succumed the the power of Obama, the Democratic party and the media.

    • Julia

      The MSM and the misogyny of this country. I’m sorry but it’s of this way. Misogyny hurts to the women and the country too.

  • politicsisdirty

    Hillary Clinton could have been one of the greatest Presidents of the USA. Unfortunately the Main Stream Media and the democratic party do not think so and the people could hardly do anything about it.

    Unfortunately, Hillary succumed the the power of Obama, the Democratic party and the media.

    • Patrick Henry

      This is Why we should Be Thankful that Hillary is at Least our Secretary of State..and that She accepted that Role FOR THE GOOD OF OUR NATION..
      Politics and feelings aside..

      She has the experience and intelligence to Handle this Important role in Our Government..and Foreign Affairs.

      She should have been elected president, Yes, and I supported her because Ii believe she had the best qualifications to be President..and that it was time for a reasonable Democrat in the White House..

      Unfortunately, The Far Left..chose these elections
      to Put out thier Mentored candidate, Barack Obama,
      The pride of the University/ Activist Cadre , and take Advantage of Circumstances in America and Leap Frog Right over Hillarys Back..and end the Blue Dog Democrats moderation in American Politics..and the Hopes of Many who Believed it was time for a Woman like Hillary to be President of the United States..

      By HOOK or by CROOK..or plain old Razzle dazzle..
      They got Barack Obama, Super Spinner..elected President..and all we Got..Was The SPIDER WEB..

      Thank god, we are at least, getting help from Hillary..

      Knowing she is there, Gives me HOPE..

      not Barack Obama..I was never in to RED STARS..

    • Patrick Henry

      I responded to th above comment but it got eaten up..My screen went balnk and there was a Pop up that said “Windows experienced a Problem and is shutting down” Guess windows didnt like my comment..and became “HAL” 2009..

      I am glad to see that ani and peggy sue pretty much made the point i made..just a little less critical of Obama..

  • WMCB

    I just watched the entire hour interview. She was masterful.

  • jbjd

    What an ass. He not only intimated HRC’s ‘exchange of personal insults’ with N. Korea had endangered the 2 (two) female correspondents detained there, but then, being the schmuck he is, added insult to injury at the end of their exchange, when HRC refused to answer his question, who do you think is the better President, BO or, your husband; saying his ‘fall back question was, will you endorse Sarah Palin for President.’

    • fif

      She made him look like a high school reporter. He tried his MSM gimmicks, and she is impervious to those gotcha games.

  • Peggy Sue

    And this is why I continue to respect, admire and remain grateful that HRC is SoS. Do I agree with her assessment of Obama? Quite frankly, no. But I rest easier at night knowing this is the face and voice representing us all as she travels extensively around the world.

    Meanwhile, this is also the woman who was labeled as someone with minimal foreign relations experience, someone who merely conducted “tea parties.” I took special note of her mentioning that part of her ease is the fact that she’s met and knows most heads of state and those that have come up since Bill Clinton was in office.

    Experience rules. We see it with every interview and press conference. We all lost bigtime last year. Because this woman is truly presidential.

    But thank the dieties we didn’t lose her entirely.

    • fif

      As I listened to her assessment of Obama, I thought, “She really is a great diplomat.” :)

      • fif

        ie: she can represent her country without putting her own personal opinion in the forefront, for the good of our security. (Not that she really believes what she is saying.) On health care alone, she must be squirming at his weak leadership.

  • rw

    After Biden’s negative comments on the Russian economy, Medvedev asked, Who’s running the US’s foreign policy. With Biden’s travels and comments, with the special envoys, czars…Hillary’s role seems to be one of a flower vase.

    Just like the US second guessing who runs the Russian show, Putin vs Medvedev, Medvedev turned the uncertainly around and questioned whether US foreign policy is run by the white house vs the state department.

  • Ani

    Amen. We can thank our lucky stars she is SoS. And Obama can thank his lucky stars too, that she chose to rise above all his nonsense and that of the backstabbers in her party. Frankly, neither he nor Biden particularly deserve the incredible loyalty she shows them — and the way she executes her answers — talk about following the chain of command — not a speck of air space between them. She is doing her job, presenting an excellent face for whoever is listening around the world. That’s leadership.

    We sure missed the boat here last year by not getting this lady as President.

    I also have to laugh at all the memes in the media about Hillary being marginaled — did that lady look or sound marginalized to you? Don’t mess with Hill! As even Anderson Cooper said a couple of months ago, “She’s large and in charge.”

    • Peggy Sue

      Might be the most sensible thing Anderson Cooper ever said, Ani :0).

    • lauraks

      Hillary accepts reality both about how women must move about in the world and how unenlightened many so called male AND female political leaders are in this country. She just doesn’t happen to believe we all should suffer because of the nonsense Ani just referred to. She takes the long view not reacting to every single slight because it wastes her energy. We could all take a lesson from her. All things reveal themselves in their own time.Our ultimate security as a nation is her number one priority right now. Health care for all, while a dream of hers, is not going to be realized because of the economic downturn.That very real disaster will be the president’s undoing because he cannot be shielded forever from the wrath of the electorate if he does not turn things around.No “save and create jobs” mumbo jumbo language will suffice ultimately.

    • fif

      As usual Ani, you nail it. People mistake her compliments for Obama as her personal opinion. You articulate exactly what she is doing–putting her public service first. She has it all, and continues to impress.

  • WMCB

    She was VERY in charge on the big issues.

    I also liked where she said that she spends some of her time in those other countries doing town halls, morning shows, etc – reaching out directly to the people, not just the diplomats.

    And from the few clips I’ve seen, they LOVE her.

    I do think that Obama and esp Axelrod were trying to sideline her. NOT where policy is concerned, I think she’s always been on top of that, but as far as the spotlight goes. In other words, she was supposed to toil away and do the heavy lifting, but keep her mug away from the cameras, which are the sole domain of Teh Precious.

    And I think there was a brief struggle over that, and I think Hill outmanuevered them and said no to that shit. She’s shining again.

    • fif

      It’s true. The media (& operatives) try to create drama and games, and she transcends it. All she has to do is speak for herself, and the rest looks like child’s play.

  • VRWC – Long time no post Dept.

    I haven’t posted here in a while (really knocked out by the election) but do read here from time to time.

    Definitely glad that Hillary is standing up to Obama on any number of foreign policy issues – including Honduras as it seems when one reads between the lines. It would be harder for her to do this if she were not an independent force, with her own base.

    I’m for Palin but as far as I’m concerned Hillary doesn’t need, despite some journo’s tripe, to endorse Palin for any office in order to validate herself with me.

    I remember when Hillary stood up to Canada’s then-leader Chretien about the problem of terrorists getting into the USA from Canada, after some specific terrorists turned out not to have infiltrated through Canada despite initial reports. It may have been obvious to you folks that that was no fluke but it wasn’t obvious to a lot of us on the right (and still isn’t to many) but I’m seeing it and am well glad of it.

    Keep on fighting.

  • elise

    Bronwyn, thanks for the videos. I haven’t watched Meet the Press since the primary debate moderated by Russert and Mathews.

    IMO David Gregory is sly and slightly smarmy and I don’t feel I’ve missed anything important over the last year or so, but I am always bowled over by Hillary. If the North Korean government thinks it can embarrass her with this kind of petty put down, they have proven themselves to be more isolated and ignorant than even any of their reckless behavior in the past has indicated.

    If this is not just petty, but a reflexion of their true attitude, they have made a dangerous miscalculation. Hillary will kick their asses. She is a consumate diplomat and understands the way the world works. She is building stronger ties with China and Russia. If I’m not mistaken, her first trip as Sec of State was to Japan and she has proven the Far East is high on her agenda.

    Did Gregory ask her about her meetings with the women around the world and her efforts to end the brutality and violence against them? Or her work with Vital Voices and other groups to educate women on economic realization? Probably not.

    • Ani

      Gregory betrayed his belief that her work on behalf of women around the world is not important to him — nor does he think it is of value to the US to even merit a mention.

      This is not dissimilar from the arse Mark Radov being on O’Reilly during the primary and talking about how he hoped (as Pres) she wouldn’t pursue a “female agenda” — Gosh. Equal rights for women around the world and an end to violence against them — wouldn’t that be horrible./snark.

      They miss no opportunity to be snarky and disrespectful but as you state so well, Elise, Hillary just breezes right over them. By not giving it any oxygen whatsoever, they look like petty fools and she looks composed and in charge. Love it.

    • fif

      No, but Hillary brought it up, saying that wherever she travels there is great interest in women’s issues and rights around the world.

  • felizarte

    Hillary would never have made an asinine “stupidly” comment on national TV. After his thoughtless initial comment on Honduras and Iran, Obama should now realize that he could never usurp Hillary’s authority of REAL KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCE!

  • mary

    Hillary’s response regarding ties to Russia and her approach were absolutely genuine. If anyone can foster a new relationship with Putin based on mutual respect and resoluteness, it’s HILLARY! What an amazing response to Gregory she gave. i was stunned with her honesty, yet very obvious resoluteness. She is a gem!
    What happened to Gore 2000 happened to Hillary ’08.
    What a loss…This woman is REAL!

  • Texas Playwright

    Wow. Just wow. I have admired Hillary’s compassion, knowledge, intelligence and work ethic for years. I, with millions of others, knew she’d be the best leader of the USA. Her decades of service to people of America and the world come shining through in this MTP interview.

    bho the fraud will fade away soon enough. The oligarchs pulling his puppet strings will answer for their corporate/banking/Wall Street/media greed and lust for power in their fascist attack on America.

    Hillary Rodham Clinton, in the meantime, is doing her job as a public servant as she has all along. I am most grateful to have her representing me, a loyal American who honors the Constitution of our great land, among the citizens of the world.

    David Gregory was the most respectful interviewer of HRC that I’ve seen in two years. He sure makes the misogynists Gibson, Olberman, Matthews, Couric, Brown, Shuster et all look like the puffed up slime balls they are.

    Rise, Hillary. Rise.

    • fif

      Greta has done good Hillary interviews on FOX too.

      • Mia

        My favorite is the one with O’Reilly.

  • Patrick Henry

    HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT…

    • TeakWoodKite

      @Patrick, I did get the comment but did responded before the call. LOL

      Ya should have Ed poppin blood vessels on the radio.(driving across town, the pickins are slim these days on the am talk radio)
      Complaining that BO is for a CO-op on Healthcare. What a smuck he is. He got behind BO and now BO is behind him…

      Single Payer is what Clinton was advocating. Can we clone her?

  • Patrick Henry

    Roger that Teakwood

  • destardi

    Hillary should have been President.

    uhbama is a joke.

    But just like Bush, I knew he would be proven to be what he really is: a selfish, one-dimensional non-thinker..and his admin would fall in on itself.

    Obama will be the same way; yes he will be hailed in history as “the first black president” but I am confident that will be notated with *despite his popularity, his admin was a failure.

    Because a house of cards is a house of cards, and a leopard can’t change its spots.

  • kc

    Very well-done interview.