Hillary Clinton in Haiti, Relief Helicopters Dropping Supplies to Needy

From Denny: The Obama administration held off sending Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Haiti initially so as not to take away from Haiti any of the news cycle. They did not want the media focused upon "the Americans" visiting instead of focused upon what the Haitian people needed. Finally, an Oval Office resident with some decency, sensitivity and class.

The earthquake erupted in Haiti late Tuesday afternoon. Secretary Clinton scheduled her visit for Saturday as by then she would have more details to relate to the Haitian government of what America will be doing in their relief efforts. She also negotiated permission from the Haitian government to allow our military to take temporary control of the airport in order to fully staff and properly facilitate faster flights in and out to which the Prime Minister agreed.

The world beat a path to Haiti's door to help but without anyone to help them land or off load desperately needed medical supplies, food and water in an efficient manner. Secretary Clinton was successful in receiving permission for a few days to be negotiated again as needed.

"America is here to help," she says.


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Rescue efforts turn to the next phase of recovery efforts:


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Take a look at this brief clip to get an idea of the logistics of how difficult it is to get supplies directly to the people:



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Current State of Haiti 3 Days After Quake

From Denny: Situation grows worse even as aid spills into Haiti. Tens of thousands are found dead and the list is growing. Haitians are frustrated and angry even though 20 countries have sent aid it still is a problem getting it to the people.

40,000 are now buried and estimates are 100,000 dead but no one yet knows for sure how many will be found in the coming weeks as the country digs out from this natural disaster.

Sec. of State Hillary Clinton is due to travel to Haiti tomorrow to offer comfort and support. President Obama has already pledged over $100 million toward the initial effort to help Haiti in their hour of need.

This is the news broadcast in its entirety so you can get a feel for the fluidity of the situation:

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4 of 10 Top Quotes of 2009

*** Thought you might enjoy a teaser of Cheeky Quote Day! This is an excerpt from the full post over at The Social Poets:

Political Cats!From Denny: Some of the cheekiest - most irreverent or most odd - quotes were uttered in the year of 2009 in America. There are times when I wonder if there are regions of the country with lead in the water, sounding as bizarre as ancient Rome did right before they destroyed their empire. The ancient Romans poisoned themselves with lead in their wine, unknowingly, that also sterilized them, dropping the population of the ruling aristocracy. Their increasing bizarre behavior is well documented historically and, of course, Hollywood celebrated it with many a movie. After all, villains are great story grist! :)

I knew there was a verbal bridge somewhere in here... more like a teetering wood suspension bridge in the Amazon... 2009 has been a very bizarre year for quotes from politicians in particular and a few celebrities too. Notice that Tiger Woods is noticeably silent. Maybe he's saving his quotes for 2010. Stay tuned...

1. "Do ya think?" he's: Holding Back

"He deserves my silence."

— George W. Bush, former President, refusing to criticize President Barack Obama during a speech in March, his first address since leaving office. Yet the Republicans didn't waste any time later in the year, propelling Bush out in front to take the fire for complaining about Obama's job performance and handling of terrorism issues.

Hmmmm... yes, Obama still deserves his silence. The man was a hack in the Presidency so what real advice could he offer? The majority of the time he never watched nor read the news, depending upon filtered information from jealous coveting-the-power aides like Rove.



Photo by Ross D. Franklin/Getty

2. Obama's Persistent Peanut Gallery (OPPG) throwing rotten tomatoes:

"The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care."

— Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor, rambling all over the place on her Facebook page, whiner lying about a provision of the proposed health care bill that called for Medicare to reimburse doctors for counseling patients on end-of-life-care issues such as living wills and hospice availability. Somehow, she had reading comprehension problems and started screaming death panels are in the bill when clearly they are not.



3. Perilously Close on the Heels of Republican Retreads

"I'm happy to get good ideas from across the political spectrum, from Democrats and Republicans. What I won't do is return to the failed theories of the last eight years that got us into this fix in the first place, because those theories have been tested, and they have failed. And that's what part of the election in November was all about."

— President Obama, during his first official press conference, on 9 Feb 2009. What's annoying is when you follow such a disastrous act like Bush and Cheney who basically broke several world governments, is that you are forced to continue some of the same policies until you can stabilize a region, beginning new policies to repair all the damage.

So it goes in American politics for decades: Republicans like to blow up the world and Democrats come in behind them to clean up their mess. Then the public gets angry it takes too long to clean up the mess and choose Republicans again, thinking the economy will pick up. There is a real disconnect of the American voter with an understanding of just how long it takes to repair a mess and then gin up the economy.



4. The Commies Are Coming! The Commies Are Coming! Stay safe; hide under your school desk when the nukes hit. (Now there's a plan.)

"I don't want this country turning into Russia, turning into a socialized country. My question for you is, What are you going to do to restore this country back to what our founders created according to the Constitution?"

— Katy Abram, a Pennsylvania mother, speaking at a health care town hall moderated by Senator Arlen Specter in August in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. If this woman knew what she was talking about, understood economics, international diplomacy and common sense, and actually cared if women got equal pay for the same job, well, she would never have voted Republican in the first place. These guys are the ones who sent our country careening out of control financially for decades starting with President Reagan and his paranoid Star Wars concept.

*** For the full post and quotes 5 - 10: including Michael Jackson, Hillary Clinton, Berlusconi, David Letterman and con man Madoff, visit The Social Poets, go here.

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Video: Hillary Clinton Verbally Scours Pakistani Govt, Nukes at Stake if Pakistan Loses Control

From Denny: Hillary's bluntness was not exactly the hallmark of former quality diplomacy in diplomatic circles where they are accustomed to getting their egos massaged for doing nothing. The motto of "preening and not doing" is not the way of the new administration's State Department in America. Times have changed from the idiot Bush years and it was important to shock Pakistan into realizing how dire is their situation. The truth stings our egos. Better to get stung and live than hide, thinking we will survive this battle for the country.

While it is understandable the Pakistani people are shocked at such public bluntness and gave America some serious blowback in the press, they might want to consider another perspective. Pakistan and America have had eight years to get this problem of terrorists handled; both have failed miserably.

Pakistan fell into the same ego trap and made the same mistake America and every other country does at some point in their history: back some group because they too hate the group they are fighting. Then that foolish act turns around and bites them. In Pakistan's case, the very militants they backed against America have now turned on Pakistan. Why? They want those nuclear weapons and will not stop until they get them. Now, Pakistan is in for the fight of their lives to destroy the monster they created. Welcome to Big Boy Countries 101. It's imperative that Pakistan take back all control and cede not one inch of land or government control to the terrorists. Give them an inch and they will shoot you in your sleep; count on it.

For now, it's more important to the safety of the Pakistani people to protect themselves and for America and the rest of the world to help support them in their endeavor. Quit worrying about egos and the anger Pakistan had at Bush spilling over onto Obama. Obama is not Bush.

While in the Middle East memories are centuries long over this or that slight or major catastrophe, it's important to work with what we know right now and with the people we know. We must begin anew and build quality relationships of trust. It's time to quit the centuries long squabbling, America included, and get serious about learning how to live in Peace with each other. No one said we had to like each other, approve of each other or adopt each other's cultures. What we can do is be respectful that we all deserve to share the same planet.

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Here she frankly discusses the past relationship of Pakistan and America as not always to the benefit of the Pakistani people. There is a real "trust deficit" on the part of Pakistan with America. She is working on repairing the relationship mess from past American administrations. It's like a wayward husband who is a serial cheater, saying, "But, baby, trust me one more time." The wife grows weary of getting her heart trounced. If there is anyone who understands how truly difficult it is to trust someone who has hurt you, it's Hillary Clinton whose husband, Bill Clinton, was publicly impeached over an affair. Pakistan's reticience is understandable. They will need to start spending some time to get to know the new America and then make their judgment about trust:

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The first part of this video is similar to the above one but keep listening as Hillary offers more and they discuss Afghanistan too:

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What Hillary is trying to impress upon Pakistan is the dire need to save their country. If the government is too weak to protect the nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of the terrorists, count on it that whomever feels the most threatened in the region of those nukes falling into the wrong hands will enter the battle, transforming both the terrorists and Pakistan into a footnote in history.

4 Videos: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Interviewed About Iran Nukes

From Denny: Here's what I like about female Democrats in government positions, the ability to speak clearly in no uncertain terms about a situation. Most Republican women tend to play "follow the leader" on "rhetoric speak" continuing to add insult to injury which is why I never take them seriously. They continue to refuse to own an original thought that was not dictated by a Republican war room strategist. A notable exception, who is trying to be a real lawmaker in tough economic times for her state and the country, is Republican Senator Olympia Snow of Maine who can be respected for using her mind to bring her best to the table. Whether you agree with her or not at least she is acting like the people's representative.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sat down for an interview with CBS host Harry Smith to discuss America's view of the developing nuclear situation with Iran. Iran insists upon playing the world villain, never realizing they are only causing formerly disparate governments like China and Russia to unite with the West as allies. No one wants an insane leader to own nukes.

Here's Sunday's updated video from Face The Nation - 27 Sept 2009:


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Friday, 25 Sept 2009:


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Here's what President Obama had to say on Friday about Iran. Frankly, I wouldn't give Iran 3 months to comply. In all fairness, the President did make this statement before Iran foolishly released missiles. I can only imagine what Israel is thinking. Whatever Israel chooses to do, no one in the international community will hinder them.


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Some news analysis about how President Obama can benefit from this current crisis:

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Video: Hillary in South Africa Tour

From Denny: Hillary was warmly welcomed in South Africa and clearly enjoyed her visit! She has pledged to support South Africa's efforts in Zimbabwe. Clinton also visited with famed leader Nelson Mandela.

Video: Hillary Clinton's Cutting Edge Digital Diplomacy

From Denny: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton goes high tech for the stodgey State Department! She's bringing government out of the Stone Age with cutting edge technology and connecting up with every day citizens here in America and around the world. When she travels to other countries the new techonolgy makes it possible for folks online to ask her questions directly as if they are there in her global town hall. Check out what she's up to from this video. "Two" words: AWE SOME! :)

Video: Hillary Taking Charge

From Denny: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may not have been elected President but she sure got the next best thing: America's Chief Diplomat. The reality is that her personality is actually best suited to the job. She isn't flashy yet is a tenacious bulldog who can hang in there for the long term until a project is concluded.

She also isn't shy about standing up for what is right. On Meet The Press this past weekend she definitely laid down the law with Iran in no uncertain terms; I loved it!

"Secretary Of State, Hillary Clinton is laying down the law, not just with Iran and North Korea, but here in the U.S. As for foreign policy, Clinton is leading the charge. Kimberly Dozier reports."


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Advice for Caroline Kennedy

Personally, I'm glad NY Governor David Paterson decided to choose a lesser-known New York politico for the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton, passing over two leading celebrity pols: Caroline Kennedy and State AG Andrew Cuomo. It's good to give new talent a chance. Whether upstate Cong. Kirsten Gillibrand will be able to handle to bright lights and unblinking eyes of the NY media, time will now tell.

Still, I sympathize for Caroline Kennedy. By every appearance, she seems a very decent private person who does a lot of good for important causes. But she allowed herself to be pressured into launching a dismal campaign w/o basic preparation, marked by poor staff work, and no clear message, hoping that her name, her place in the public heart as cute cuddly child of JFK, plus strong-arming by high-powered family backers like uncle Ted Kennedy, would make up for lack of qualifications. It created an image (fair or not) of an undeserving, spoiled celebrity demanding a prize she never earned.

Even fans of Kennedys (and I count myself one) cringed at the spectacle. She was simply the wrong Kennedy cousin for the job, since so many others have built strong records of public service over the years. Not surprisingly, it all failed.

So, on the day after it all collapsed, my advice for Caroline Kennedy is this:

First, accept failure as failure. Don't gripe at the press or the governor. Don't complain about mud-slinging. That's all part of the game. The problem was on your side. Your basic campaign failed. If you ever expect to try again, you must now go back, thoroughly dissect what went wrong, and learn from it. Consider the whole thing as a tuition payment for a first-rate education in real-life politics.

Second, have a good laugh. Self-deprecating humor is the most healthy kind, both for your own psyche as well as public consumption. Your campaign's collossal loss can soon make a very funny story for you to tell. And if you lead the laugh, it takes out the sting.

Third, close the door and scream at your advisors. They did a terrible job. Before sending you out before the press, why on earth did they not train you, prep you, make you practice in front of a camera, pepper you with tough questions, send you to campaign boot camp? It was their job to show you your weaknesses so your could fix them. (Like all those on-camera "you knows.") Instead, they fed you to the lions and stood aside. It was their fault. Don't let them off the hook.

Finally, go back to enjoying life. Your have a good one. That age-old wisdom is true: The best revenge is living well.

I wish best of luck to Caroline and Kirsten both. All the best. --KenA

Gasp! Where are the leaders?

My chief reaction to Hillary Clinton's stunning wins in Texas and Ohio, which have now extended her epic race with Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination for at least six more weeks (not unlike the groundhog seeing his shadow) until the Pennsylvania primary on April 22, was this: Fear.


Will so much more of this increasingly ugly campaign help Democrats ultimately defeat John McCain in November to re-take the White House? Or is this turn of events now setting up Democrats to lose all the marbles once again in what otherwise should be a sure-win year?


No, I am not suggesting that Clintin should drop out. She has won her right to compete fair and square by her clean primary wins last week. That's not the point. The issue is quality.


No, Barack Obama does not deserve a free ride to the nomination. He has a duty to answer questions about the Tony Rezko trial, his views on NAFTA and Israel, his recent staff gaffes, and all the rest -- just as Hillary Clinton has a duty to disclosure her tax returns, funding sources for the Clintin library, presidential papers, and explain the basis of her 3 am phone calls. Yes, a tough campaign can make them both tougher fighters in the end, and help clear the air on thorny issues. And yes, this ongoing contest has worked wonderfully so far to build interest, enthusiasm, and turnout.


But all these positives are fragile. And lately, the trend is ominous. We Democrats have a history of bloodying ourselves in internal battles producing weakened, losing candidates. Think Jimmy Carter 1980 or Hubert Humphrey 1968 (and for the historians in the room, Al Smith 1928, James Cox 1920, or even Stephen Douglas 1860).

What bothers me about the Hillary Clinton campaign today is that it seeems to smell blood and has chosen to base its strategy on simply tearing down its opponent. Turning loose dogs of war is always brings risks of the unknown. (See Iraq.) The more she attacks, the more Obama will need to attack back. And if she loses the contest and Obama becomes her collateral damage, losing to McCain in November, this seems to bother her circle less than losing the nomination itself.

And that galls the hell out of me. Because priority number one in 2008 is to win back the White House. Otherwise, this whole terrific primary contest has all been one big banal waste of time.

So now is the time for the Democratic leaders -- Al Gore, Nancy Polosi, Joe Biden, so on -- to act like leaders. They should step in and restore order. I'd like to see them call a big summit meeting, bring Clinton and Obama together, make them sit side by side, and read them the Riot Act. The message should be simple: Campaign your hearts out, but keep this civil. Strike a deal: Whoever has the most elected delegates once the primaries are over (with whatever special arrangement is made for Florida and Michigan) should be deemed the winner, and the loser should promise to concede then and there.

The Party should refuse to support either one of them who conducts himself or herself in a way to undermine a victory in November.

Personally, I happen to like both of our semi-finalists and think either one would make a terrific candidate. Maybe I'm just over-reacting, being in a grumpy mood from having a skin cancer removed this week. (How about that. I buried the lead. Don't worry, by the way. It went fine.)

In any event, that's my rant for this pretty Sunday morning here in Washington. Tonight I fly to Minneapolis (11 degrees and snow) to visit a very likeable client in the very likeable Midwest.

Hope things are well. I'm off for more coffee. --KenA