PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has offered US Democrat presidential contender Hillary Clinton help with her campaign as the pair met in Washington before she headed to Pennsylvania to fight for her political survival.
The New York senator took time out from her heavy campaigning schedule to meet Mr Rudd after he delivered a foreign policy speech to The Brookings Institution this morning Washington time.
Senator Clinton arrived at Brookings surrounded by security and was immediately led into a side room for the private meeting, which ran for about 40 minutes.
As they posed for photographs following their discussion, Mr Rudd extended an offer of assistance to the woman he calls a "good friend".
"Let us know if we can help with anything," he said.
She expressed her appreciation for the offer.
Senator Clinton may be hoping some of the warmth and goodwill surrounding Mr Rudd's visit to the US might attach to her campaign, which is flagging behind the growing momentum of Senator Obama.
The pair will next go head to head in the Pennsylvania primary on April 22.
Mr Rudd wouldn't answer a question on whether he stood by an endorsement of Senator Clinton he made during the election campaign last year.
While doing a 20-second quiz on Rove McManus's comedy program, Mr Rudd plumped for Senator Clinton - at that stage ahead in all the polls - against Senator Obama.
This time, though, all he would say was: "I'm very good friends with Mrs Clinton."
While briefly chatting before the cameras, Mr Rudd sympathised with Senator Clinton over the rigours of campaigning in a large country like the US.
He asked where she was off to from Washington and she replied she'd be in Pennsylvania for two days before heading to California.
Gesturing with outstretched arms, Senator Clinton said "It's a big country."
Australia's six-week campaign last year seems brief by comparison, but Mr Rudd indicated he understood the pressures.
"As one candidate myself who knows what it's like on the campaign trail, I have every, every sympathy for Hillary," Mr Rudd said.
Acknowledging the extent of her struggle, Senator Clinton replied: "I appreciate that. I need all the sympathy I can get."
The pair, who last met in Tel Aviv in 2005, had what was described as a "productive and friendly meeting".
A spokesperson for Mr Rudd said they discussed the Australia-US relationship, health care and engagement with Asia.
"Senator Clinton congratulated the prime minister on his apology to the Stolen Generation ... (and) provided the prime minister with an update of the US presidential election."
After his successful visit with US president George W. Bush last week, Mr Rudd is now looking forward to cementing relations with the next leader of the world's premier superpower.
But he has stressed a non-partisan approach to the US election.
"Whoever wins this next election in the United States, Australia stands as a long-term partner with America," Mr Rudd said last night.
"Whether it is a Republican or a Democrat, we are partners with this country, long-term future, whoever forms the next administration in Washington."
Australian Prime Minister Meets with Hillary Clinton
Monday, March 31, 2008
Clinton: "We need Indiana Steel"
Saturday, March 29, 2008
From the NWI Times:
HAMMOND | Northwest Indiana needs jobs, and she is the presidential candidate who will fight for them, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton told an audience of 5,000 Friday in Hammond.
Against an American flag backdrop at the Hammond Civic Center, Clinton declared, "It is time we have a president who stood for a comeback for Northwest Indiana."
Imposing tariffs on steel imports would help foster that comeback and boost region employment, she said.
"My campaign is about jobs, jobs, jobs, middle-class jobs," Clinton said.
Many of those jobs, she said, have been unfairly taken from steelworkers in Northwest Indiana and the rest of the country and sent overseas.
One worker worried about that fate is Edward Covarrubias, a 40-year veteran electrician at ArcelorMittal whom Clinton introduced to the audience.
Covarrubias sees layoffs throughout the region as a result of China and other nations dumping foreign-made steel in United States, she said.
Clinton's mention of China elicited melancholy boos from the audience, but her promise to crack down on China and other countries from practices that are eliminating jobs in the U.S. drew wild applause.
"We will get tough on China because they are not playing by the rules of the global economy," she said.
That campaign promise is one reason John Noel said he decided Friday that Clinton is his candidate.
"I was uncertain before I came," said Noel, who lives in Hebron and works at Union Electric Steel in Valparaiso. "It was very inspiring. I like to hear positive input from a candidate like that."
Clinton said she believed American steel production can be competitive again, especially if the nation stopped shipping its steel-based military needs overseas.
"We need Indiana steel for essential defense products," she said. "It was from Northwest Indiana that so much of the steel came to defend the nation.
"I don't want to see our defense security outsourced anymore."
Clinton touted her work with U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., on trying to halt overseas manufacturing of U.S. military defense weapons and machinery.
Clinton promised to "call a 'timeout' on trade," by overhauling what she deemed the flawed North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.
"We're going to have a trade agreement that is pro-worker and pro-America," she said.
She blasted the practice of granting massive tax breaks to U.S. corporations earning large profits and cutting American jobs.
"We are going to take every benefit out of the tax cuts to businesses that export a job out of Indiana," she said.
She stressed the need for developing renewable energy resources to help protect the environment and reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil. Alternative energies also would create millions of "green" jobs, she said, including the production and installation of wind turbines and solar panels, she said.
She likened the hunt for renewable energy to the Kennedy-era push to set a precedent and get U.S. astronauts into space.
"Clean energy ought to be our space race," she said.
Clinton received loud support when she vowed to "make college more affordable," and would end No Child Left Behind, the frequently criticized education program.
Her pledge to revamp the federal program is why Hobart resident Nancy Fleming said the New York senator has her vote.
"I think it's a flawed program, and I'd like her to take a closer look at it," Fleming said.
Clinton noted Indiana's stake in choosing a Democratic candidate, saying, "I think it's pretty exciting that Indiana is going to pick the next president of the United States."
She said she would lobby hard across the state, and her campaign announced it would open offices in Hammond, Gary, East Chicago and Portage.
Seven Indiana Mayors Endorse Clinton
From the Northwest Indiana Times:
Seven Indiana mayors are throwing their support behind U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, her staff announced Friday afternoon.
Clinton is expected to meet with the mayor's following her speech at the Hammond Civic Center Friday afternoon. Her arrival was delayed over an hour from a previous stop in Mishawaka.
Those mayors supporting Clinton are Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, Whiting Mayor Joe Stahura, Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquist, Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor, East Chicago Mayor George Pabey, Portage Mayor Olga Velazquez and Crown Point Mayor David Uran.
"I am enormously grateful for the support of these distinguished Hoosier state mayors," Clinton said in a prepared statement issued Friday. "Their dedication to their communities and to Indiana is the kind of leadership we need to move this country in the right direction. I look forward to partnering with them so we can bring about the changes that Hoosiers need."
Bill Clinton plans visit to Montana
From the Helena Independent Record, By Charles S. Johson
Former President Bill Clinton will be in Helena, Great Falls and Havre on Tuesday to campaign for his wife, Hillary Clinton, an aide said Friday.
Matt McKenna, a Montanan who is a spokesman for the former president, said more details on Bill Clinton’s visit to the three cities, including the order of the stops and the sites, will be announced later.
Hillary Clinton, along with her Democratic presidential rival, Barack Obama, will be speaking in Butte at the Montana Democratic Party’s Mansfield-Metcalf dinner on April 5. On the following day, she has scheduled a fundraiser at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula with ticket prices ranging from $250, $500 to $1,000.
They are battling for Montana’s 17 delegate votes in the state’s June 3 Democratic presidential primary. The votes will be divided proportionally according to the outcome.
Montana also has seven superdelegates — U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester and Gov. Brian Schweitzer and four top party officials.
Only one of the superdelegates has committed to a presidential candidate. Democratic National Committeeman Ed Tinsley of Helena has said he will cast his vote for Obama.
Bill and Hillary Clinton and their daughter, Chelsea, visited Montana on vacation when he was governor of Arkansas and called on then-Gov. Ted Schwinden. At Schwinden’s invitation, Bill Clinton spoke at a state Democratic Party convention in Missoula in 1987 when he was considering running for president the next year, but ultimately didn’t.
Bill Clinton campaigned in Billings in his 1992 presidential campaign when he unseated Republican President George H.W. Bush. Clinton carried Montana, winning 38 percent of the vote to Bush’s 35 percent, with independent Ross Perot pulling 26 percent. Minor party candidates divided the rest of the votes.
The Clinton family also visited the Billings area in 1995 and he conducted a town hall meeting that was televised statewide.
In 1996, Republican Bob Dole defeated Clinton by a 44 percent to 41 percent margin, with Perot taking 14 percent of the vote.
HUBdate: “March to Victory”
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sphere: Related ContentPreviewing Today: Hillary and her daughter Chelsea co-host a “March to Victory” rally in Washington, DC. RSVP here.
Strong on the Economy: Yesterday, Hillary unveiled her retirement security plan to help Pennsylvania families save for the future. Read more about Hillary's plan and her long record of leadership on the economy.
By the Numbers: A new Rasmussen poll shows more Democrats supporting Hillary in the general election (71-64)…and viewing Hillary more favorably than Senator Obama (74-67) See results here.
If You Watch One Thing Today: Hillary goes on the air in Pennsylvania with “Level.” Watch here.
The Hillary I Know: Philadelphia Mayor Nutter lays out his case for Hillary. “I believe that Senator Clinton shares my commitment to healing lives and broken families while, at the same time, healing a nation…It's a new day in Philadelphia and Hillary Clinton is bringing new leadership…that I believe will make life better - for all of us.” Read more.
Endorsement Watch: Yesterday, the Liberty City Democratic Club, a leading LGBT political group in PA, overwhelmingly endorsed Hillary. “[Hillary’s] record of accomplishment is proof positive that she'll be a fighter for the LGBT community …We need her experience working for us." Read more.
In the States: This week, the campaign has opened new offices in Raleigh, North Carolina and in Bristol, Easton, and Norristown, Pennsylvania, as well as in Indianapolis and New Albany, Indiana.
On Tap: Tomorrow, Hillary delivers an economic policy address in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In Case You Missed It: Senator Obama’s campaign continues engaging in negative, slanderous attacks on Senator Clinton. Read more.
Just words? Senator Obama “has been found misspeaking and embellishing facts about himself more than ten times in recent months.” Read more.
Madeleine Albright pushing for Hillary Clinton
Monday, March 24, 2008
From the Gainesville Sun, by Jack Stripling:
Madeleine Albright has had some tough talks in her day.
The first female Secretary of State has met face-to-face with the likes of Slobodan Milosevic and Kim Jong Il. Now she's in another stressful negotiation, but this time it's with the superdelegates who could decide the Democratic presidential nomination.
A supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton, Albright has been working the phones to help convince superdelegates to get behind Clinton. In a tight race against Sen. Barack Obama, many pundits believe superdelegates - elected officials and other party insiders who can side with either candidate - will decide the nomination.
"My only job with the superdelegates has been to call a few of them and tell them about how great Hillary is," said Albright, who will speak at the University of Florida on Wednesday.
"I think that people need to understand the role of superdelegates," Albright added in a telephone interview with The Sun. "You know, they are not some kind of an outside force. They are mostly elected officials who understand the democratic system and have judgments to make. They are people - at least the ones I've talked to and the ones I know - ... who have a great sense of responsibility about how to have a Democratic candidate be elected."
Albright, who served as secretary of state under President Clinton, has been thinking about the nation's next commander-in-chief. Her new book, "A Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership," is a letter to the country's next leader. In the book, Albright talks about improving diplomacy to restore the "moral authority" she says has been lost under the Bush administration.
Albright covered a range of topics during her interview. Here are some excerpts:
On President Bush's recent veto of a bill that would limit tough interrogation techniques available to the CIA: "I think it's passing strange that this is something that the president of the United States would veto . . . I heard something on the radio yesterday about how people admire Jack Bauer, (the fictional hero of TV's "24" who beats information out of prisoners). But, you know, the bottom line is that when you act illegally like that it comes back at you, and then you become a victim of it yourself. So for practical purposes, it's not a good way to operate and it's illegal."
On former Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro's racially charged comments about Obama: "I do think what she said was wrong."
On whether before Sept. 11, 2001, she presumed Bush would eventually invade Iraq: "I had no idea, you know. That had not frankly occurred to me. I obviously didn't support him, and I thought that there were various issues in terms of what his experience was.
"I also followed with some interest the (administration's) lack of interest in national security issues during the first nine months. And what I found interesting also was, as we briefed our successors about how important the issues of terrorism were going to be to them, there was some question as to whether we were over-emphasizing it."
On experiences with Clinton as first lady that suggest she'd be a good president: "She was not the kind of person that sat and drank tea with the first ladies of other countries. She basically would go out into the countryside, into villages or small towns. She met with women's groups. She went to orphanages, AIDS clinics. So I saw her operate, if I might say, kind of vertically in a society - making very clear what it was like to deal with a leader, but also going out and understanding what was happening in other parts of the country."
Three Myths About the Democratic Presidential Race
Sphere: Related ContentMYTH: Barack Obama is running a positive campaign that will unite Americans.
FACT: Barack Obama and his advisers have conducted a divisive "full assault" on Hillary's character.
While talking a lot about the politics of hope, change and unity, Sen. Obama and his campaign have been conducting a relentless and singularly personal assault on Hillary's character. They have blanketed big states with false negative mailers and radio ads and have described Hillary and her campaign as "disingenuous," "divisive," "untruthful," "dishonest," "polarizing," "calculating," "saying whatever it takes to win," "attempting to deceive the American people," "one of the most secretive in America," “deliberately misleading,” “literally willing to do anything to win,” and “playing politics with war."
This "full assault" on Hillary's integrity and character has reached a new peak since Hillary's victories on March 4th. One of Sen. Obama's top surrogates equated President Clinton with Joe McCarthy; another called Hillary a "monster;" and his campaign manager held an angry conference call claiming that Hillary is "deeply flawed" and has "character issues." That's neither unifying nor hopeful. If Sen. Obama really is the prohibitive favorite some say he is, these negative attacks make absolutely no sense. Why would a frontrunner seek to attack and divide? If Sen. Obama can't unify Democrats in a primary, how can he unify Americans in a general election?
=====
MYTH: The delegate "math" works decisively against Hillary.
FACT: The delegate math reflects an extremely close race that either candidate can win.
"The Math" is actually very simple: with hundreds of delegates still uncommitted, NEITHER candidate has reached the number of delegates required to secure the nomination. And EITHER candidate can reach the required number in the coming weeks and months. That is indisputable. No amount of editorials, articles, blog posts, charts, graphs, calculations, formulas, or projections will change the basic fact that either candidate can win. Pundits who confidently proclaim that Hillary has no hope of winning because of "the math," have counted Hillary out of this race three times before. Each time they based their sober assessments on 'facts' and 'realities' -- and each time they were wrong.
In a campaign with dozens of unexpected twists and turns, bold prognostications should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism. Look no further than Sen. Obama's "full assault" on Hillary's character to judge whether he thinks this election is over. The fact is this: Hillary and Sen. Obama are locked in a very close, hard-fought campaign and Hillary is demonstrating precisely the strength of character required of a president. Her resilience in the face of adversity, her faith in the voters, her capacity to rise to every challenge, are part of the reason she is the best general election candidate for Democrats. And it is why she is increasingly strong against John McCain in the polls at the same time that Sen. Obama is dropping against Sen. McCain.
=====
MYTH: For Hillary to win, super delegates must "overturn the will of the people."
FACT: The race is virtually tied, the "will of the people" is split, and both candidates need super delegates to win.
The Obama campaign and Sen. Obama's surrogates have engaged in a sustained public relations effort to convince people that the election is over and that if super delegates perform their established role of choosing a candidate who they believe will make the best nominee and president, they are somehow "overturning the will of the people." They have the audacity to make this argument while quietly and systematically courting those very same super delegates. They are courting them because they know that Sen. Obama needs super delegates to win. The Obama spin is being parroted daily by pundits, but it is patently false. The race is virtually tied; the "will of the people" is split. By virtually every measure, Hillary and Sen. Obama are neck and neck -- separated by less than 130 of the more than 3,100 delegates committed thus far and less than 1% of the 27 million+ votes cast, including Florida and Michigan. Less than 1%.
An incremental advantage for one candidate or the other is hardly a reason for super delegates to change the rules mid-game. Despite the Obama campaign's aggressive spin and pressure, the RULES require super delegates to exercise their best independent judgment, and that is what they will do. Even Sen. Obama's top strategist agrees they should. If not, then why don't prominent Obama endorsers like Senators Kerry (MA) and Kennedy (MA), and Governors Patrick (MA), Napolitano (AZ) and Richardson (NM) follow the will of their constituents and switch their support to Hillary? After all, she won their states. And if this is truly about the "will of the people," then Sen. Obama's short-sighted tactic to run out the clock on a revote in Florida and Michigan accomplishes exactly two things: it disenfranchises Florida and Michigan's voters; and it hurts Democrats in a general election. Apparently, for the Obama campaign, the "will of the people" is just words.
HUBdate: Halting the Housing Crisis
Sphere: Related ContentPreviewing Today: Hillary delivers a major policy address in Philadelphia, PA announcing bold action to halt the housing crisis. Her 4-part plan helps millions of families facing foreclosure by expanding the government’s role in guaranteeing restructured mortgages, and promotes policies to stop the broader housing crisis and credit crisis.
Freshman Volunteer: University of Pennsylvania freshman, Patrick Bauer, volunteers 40-50 hours a week because he supports “someone who [can] deliver on Day One…Hillary is the only one who really has that experience and perspective. She's the only one who can go in on Day One and produce positive change.” Read more.
The Hillary I Know: Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz tells Pennsylvanians, “I know that Hillary…believes in our capacity as Americans to meet the challenges ahead with vigor and vision…As president, [Hillary] would put all of her extraordinary talents, depth of experience and tenacity to work for all of us: to make our nation strong and secure, to rebuild opportunity and prosperity, to restore our standing in the world.”
On the Trail: America Ferrera told Pennsylvanians in Allentown that Hillary “stands up for us…Now is our time to stand up for her.” Read more.
March Madness: Today marks the last day of Pennsylvania voter registration. Register here.
On Tap: Tomorrow in Pennsylvania, Hillary attends a “Solutions for America” round table in Greensburg.
Bill Clinton in South Bend for Dyngus Day
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Bill Clinton is heading back to Indiana to speak at the annual Dyngus (DING-es) Day event next week in South Bend.
St. Joseph County Democratic Chairman Butch Morgan says the former president has confirmed he will attend on Monday, although a specific time hasn't been set.
The annual political event is held at the West Side Democratic Club. Dyngus Day is a Polish holiday that celebrates the end of Lent, but in South Bend it's more of a political holiday where residents can meet and talk to elected leaders.
The former president was in Indiana on Tuesday, speaking at Lawrenceburg, Richmond and Fort Wayne for Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid.
A service of the Associated Press(AP)
Astin, Kennedy daughter to join Clintons for Indiana stops
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - "Lord of the Rings" actor Sean Astin and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend will be joining former President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea on their campaign swing Monday through Indiana.
Townsend, who's the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and a former Maryland lieutenant governor, will appear with Bill and Chelsea Clinton at Dyngus Day and Solidarity Day events in South Bend to support Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid.
Dyngus Day is a Polish holiday that celebrates the end of Lent, but in South Bend it's more of a political event that brings out elected leaders and candidates.
Chelsea Clinton will be joined by Astin, who starred in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the Notre Dame football movie "Rudy," during an appearance in Bloomington.
- WTHI news
Bill Clinton to visit West Lafayette
The Hillary Clinton for President campaign announced Saturday that former President Bill Clinton will appear at West Lafayette Junior-Senior high school gymnasium on Monday evening. Bill Clinton will appear at a "Solutions for America" rally Saturday at 7:30 P.M. The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.
Earlier in the day Monday, Clinton will celebrate Dyngus Day and attend a solidarity day in South Bend. He will also make appearances in Rochester and Logansport before appearing at the West Lafayette rally.
-WLFI news
Clinton to talk housing Monday
PHILADELPHIA -- Hillary Clinton will turn her attention to housing issues in a speech billed as a "major policy address" that she will give Monday morning at the University of Pennsylvania, according to a campaign source.
- The Boston Globe
Bill Clinton in Kentucky on Tuesday for public rallies
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Former President Bill Clinton will campaign on behalf of his presidential candidate wife, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, at public rallies in Frankfort, Maysville and Morehead on Tuesday, the Clinton campaign confirmed.
In addition, Clinton will visit with Gov. Steve Beshear and state Democratic legislative leaders Tuesday, probably at the Capital Plaza Complex in Frankfort, said Jerry Lundergan, Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman for Kentucky.
The former president also will stop in Paris at a time and site to be determined, attend a 3 p.m. rally at the Mason County Fieldhouse in Maysville and end the day at a 5 p.m. rally at the Morehead Convention Center, Lundergan said, adding that the times are still tentative.
Democratic Party Chairwoman Jennifer Moore said Hillary Clinton will be in Kentucky herself "soon after that" but no place and times have been set.
The Clinton campaign also is planning an April 2 event in Pikeville, Moore confirmed.
Clinton's Democratic rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, hasn't announced any Kentucky events yet.
Hillary Clinton's office says her Passport Files also breached
Friday, March 21, 2008
(CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday told Sen. Hillary Clinton that the security of her passport file were breached in 2007, according to Clinton's Senate official.
The revelation came shortly after Rice said she hed apologized to Clinton's Democratic presidential rival Sen. Barack Obama for the unauthorized viewing of his passport file by contractors working for the State Department.
Two contractors were fired and a third was disciplined after they accessed Obama's file, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Thursday.
Rice told reporters on Friday that she had apologized to Obama and that the breaches would be investigated.
"I told him I was sorry and I told him that I myself would be very disturbed in anyone had looked at my passport filed and that, therefore, I will stay on top of this," Rice said.
"We are going to do an investigation through the inspector general," she said. "None of us want us to have a situation where any American's passport file is accessed in an unauthorized way."
Rice said "it appears that the system worked" because the unathorized viewing was flagged, but "it should have been known to senior management."
The State Department will brief Clinton's staff this afternoon, a statement from her Senate office said.
"Senator Clinton will closely monitor the State Department's investigation into this and the other breaches of private passport information," the statement read.
State Department officials said Rice was told Thursday that Obama's files had been improperly viewed and that she told her staff she wanted a full investigation.
The State Department has refused to release the names of the companies that employed the contractors.
The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Harry Waxman, sent a letter to Rice asking for the companies' names and said they should be made public.
The department hires contractors to design, build and maintain their systems and help employees with searches. McCormack said two of the contractors in the Obama case were "low-level" personnel and the other was in a mid-level position with no management role.
The breach seems like "imprudent curiosity" among the contract workers, said McCormack, adding that senior management at the State Department was not aware of the incidents until Thursday afternoon. Breaches occurred January 9, February 21 and March 14.
A State Department source said passport files contain scanned images of passport applications, birth date and basic biographical information, records of passport renewal and possibly citizenship information.
Obama's campaign is asking for a complete investigation to find out who looked at his passport file and why.
"This is an outrageous breach of security and privacy, even from an administration that has shown little regard for either over the last eight years," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton in a statement.
"Our government's duty is to protect the private information of the American people, not use it for political purposes."
Doug Hattaway, a spokesman for Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama's rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, said, "If it's true, it's reprehensible, and the Bush administration has a responsibility to get to the bottom of it."
The White House declined comment Thursday evening, just hours after the State Department upper management learned of the breach.
The department would not speculate whether the information had been shared with anyone else.
"That obviously is something we are investigating," said Under Secretary of State Pat Kennedy. "I have no reason to believe they did, but I certainly am not going to be dismissive of what is a serious and valid question."
Kennedy said he will brief Obama's senior staff on Friday.
Before contractors are hired, the department runs "public integrity checks," which are standard police and name checks for people who will be handling "sensitive but nonclassified information," Kennedy said.
The background checks do not include inquiries into political affiliations, Kennedy said, saying that would be "inappropriate."
A computer-monitoring system, triggered when employees access the file of a high-profile person, caught the employees, McCormack said, emphasizing that the department's system "worked."
However, despite the trigger, senior department officials only learned of the incident Thursday afternoon, after a reporter e-mailed McCormack with a question.
"It was dealt with at the office level where the incidents occurred by the office-level supervisors, who took immediate steps when they saw this," Kennedy said.
"I will admit, they failed to pass the information up the chain to a sufficiently high level." Department officials say that after Rice was told Thursday what happened, she told her staff she wanted a full investigation.
The department would not speculate on whether the information had been shared with anyone else.
"That obviously is something we are investigating," Kennedy said. "I have no reason to believe they did, but I certainly am not going to be dismissive of what is a serious and valid question."
The news was reminiscent of a breach of Bill Clinton's passport information during the 1992 presidential campaign. The FBI launched an investigation after the State Department reported that someone had ripped out pages from his passport file from the late 1960s and '70s.
Sphere: Related ContentHUBdate: The Economy
Sphere: Related ContentReal Solutions: Yesterday, Hillary released her plan for a second stimulus package to address the housing crisis that includes $30 billion in immediate assistance to at-risk communities and families facing foreclosure. Read more.
In Case You Missed It: Recent polls show a strong swing in momentum to Hillary since the Texas and Ohio primaries...including a Rasmussen poll showing her with a strong lead in West Virginia (55-27). Read more.
Count Every Vote: Yesterday, Hillary called on Sen. Obama to support a Michigan re-vote. She said, “I do not understand what Senator Obama is afraid of, but it is going to hurt our party and our chances in November and so I would call on him, once again, to join me in giving the people of Florida and Michigan the chance to be counted as we move forward in this nominating process.” Read more.
Connecting in Terre Haute: In Terre Haute yesterday, “hundreds of Wabash Valley residents” turned out to see Hillary. “I’ve wanted all my life to meet Hillary,” said one supporter…and “over and over, local journalists remarked on her ‘surprising’ warmth, natural manner and graciousness.”
Crowds in Evansville: Hillary was greeted by “a sea of flashes and homemade signs” from over 4,000 people. Said one supporter, “This is a once in a lifetime thing.” Read more.
March Madness: During the final four days of vote registration, Pennsylvanians for Hillary will knock on thousands of doors, hold dozens of events, and reach thousands of people throughout the state. Read more and encourage all the Keystaters you know to register.
The Hillary I Know: America Ferrera supports Hillary because she is “listening to every single American, and working her hardest on all those issues that truly make a difference in their lives.” Read more.
Hillary Clinton - Evan Bayh 2008?
A photo is worth a 1000 words.
Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Hillary Clinton respond to cheers from the crowd immediately prior to her speech March 20, 2008. THE DePAUW/ ALEX TURCO
Polling Memo: The Shift to Hillary
Thursday, March 20, 2008
To: Interested PartiesSphere: Related Content
From: Mark Penn, Chief Strategist
Date: Thursday, March 20, 2008
Re: Polling Memo - The Shift to Hillary
There are some pretty big changes happening out there with the voters. Barack Obama recently declared himself the frontrunner in the race, although there are 10 contests remaining and MI and FL have not yet been decided. But a look at the polls shows that Sen. Obama’s lead nationally with Democrats has been evaporating. The Gallup daily tracking poll shows Hillary leading Sen. Obama among Democrats by 7 points, and the latest Zogby/Reuters poll has Sen. Obama’s lead down from 14 points last month to just 3 points now. This suggests a strong swing in momentum in the race to Hillary since the Texas and Ohio primaries earlier this month.
The more that the voters learn about Barack Obama, the more his ability to beat John McCain is declining compared to Hillary. For a long time we have explained that poll numbers for a candidate who has not yet been vetted or tested are not firm numbers, and we are beginning to see that clearly. Just a month ago, the Obama campaign claimed that the polls showed Barack Obama doing better than Hillary against Sen. McCain. Now such numbers are a lot harder to find.
In the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, Hillary leads John McCain by 5 points (Hillary 51 / McCain 46) while Sen. Obama is only 2 points ahead of Sen. McCain (Obama 49 / McCain 47). This is a reversal from February, when Sen. McCain led Hillary by 4 points. The latest CNN poll also shows that Hillary leads Sen. McCain by a bigger margin than Barack Obama.
In several key states, Hillary is a stronger general election candidate than Barack Obama against John McCain. For example, the latest Survey USA poll has Hillary leading Sen. McCain by 6 points in Ohio while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCain by 7 points. In Kentucky, Hillary’s margin against Sen. McCain is 26 points better than Barack Obama’s. In Missouri, Sen. Obama lags John McCain by 14 points while Hillary comes within 2 points of Sen. McCain. In Florida, the latest PPP poll shows Barack Obama losing to John McCain by 11 points while Hillary comes within 4 points of Sen. McCain. Last week's University of Central Arkansas poll showed Hillary leading Sen. Sen. McCain by 15 points in that state while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCain by 16 points. And the latest Rasmussen poll showed Hillary leading Sen. McCain by 11 points in New Jersey while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCain by 2 points.
Moreover, 24 percent of Florida Democrats say that if Florida's delegates are not counted at the Democratic convention in August, they are less likely to vote for a Democrat in November, according to the latest St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9/Miami Herald poll. Since Florida is the single largest and most important swing state in the country and nearly 1.8 million Florida Democrats voted in the January primary, Democrats must find a solution to allow Florida's delegates to count if we are to have any hope of winning in November.
And in the crucial state of Pennsylvania - the next Democratic primary battleground and the biggest state which has not yet voted - the latest Quinnipiac poll shows Hillary doubling her Democratic primary lead over Barack Obama from 6 points to 12 points. In Pennsylvania, Hillary improved among men, maintained her 24 point advantage among women, and improved among younger, older, more educated and less educated voters. She leads in every region across the state (NE, SE, NW, SW, Central, Alleghany) with the exception of Philadelphia.
Ultimately, this Democratic nominating process is meant to select the candidate who will: a) be the best president - the best commander-in-chief, steward of the economy, and exercise leadership; b) defeat John McCain; and c) promote and defend core Democratic principles such as universal health care. On all three fronts, Hillary is the best choice for the Democratic Party.
Hillary is the runaway leader on most qualified to be commander-in-chief. In the Ohio exit poll, 60 percent of Democratic primary voters said Hillary was most qualified to be commander-in-chief, compared with 37 percent for Barack Obama. In Texas, she led by 16 points, and in most other states, she led by 10 points or more. She also won among those who said the economy was the most important issue - by 12 points in Ohio, for example. And in the latest CNN poll, more voters say Hillary would do a good job on the economy than Barack Obama or John McCain. Finally, in the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, Hillary leads Barack Obama on strong and decisive leadership, managing the government effectively and having a clear plan for solving the country’s problems.
The Telegraph Gets it Wrong? Hillary in Dublin, Ireland 1995
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The following was published by the Telegraph on March 8, 2008:
Central to Mrs Clinton’s claim of an important Northern Ireland role is a meeting she attended in Belfast in with a group of women from cross-community groups. "I actually went to Northern Ireland more than my husband did," she said in Nashua, New Hampshire on January 6th.
"I remember a meeting that I pulled together in Belfast, in the town hall there, bringing together for the first time Catholics and Protestants from both traditions, having them sitting a room where they had never been before with each other because they don’t go to school together, they don’t live together and it was only in large measure because I really asked them to come that they were there.
"And I wasn’t sure it was going to be very successful and finally a Catholic woman on one side of the table said, ’You know, every time my husband leaves for work in the morning I worry he won’t come home at night.
"And then a Protestant woman on the other side said, ’Every time my son tries to go out at night I worry he won’t come home again’. And suddenly instead of seeing each other as caricatures and stereotypes they saw each other as human beings and the slow, hard work of peace-making could move forward."
There is no record of a meeting at Belfast City Hall, though Mrs Clinton attended a ceremony there when her husband turned on the Christmas tree lights in November 1995. The former First Lady appears to be referring a 50-minute event the same day, arranged by the US Consulate, the same day at the Lamp Lighter Café on the city’s Ormeau Road.
But today, Hillary Clinton's official past schedule was released by the US National Archives. You could read the entirety of the 11,000 plus pages, but to make things easier, the story appears to be talking about the event that occurred on December 1, 1995.
http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/Documents/HRC%20Years/HRC%201995.pdf
If you scan to page 1864, it provides brief summary of the days events.
On that day Hillary Clinton was in Dublin, Ireland. At or around noon that day she gave a speech at the National Gallery in Dublin, at Shaw Hall (Room). Here it appears that she gave an address to a room filled with women from North and South Ireland (the record details that there were at least 350 people), it also details that was aired on Irish National TV.
Considering all the places in the world that Hillary has been, a simple mistake as identifying that she held a speech at Belfast at a town hall, instead of Dublin at Shaw Hall, can easily be seen.
It appears that the Telegraph has also made an error in saying that this speech supposedly occurred at a cafe instead of Shaw Hall.
Of course this was just one event, there were many other events that can be found in the records. Sphere: Related Content
Hilllary Clinton Records Released
Updated 9:01AM:
The Clinton records are now available you can review them here:
http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/hrcschedules.html
The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and the National Archives will open 11,046 pages of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s White House schedules. These Presidential records will be made available in the Clinton Library research room and to the press on CDs on the day of the opening. These records will also be posted on the Clinton Library website http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/ as soon as possible.
They should be posted at or around 9:00 AM CST / 10:00 AM EST, today, Wednesday March 19, 2008.
A finding aid of these materials will also be available on the Clinton Library website
http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/textual-foia.html#0198.
These schedules are from the First Lady’s Staff files of Patti Solis Doyle, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Scheduling for the First Lady. Doyle was responsible for the First Lady’s schedule from 1993 to 1998, and then assumed additional responsibilities as Director of Advance for the First Lady throughout the rest of the Clinton Administration. Arranged chronologically, these records document in detail the activities of the First Lady, including meetings, trips, speaking engagements and social activities for the eight years of the Clinton Administration.
This file series includes schedules for 2,888 days. Clinton Library archivists processing these records subsequently determined that schedules for 32 days were not included in this series; however, schedules for 27 of those days have now been located, and will be processed as soon as possible.
Of the 11,046 pages of schedules that are being opened, 4,746 have redactions. The majority of the redactions pertain to the privacy interests of third parties, including their social security numbers, telephone numbers, and home addresses. In addition, schedules for the first 19 days in January 1993, prior to the inauguration of President Clinton and prior to Mrs. Clinton’s tenure as First Lady, have been closed in full in accordance with the Presidential Records Act. Researchers will find occasional unusual text formatting and in some cases final schedules as well as “revised final” schedules.
"First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's Daily Schedules"
"Clinton Records"
"Hillary Records"
"Clinton Library"
"The Clinton Papers"
Hillary Clinton Records to be Released Today
Updated 9:01AM:
The Clinton records are now available you can review them here:
http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/hrcschedules.html
The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and the National Archives will open 11,046 pages of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s White House schedules. These Presidential records will be made available in the Clinton Library research room and to the press on CDs on the day of the opening. These records will also be posted on the Clinton Library website http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/ as soon as possible.
They should be posted at or around 9:00 AM CST / 10:00 AM EST, today, Wednesday March 19, 2008.
A finding aid of these materials will also be available on the Clinton Library website
http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/textual-foia.html#0198.
These schedules are from the First Lady’s Staff files of Patti Solis Doyle, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Scheduling for the First Lady. Doyle was responsible for the First Lady’s schedule from 1993 to 1998, and then assumed additional responsibilities as Director of Advance for the First Lady throughout the rest of the Clinton Administration. Arranged chronologically, these records document in detail the activities of the First Lady, including meetings, trips, speaking engagements and social activities for the eight years of the Clinton Administration.
This file series includes schedules for 2,888 days. Clinton Library archivists processing these records subsequently determined that schedules for 32 days were not included in this series; however, schedules for 27 of those days have now been located, and will be processed as soon as possible.
Of the 11,046 pages of schedules that are being opened, 4,746 have redactions. The majority of the redactions pertain to the privacy interests of third parties, including their social security numbers, telephone numbers, and home addresses. In addition, schedules for the first 19 days in January 1993, prior to the inauguration of President Clinton and prior to Mrs. Clinton’s tenure as First Lady, have been closed in full in accordance with the Presidential Records Act. Researchers will find occasional unusual text formatting and in some cases final schedules as well as “revised final” schedules.
"Hillary Clinton Records"
"Clinton Records"
"Hillary Records"
"Presidential Records"
"The Clinton Papers"
Puerto Rico: The 51st State?
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
In a recent article by the Associated Press, the political spotlight is now being shown in Puerto Rico.
The article detailed that the Islanders are even divided on the question of Puerto Rico's status, choosing in nonbinding referendums to remain a U.S. commonwealth and narrowly rejecting statehood.
The article also detailed that Hillary Clinton said she would vigorously advance plans that would let Puerto Rico decide if it wants to remain a commonwealth or become a U.S. state or an independent nation.
So the question remains: Will Puerto Rico become the 51st state?
The Democratic Party 2004 Platform indicates the following:
"We believe that four million disenfranchised American citizens residing in Puerto Rico have the right to the permanent and fully democratic status of their choice. The White House and Congress will clarify the realistic status options for Puerto Rico and enable Puerto Ricans to choose among them".
The population of Puerto Rico in the 2000 census was 3,927,776. Kentucky ranked 26th, with 4,206,074, and Oregon ranked 27th, with 3,700,758.
"Puerto Rico 51st state"
"Puerto Rico the 51st state"
"Puerto Rico becomes the 51st state"
Hillary Clinton Delivers Remarks on Ending the War in Iraq
Monday, March 17, 2008
Hillary Clinton delivered the following remarks at the George Washington University this morning:
Click here to see Hillary’s full plan for ending the war in Iraq.
Click here for the full transcript.
Good morning. I want to thank Secretary West for his years of service, not only as Secretary of the Army, but also to the Veteran’s Administration, to our men and women in uniform, to our country. I certainly do remember that trip to Bosnia, and as Togo said, there was a saying around the White House that if a place was too small, too poor, or too dangerous, the president couldn't go, so send the First Lady. That’s where we went.
I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base. But it was a moment of great pride for me to visit our troops, not only in our main base as Tuzla, but also at two outposts where they were serving in so many capacities to deactivate and remove landmines, to hunt and seek out those who had not complied with the Dayton Accords and put down their arms, and to build relationships with the people that might lead to a peace for them and their children.
.So it's a great honor being introduced by Secretary West. I also want to thank rear Admiral David Stone who commanded the fleet off of Kosovo and was an instrumental part of our successful efforts there. And Brigadier General Pat Foote and Major General George Buskirk who are representing the more than 30 generals and admirals who have endorsed me and who provide great assistance and counsel to me and to my staff. I want to thank President Steven Knapp for once again being the host. I’m getting credit for coming to GW, I come so often, and I’m thrilled to have that added to my academic career. And I want to thank the faculty, the staff, and the students at this great university.
I started my morning meeting with the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to talk about the peace process in Northern Ireland, and it was a stark reminder of how long the road is toward peace, but how necessary it must be that we travel it. And we travel it with like-minded friends and allies and those willing to take risks for peace around the world. It has been five years this week since our president took us to war in Iraq. In that time, our brave men and women in uniform have done everything we ask of them and more. They were asked to remove Saddam Hussein from power and bring him to justice and they did. They were asked to give the Iraqi people the opportunity for free and fair elections and they did. They were asked to give the Iraqi government the space and time for political reconciliation, and they did. So for every American soldier who has made the ultimate sacrifice for this mission, we should imagine carved in stone "they gave their life for the greatest gift one can give to a fellow human being, the gift of freedom." And to our veterans and all those serving in Iraq today, I want to send a strong and clear message - your extraordinary devotion to our country and to your service makes us proud and profoundly grateful every single day.
The mistakes in Iraq are not the responsibility of our men and women in uniform but of their Commander-in-Chief. From the decision to rush to war without allowing the weapons inspectors to finish their work or waiting for diplomacy to run its course. To the failure to send enough troops and provide proper equipment for them. To the denial of the existence of a rising insurgency and the failure to adjust the military strategy. To the continued support for a government unwilling to make the necessary political compromises. The command decisions were rooted in politics and ideology, heedless of sound strategy and common sense.
Fortunately, ten months from now we will have a new president, and a new opportunity to change course in Iraq. Therefore, the critical question is how can we end this war responsibly and restore America’s leadership in the world? It won't be easy. There is no magic wand to wave. Bringing our troops home safely will take a president who is ready to be Commander-in-Chief on day one, a president who knows our military and has earned their respect. Bringing lasting stability to the region will take a president with the strength and determination, the knowledge and confidence to bring our troops home; to rebuild our military readiness, to care for our veterans, and to redouble our efforts against al-Qaeda. If you give me the chance, I will be that president.
I will start by facing the conditions on the ground in Iraq as they are, not as we hope or wish them to be. President Bush points to the reduction in violence in Iraq last year and claims the surge is working. Now, I applaud any decrease in violence. That is always good news. But the point of the surge was to give the Iraqis the time and space for political reconciliation. Yet today, the Iraqi government has failed to provide basic services for its citizens. They have yet to pass legislation ensuring the equitable distribution of oil revenues, yet even to pass a law setting the date of provincial elections. Corruption and dysfunction is rampant, and last week General Petraeus himself conceded that no one, in either the U.S. government or the Iraqi government, feels that there has been sufficient progress by any means in the area of national reconciliation.
So by the middle of this summer when the additional surge forces have been sent home, we'll be right back at square one with 130,000 or more troops on the ground in Iraq. That President Bush seems to want to keep as many troops there after the surge as before and says that doing otherwise would endanger our progress is a clear admission that the surge has not accomplished its goals. Meanwhile, as we continue to police Iraq’s civil war, the threats to our national security, our economy, and our standing in the world continue to mount.
The lives of our brave men and women are at stake. Nearly 4,000 of them have, by now, made that ultimate sacrifice. Tens of thousands more have suffered wounds both visible and invisible to their bodies, their minds, and their hearts. Their families have sacrificed, too, in empty places at the dinner table, in the struggle to raise children alone, in the wrenching reversal of parents burying children. The strength of our military is at stake. Only one of our army brigades is certified by the army to be ready. Our armed forces are stretched to near the breaking point with many of our troops on their second, third, or fourth tours of duty. Our economic security is at stake. Taking into consideration the long-term costs of replacing equipment and providing medical care for troops and survivors' benefits for their families, the war in Iraq could ultimately cost well over $1 trillion. That is enough to provide health care for all 47 million uninsured Americans and quality pre-kindergarten for every American child, solve the housing crisis once and for all, make college affordable for every American student, and provide tax relief to tens of millions of middle class families.
Our ability to win the war in Afghanistan is at stake. When I first visited Afghanistan in 2003, I was greeted by a soldier who said, "Welcome to the forgotten front line in the war on terror." Since then, the Taliban and al Qaeda have continued to gain new footholds throughout the country, and as a result, the overall terrorist threat, as our own intelligence community has noted, is growing.
Finally, our leadership in the world and our ability to front global challenges, present and future, is at stake. From extremism in Pakistan, to nuclear ambitions in Iran and North Korea, to troubling antidemocratic trends in Russia and Latin America, to the threat of global epidemics and global warming and to the rise of China. The more the world regards us with suspicion rather than admiration, the more difficult it is to confront these challenges. Despite the evidence, President Bush is determined to continue his failed policy in Iraq until he leaves office. And Senator McCain will gladly accept the torch and stay the course, keeping troops in Iraq for up to 100 years if necessary.
They both want to keep us tied to another country's civil war, a war we cannot win. That in a nutshell is the Bush/McCain Iraq policy. Don’t learn from your mistakes, repeat them. Well, here is the inescapable reality. We can have hundreds of thousands of troops on the ground for 100 years, but that will not change the fact that there is no military solution to the situation in Iraq.
And don't just take it from me. At his confirmation hearing, Admiral Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that without national political reconciliation, no amount of troops in no amount of time will make much of a difference. We simply cannot give the Iraqi government an endless blank check. Each passing month we stay in Iraq gives the Iraqi government more time to avoid the hard decisions on how to split the oil money and how to share political power. Senator McCain and president bush claim withdrawal is defeat. Well, let's be clear, withdrawal is not defeat. Defeat is keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years.
We simply cannot give the Iraqi government an endless blank check. Each passing month we stay in Iraq gives the Iraqi government more time to avoid the hard decisions on how to split the oil money and how to share political power.
Senator McCain and President Bush claim withdrawal is defeat. Well, let's be clear, withdrawal is not defeat. Defeat is keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years. Defeat is straining our alliances and losing our standing in the world. Defeat is draining our resources and diverting attention from our key interests.
Now, withdrawal is not risk-free, but the risks of staying in Iraq are certain. And a well-planned withdrawal is the one and only path to a political solution. The only way to spur the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future and to ensure that we don't bear that responsibility indefinitely. The only way to spur other countries to do their part to help secure stability in the region. The commitment to staying in Iraq has driven President Bush's foreign policy. It looks like it would drive Senator McCain’s foreign policy as well, but it will not drive mine. My foreign policy will be driven by what is in America’s national security interests.
So it is time to end this war as quickly and responsibly as possible. That has been my mission in the Senate, and it will be my mission starting on day one as president of the United States.
For the past five years, I have served on the Senate Armed Services Committee. I have been to Iraq and Afghanistan three times. I have met with our soldiers and military leaders. I have met with Iraqi, local, regional, and national elected and other influential officials. Here at home I’ve attended countless meetings and committee hearings where I have challenged high-ranking Pentagon officials and military leaders investigating the situation in Iraq, probing the facts presented, and demanding real answers to tough questions. And I am honored that more than 30 of America’s most esteemed former admirals and generals, including two former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and five retired officers of the four-star rank have endorsed my candidacy.
The American people don't have to guess whether I’m ready to lead or whether I understand the realities on the ground in Iraq or whether I’d be too dependent on advisers to help me determine the right way forward. I’ve been working day-in and day-out in the Senate to provide leadership to end this war. That’s why I cosponsored legislation with Senator Robert Byrd to reauthorize the war, legislation that would actually end the president's authority to fight it.
That’s why I’ve started laying the ground work for a swift and responsible withdrawal beginning in early 2009 by demanding that the Pentagon start planning for it now. I’ve introduced legislation ensuring that Congress would be briefed on those plans and that's also why I’m working to block President Bush's effort to keep this war going after he leaves office. I’ve introduced legislation banning him from unilaterally negotiating a long-term security commitment to Iraq, including the possibility of permanent bases.
I believe what matters in this campaign is not just the promises we've made to end the war; what matters is what we've actually done when it came time to match words with action. Because more than anything else, what we've done is an indication of what we'll do.
Now, my Democratic opponent talks a great deal about a speech he gave in 2002, and I commend him for making that speech. Speaking out for what you believe is a solemn, patriotic duty. He is asking us to judge him by his words, and words can be powerful, but only if the speaker translates them into action and solutions. Senator Obama holds up his original opposition to the war on the campaign trail, but he didn't start working aggressively to end the war until he started running for president. So when he had a chance to act on his speech, he chose silence instead. And out campaigning Senator Obama tells voters that as president he'd withdraw combat brigades from Iraq within 16 months, but one of his top foreign policy advisers told a different story. She told a British television reporter, and I quote, "he will, of course, not rely on some plan that he's crafted as a presidential candidate or as a U.S. Senator." Senator Obama has said often that words matter. I strongly agree. But giving speeches alone won't end the war and making campaign promises you might not keep certainly won't end it. In the end the true test is not the speeches a president delivers, it's whether the president delivers on the speeches.
I have concrete, detailed plans to end this war, and I have not waivered in my commitment to follow through on them. One choice in this election is Senator McCain. He’s willing to keep this war going for 100 years. You can count on him to do that. Another choice is Senator Obama who has promised to bring combat troops out in 16 months, but according to his foreign policy adviser, you can't count on him to do that. In uncertain times, we cannot afford uncertain leadership.
Here’s what you can count on me to do: provide the leadership to end this war quickly and responsibly. Today I’d like to talk about how I will do that, how as president, I will bring our troops home, work to bring stability in the region, and replace military force with a new diplomatic initiative to engage countries around the world in helping to secure Iraq’s future.
The most important part of my plan is the first step, to bring our troops home and send the strongest possible message to the Iraqis that they must take responsibly for their own future. No more talk of permanent occupation, no more policing a civil war, no more doing for the Iraqis what they need to be doing for themselves. As president, one of my first official actions will be to convene the Joint Chiefs of Staff, my Secretary of Defense and my National Security Council and direct them to draw up a clear, viable plan to start bringing our troops home within the first 60 days of my taking office. A plan based on my consultation with the military to remove one to two brigades a month, a plan that reduces the risks of attack as they depart.
As we bring our troops home, I will ensure we are fully prepared to take care of them and their families once they have returned. I will direct the Department of Defense and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs to prepare a comprehensive plan to provide the highest quality of health care, disability benefits, and social services for every single service member including every member of the National Guard and Reserve as well as their families, and I will make sure this plan is promptly implemented.
In the Senate I’m proud to have reached across the aisle to provide access to TRICARE for all members of the National Guard and reserve, even when they're not deployed. and to have passed my heroes at home act to help family members care for those who traumatic brain injury, the signature injury of this war because I believe when brave men and women sign up to serve our country, we sign up to serve them too.
That is why I will also immediately adopt Representative John Murtha’s urgent proposal to reduce the strain on our troops by reducing the permissible length of overseas deployments. Going forward, we will ensure that our troops spend as much time at tome as they have spent deployed. So every month they spend in the field, they will be guaranteed one month here at home.
I will also implement a proposal that I, Representative Murtha, and others have been calling for, requiring that before any brigade is deployed, the Secretary of Defense must certify to Congress that it is fully combat ready. Sending brigades that do not meet this standard puts our soldiers in danger and our mission in Iraq or elsewhere at risk.
In addition to removing American troops from Iraq, I will also work to remove armed private military contractors who are conducting combat-oriented and security functions in Iraq. For five yeas their behavior and lack of supervision and accountability have often eroded our credibility, endangered U.S. and Iraqi lives and undermined our mission. Now, Senator Obama and I have a substantive disagreement here. He won't rule out continuing to use armed private military contractors in Iraq to do jobs that historically have been done by the U.S. military or government personnel. When I am president I will ask the Joint Chiefs for their help in reducing reliance on armed private military contractors. With the goal of ultimately implementing a ban on such contractors.
I’ve already cosponsored the Stop Security Outsourcing Act requiring that security services for personnel at any U.S. diplomatic or consular mission be provided only by federal government personnel.
It’s also a time we put an end, once and for all, to the no-bid contracts that squander taxpayer money while lining the pockets of the president's cronies. Between 2000 and 2006, spending on no-bid contracts more than doubled, representing half of all federal procurement spending. Today companies like Halliburton are enjoying record profits thanks to a 700% increase in taxpayer funds awarded to them. But a recent congressional report identified 187 contracts valued at $1.1 trillion where federal audit