Canadians come to Clinton's defense

Posted By P.J. Aroon Tuesday, April 6, 2010 - 2:52 PM

After Canadians sounded off against Secretary Clinton this weekend, some have now come to her defense. Under the headline, "Hillary Clinton's 'fighting words' a plea to talk," the Toronto Star's deputy editorial page editor writes:

What was she thinking? And who does she think she is?

Forget the fulminations: at least Hillary Clinton knows her own mind. Canada, by contrast, doesn't quite know what to think about Afghanistan anymore. And doesn't want to talk about it.

…

Clinton's real motive was to go over the heads of [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper and [Foreign Minister Lawrence] Cannon to the Canadian people -- and get us talking about Afghanistan again. These weren't fighting words, nor even a finger-wagging lecture. This was a plea for straight talk between friends -- and among Canadians.

Another Canadian criticizes an April 2 political cartoon in Montreal's Gazette that accuses Clinton of being "pushy." The letter writer points out: "I hardly think a male politician would be demonized for being 'pushy' when he aggressively pursues an agenda he believes in."

Clinton is a gutsy tough-talker; she says what needs to be said.

ROGERIO BARBOSA/AFP/Getty Images

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EXPLORE:NORTH AMERICA, CANADA, HILLARY, MEDIA

Clinton in Canada for Haiti Meeting

Posted By P.J. Aroon Monday, January 25, 2010 - 10:24 PM

Secretary Clinton is in Montreal today for a preliminary meeting about earthquake relief in Haiti. The meeting is expected to lead to a larger donors conference in the next 30 to 60 days. Clinton's remarks about the meeting and relief efforts in Haiti, made while she was en route to Canda earlier today, are here. (Above, Clinton on Jan. 20 gives an update on the Haiti situation and announces she's going to Montreal for a meeting on providing relief.)

Here at FP, five experts weigh in on how best to help devastated Port-au-Prince. And, photos on our site show the devastation.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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Book explains how Clinton 'won' in 2008

Posted By P.J. Aroon Monday, August 17, 2009 - 4:00 PM

Hillary Clinton, June 1, 2008 | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Thumbnail image from Penn State Live, Aug. 12, 2009 A new book has just come out: Almost Madam President: Why Hillary Clinton "Won" in 2008, by Nichola D. Gutgold, a professor at Penn State University, Lehigh Valley, who researches the communication skills that women need in order to achieve success in fields dominated by men.

According to a PSU news release, Gutgold argues that "Hillary Clinton gained more than she lost in her bid for the presidency." The book examines Clinton's communication skills and the media coverage she received during the 2008 primaries, including stump speeches, debates, and memorable media moments. Gutgold says in the news release:

"All around the world women are presidents and prime ministers, yet in America, we have yet to elect the first woman president. … Hillary Clinton won almost 18 million votes, and was the first front-runner woman candidate. I wanted this book to be a rhetorical journey through the 2008 primary and analyze the role communication played in how close Clinton came to being the Democratic nominee."

Journalist Helen Thomas says of the book:

This book offers a marvelous thesis, that Hillary Clinton's loss of the presidency is still a win for all women daring to go where they haven't been before."

I haven't read the book, but it sounds like a positive angle on a campaign defeat that left many Clinton supporters deflated.

Photos, top to bottom: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images, thumbnail image from Penn State Live

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Hillary Clinton headed to Niagara Falls

Posted By P.J. Aroon Friday, June 12, 2009 - 8:35 PM

Niagara Falls, Oct. 8, 2006

Secretary Clinton will be spending Saturday at beautiful Niagara Falls. During her visit to Canada, her first as secretary of state, she will attend a ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canada-U.S. Boundary Waters Treaty.

More importantly, though, she'll be discussing trade protectionism. Many Canadians are concerned that the Buy American restrictions in the U.S. stimulus law are hurting their businesses.

Photo: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

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'Clinton legacy' dealt a blow with McAuliffe's defeat?

Posted By P.J. Aroon Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 4:15 PM

Terry McAuliffe, Hillary Clinton, May 13, 2008

An Associated Press headline I came across this morning: "McAuliffe defeat another blow to Clinton legacy"

For those of you who don't keep up with Virginia politics, Terry McAuliffe (the former chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, seen above on May 13, 2008, at a primary-night celebration in Charleston, W.Va.) was recently defeated in Virginia's Democratic gubernatorial primary. The longtime fundraiser and friend of the Clintons received plenty of support from Bill Clinton. The former president made appearances at five rallies, spoke in radio ads and telephone robocalls, and attended a fundraiser (in fact, McAuliffe raised almost double what the primary winner, Creigh Deeds, did).

Deeds ended up winning 10 of Virginia's 11 congressional districts, however, an outcome that the article says leads to one conclusion: "The Clinton star power doesn't necessarily translate into votes."

Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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Clinton campaign office hostage-taker sues hospital

Posted By P.J. Aroon Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 3:04 PM

Remember how a man with psychiatric problems took hostages at a Clinton campaign office in New Hampshire in late 2007? Well, now he's suing a hospital and psychiatric-care provider for failing to treat his mental illness. The man was given a three-year sentence last fall.

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Clinton to deliver Barnard's commencement address

Posted By P.J. Aroon Monday, May 18, 2009 - 1:45 PM

Hillary Clinton at NYU commencement, May 13, 2009

New York University isn't the only place where Secretary Clinton will have delivered a commencement address this graduation season. Today she speaks at Barnard College's commencement ceremony. She'll also receive the Barnard Medal of Distinction. The ceremony will be webcast live starting at 1:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern time through the link on this page.

Clinton will close her day by dining with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

9:00 a.m. “Following In Her Footsteps” Breakfast Honoring Eleanor Roosevelt
1:15 p.m. Barnard College Commencement Ceremony in New York, NY
NOTE: The commencement will be webcast beginning at 1:30 p.m. via the following link:
www.barnard.edu/commencement/2009
7:00 p.m. Host working dinner for His Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel

Photo: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images

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Anti-Hillary movie gets 'screening' at the Supreme Court

Posted By P.J. Aroon Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 3:59 PM

Hillary: The Movie, the anti-Hillary documentary created by the conservative group Citizens United, is the subject of arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court today. The court will determine whether such type of political movies should be regulated the way that political ads are during election seasons.