12.5.14 CTR Weekend TPs

From:burns.strider@americanbridge.org To: CTRFriendsFamily@americanbridge.org Date: 2014-12-05 18:57 Subject: 12.5.14 CTR Weekend TPs

​Hi all, Please find Correct The Record's weekend talking points package both attached and below. *12.5.14 Weekend Package* *1. *Hillary Clinton’s Remarks on Events in Ferguson and Staten Island *2. *Hillary Clinton: Stemming the Tide of Climate Change TPs *3. *New Benghazi Report Proves Right Wing Wrong TPs *4. *Hillary Clinton: A Lifetime Champion of the Middle Class TPs *5. *Hillary Clinton’s Speaking Fees TPs *6. *MEMO: Lame-Duck Period Brings Lame Attacks *7. *Women, Peace, and Security Analysis *HILLARY CLINTON’S REMARKS ON EVENTS IN FERGUSON AND STATEN ISLAND* *BACKGROUND: **At a speech in Boston on Thursday, Hillary Clinton discussed the situation in Ferguson, Missouri and in Staten Island, New York and talked about race relations and our criminal justice system in general.* · “I know that a lot of hearts are breaking, and we are asking ourselves, ‘Aren’t these our sons? Aren’t these our brothers?’” · “Each of us has to grapple with some hard truths about race and justice in America…When one stops and realizes a third of all Black men face the prospect of prison during their lifetimes, what devastating consequences that has for their families, and their communities, and all of us.” · “We have allowed our criminal justice system to get out of balance. And I personally hope that these tragedies give us the opportunity to come together as a nation to find our balance again.” · “I’m very pleased that the Department of Justice will be investigating what happened in Ferguson or Staten Island. Those families and those communities and our country deserve a full and fair accounting as well as whatever substantive reforms are necessary to ensure equality, justice, and respect for every citizen…I support the President’s announcement of a task force on policing.” · “We all know there are decent, honorable, brave police officers out in our communities every single day, inspiring trust and confidence rather than fear and frustration. So let’s learn from the best examples. Let’s invest in what works.” · “The most important thing each of us can do is to try even harder to see the world through our neighbors’ eyes. To imagine what it is like to walk in their shoes, to share their pain and their hopes and their dreams. These tragedies did not happen in some far-away place. They didn’t happen to some other people. These are our streets, our children, our fellow Americans, and our grief…We are all in this together, we can all do better.” *Hillary Clinton’s Remarks on Recent Events in Ferguson and Staten Island* Before I begin today, I want to say a few words about the pain and frustration that many Americans are feeling about our criminal justice system. I know that a lot of hearts are breaking, and we are asking ourselves, ‘Aren’t these our sons? Aren’t these our brothers?’ I’m very pleased that the Department of Justice will be investigating what happened in Ferguson or Staten Island. Those families and those communities and our country deserve a full and fair accounting as well as whatever substantive reforms are necessary to ensure equality, justice, and respect for every citizen. Now, more broadly, each of us has to grapple with some hard truths about race and justice in America. Because despite all the progress we’ve made together, African-Americans, most particularly African-American men, are still more likely to be stopped and searched by police, charged with crimes, and sentenced to longer prison terms. And, when one stops and realizes a third of all Black men face the prospect of prison during their lifetimes, what devastating consequences that has for their families, and their communities, and all of us. The United States has less than five percent of the world’s population, yet we have almost twenty-five percent of the world’s total prison population. Now, that is not because Americans are more violent or criminal than others around the world. In fact, that is far from the facts. But it is because we have allowed our criminal justice system to get out of balance. And I personally hope that these tragedies give us the opportunity to come together as a nation to find our balance again. All over the country, there are creative and effective police departments demonstrating that it is possible to keep us safe and reduce crime and violence without relying on unnecessary force or excessive incarceration. And we all know there are decent, honorable, brave police officers out in our communities every single day, inspiring trust and confidence rather than fear and frustration. So let’s learn from the best examples. Let’s invest in what works. Let’s make sure that federal funds to state and local law enforcement are used to bolster best practices, rather than buy weapons of war that have no place on our streets or contribute to unnecessary force or arrests. And I support the President’s announcement of a task force on policing that will make recommendations in about 90 days. He’s proposed funding for technology and training, which are important steps. But as we move forward, we can’t leave it to presidents, governors, mayors, police commissioners and chiefs. The most important thing each of us can do is to try even harder to see the world through our neighbors’ eyes. To imagine what it is like to walk in their shoes, to share their pain and their hopes and their dreams. These tragedies did not happen in some far-away place. They didn’t happen to some other people. These are our streets, our children, our fellow Americans, and our grief. Now being here in Massachusetts, a place that has always called itself a commonwealth, I see a history where people slowly but surely overcame the obstacles to living in common, recognizing we are all in this together, we can all do better. *TALKING POINTS: HILLARY CLINTON STEMMING THE TIDE OF CLIMATE CHANGE* *“It took a lot of work by a lot of people to create the problem of climate change over the last centuries. And it will take our very best efforts to counter it.” – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton* - On Monday, Hillary Clinton spoke strongly about the environment at a League of Conservation Voters event, saying <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/hillary-clinton-keystone-113250.html>, “The science of climate change is unforgiving, no matter what the deniers may say.” o “‘Our economy still runs primarily on fossil fuels and trying to change that will take strong leadership,’ she said. But ‘we do not have to choose between a healthy environment and a healthy economy.’ Instead, she said moving to a greener economy will create jobs and help make ‘America the clean energy super-power of the 21st Century.’” [MSNBC, 12/1/14 <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-goes-green>] o “I know many of us have serious concerns with the risks associated with the rapidly expanding production of natural gas…Methane leaks in the production and transportation of natural gas pose a particularly troubling threat so it is crucial we put in place smart regulations and enforce them – including deciding not to drill when the risks to local communities, landscapes and ecosystems are just too high…If we are smart about this and put in place the right safeguards natural gas can play an important bridge role in the transition to a cleaner energy economy.” [The Guardian, 12/1/14 <http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/02/hillary-clinton-says-fracking-carries-risks-in-conservation-speech> ] o “Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters, thought Clinton hit it out of the park. ‘You saw her tonight, coming to our organization and really leaning in to this issue to make it clear how much she cares about it,’ he told reporters after her speech. ‘She’s always been committed on it, and she’s voted right very consistently, but with this audience, she’s now making whole comments and focusing on this.’” [MSNBC, 12/1/14 <http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-goes-green>] - As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton looked to the future, planning for our generation and the next generation of Americans when she prioritized the fight against climate change as a matter of foreign policy. o Secretary Clinton appointed a Special Envoy for Climate Change to serve as an advisor on international climate change policy. o She established the Bureau of Energy Resources to address the threat of climate change posed by the world’s energy consumption. - Secretary Clinton led the way through partnerships and developed incentives to encourage cooperation and progress toward reducing our footprint on the environment. o Secretary Clinton helped negotiate an unprecedented agreement between all major economies to commit to curb carbon emissions through 2020. o She launched the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, a thirty-seven country partnership that is making important strides to reduce methane emissions all over the world. o Recognizing that dirty cookstoves kill nearly 2 million people a year and are harmful to the environment, Secretary Clinton took action and launched the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves in order to save lives and protect our planet. o She signed an agreement with Brazil to strengthen cooperation as the U.S. and Brazil work together to meet the grave challenge of global climate change. - In the Senate, Hillary Clinton fought to protect the environment for the next generation. o Senator Clinton stood up to polluters and fought to promote cleaner energy, introducing bills to eliminate tax breaks for oil companies and prioritize investment in cleaner energy. o Senator Clinton worked with Democrats and Republicans alike to promote energy efficient federal buildings and create job-training programs in clean energy. o Hillary Clinton worked with her fellow Senators to protect and preserve some of America’s greatest natural treasures, including Niagara Falls and the Great Lakes region. *TALKING POINTS: NEW BENGHAZI REPORT PROVES RIGHT WING WRONG* *KEY POINTS:* · Last weekend, both the Washington Post and The Des Moines Register editorial boards were among the latest to declare that the right wing’s conspiracy theories about the Benghazi tragedy have all been debunked. · A two-year investigation into the Benghazi tragedy by the Republican-led House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence proved right-wing conspiracy theorists to be flat wrong and their attacks to be baseless. · The committee’s report was released on November 21 by Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI), and Ranking Member Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD). · The report debunks past and ongoing right-wing attacks on Hillary Clinton and further proves that the right wing is playing politics on the backs of dead Americans in an attempt to score political points. · The report adds to the extensive reporting already completed by the ten congressional committees involved in investigating Benghazi. House Judiciary "Five Chairman" Interim Report on Benghazi Investigation 4/23/2013 <http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Libya-Progress-Report-Final-1.pdf> House Armed Services The Security Failures of Benghazi 10/10/2012 <http://oversight.house.gov/hearing/the-security-failures-of-benghazi/> House Foreign Affairs Benghazi and Beyond: What Went Wrong on September 11, 2012 and How to Prevent it from Happening at other Frontline Posts 11/15/2012 <http://archives.republicans.foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearings/view/?1478> House Intelligence The Benghazi Talking Points and Michael J. Morell’s Role in Shaping the Administration’s Narrative 4/2/2014 <http://intelligence.house.gov/hearing/benghazi-talking-points-and-michael-j-morell%E2%80%99s-role-shaping-administration%E2%80%99s-narrative> House Oversight Reviews of the Benghazi Attack and Unanswered Questions 9/19/2013 <http://oversight.house.gov/hearing/reviews-of-the-benghazi-attacks-and-unanswered-questions/> Senate HSGA Flashing Red: A Special Report On The Terrorist Attack At Benghazi 12/30/2012 <http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2012_rpt/benghazi.pdf> Senate Intelligence Hearing on the Attacks in Benghazi 11/15/2012 <http://www.intelligence.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=337850> Senate Foreign Relations Benghazi: The Attacks and the Lessons Learned (HRC Testimony) 1/23/2013 <http://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/benghazi-the-attacks-and-the-lessons-learned> Senate Armed Services Attack on U.S. Facilities in Benghazi, Libya 2/7/2013 <http://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/oversight-attack-on-us-facilities-in-benghazi-libya> Benghazi Select Committee Benghazi Attack and Diplomatic Security 9/17/2014 <http://www.c-span.org/video/?321495-1/hearing-2012-benghazi-consulate-attacks> · It concludes that there was no wrongdoing by Obama administration officials. [AP, 11/21/14 <http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ecc3a300383445d5a90dd6ca764c9e15/house-intel-panel-debunks-many-benghazi-theories> ] · The final report made the following conclusions: o There was no intelligence failure before the attack. [CNN, 11/22/14 <http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/21/politics/benghazi-attack-report/index.html> *]* o No stand-down order was issued. [CNN, 11/22/14 <http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/21/politics/benghazi-attack-report/index.html> *]* o The administration did not intentionally mislead the public about the details surrounding the attacks. [New York Times, 11/22/14 <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/world/middleeast/republican-led-benghazi-inquiry-largely-backs-administration.html> ] · According to David Brock, “The Republican committee report should close the case….If the scandal persists into 2016, it will only be for partisan reasons.” [New York Times, 11/22/14 <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/world/middleeast/republican-led-benghazi-inquiry-largely-backs-administration.html> ] *MEDIA REACTION:* · “A report released late Friday about the fatal 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, left Republicans in the same position they have been in for two years: with little evidence to support their most damning critiques of how the Obama administration, and then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, responded to the attacks.” [New York Times, 11/22/14 <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/world/middleeast/republican-led-benghazi-inquiry-largely-backs-administration.html> ] · “Members of the Republican Party have made the Benghazi disaster even more difficult to comprehend by advancing a series of bizarre conspiracy theories intended to besmirch the Obama administration… Now, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, chaired by outgoing Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and with Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) as ranking minority member, has published a sober report after a two-year investigation. The report looks primarily at the performance of the intelligence community, but it also concludes that many of the Republican accusations are simply not true.” [Washington Post Editorial Board, 11/29/14 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/benghazi-debunked/2014/11/29/876ff67e-751f-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html> ] · “Rather than malfeasance or incompetence, the House intelligence committee says that many Americans performed courageously in the attack. Officials from State, Defense and the CIA did what they could to save lives, making ‘reasonable tactical decisions about how to respond to the attacks.’” [Washington Post Editorial Board, 11/29/14 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/benghazi-debunked/2014/11/29/876ff67e-751f-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html> ] · “’There was neither a stand down order nor a denial of available air support, and no American was left behind,’ the panel concluded. The panel found that there was ‘no evidence of an intelligence failure’ prior to the attack — the CIA did not have tactical warning that it was imminent.” [Washington Post Editorial Board, 11/29/14 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/benghazi-debunked/2014/11/29/876ff67e-751f-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html> ] · “The House is planning yet another investigation, which will be the eighth into these events. This seems superfluous.” [Washington Post Editorial Board, 11/29/14 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/benghazi-debunked/2014/11/29/876ff67e-751f-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html> ] · “This week's record-correcting news comes from the Republican-controlled committee in the U.S. House of Representatives that found nothing much to fault the administration for in the 2012 attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.” [The Des Moines Register Editorial Board, 11/28/14 <http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/11/28/little-scandal-benghazi/19649305/> ] · “The scandal launched numerous congressional investigations, including a big one by the House Intelligence Committee. The committee released its report last week, concluding that the CIA and U.S. military ‘responded appropriately to the attacks,’ according to the Washington Post, and dismissed allegations that the administration ‘blocked rescue attempts during the assault or sought to mislead the public afterward.’" [The Des Moines Register Editorial Board, 11/28/14 <http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/11/28/little-scandal-benghazi/19649305/> ] · “This isn't exactly blowing up on your television screen right now, is it? Further evidence — as if any was needed — that the media devote far more attention to accusations of scandal than to subsequent reports demonstrating that there wasn't actually a scandal.” [Dylan Byers, Politico, 8/4/14 <http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/08/a-shocking-new-benghazi-report-193395.html#.U9_UWYxj9y0.twitter> ] · “After two years of investigation, it found no evidence to buttress any of the conspiracy theories surrounding the Sept. 11, 2012, attack that killed Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, and three other Americans. In short, all of the things that were alleged to have happened didn’t happen.” [Jonathan Capehart, Washington Post, 8/4/14 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/08/04/new-report-wont-stand-down-benghazi-conspiracy-theories/> ] · “Of course, this will most likely have no bearing on that special Benghazi committee authorized three months ago by the House and headed by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.). As Steve Benen atmsnbc.com reports, there have been eight separate investigations into the Libyan attacks. Not one has uncovered the rumored (and hoped-for) cover-up. That’s because there isn’t one. Please proceed, Rep. Gowdy.” [Jonathan Capehart, Washington Post, 8/4/14 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/08/04/new-report-wont-stand-down-benghazi-conspiracy-theories/> ] · “Yet the broad conclusion he outlined — that while the administration botched its initial talking points due to conflicting intelligence, it was not hiding some big explosive scandal — further undercuts the GOP's claims to the contrary. A bipartisan Senate report released in January similarly found that there was no evidence of a cover-up.” [The Week, 8/4/14 <http://theweek.com/article/index/265778/house-intel-report-on-benghazi-finds-no-secret-obama-scandal> ] · “In effect, that reduces Gowdy's ‘investigation’ into a highly partisan spin operation that attempts to repackage the truth into something that sounds much worse than it actually is. Then again, that pretty much epitomizes what ‘Benghazi!!!!!’ has been all along.” [Jay Bookman, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/5/14 <http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/jay-bookman/2014/aug/05/final-nails-being-pounded-benghazi-scandal/> ] *THE FACTS:* · *Secretary Clinton took responsibility:* In interviews <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm7hLUc2-qM>, testimony <http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1301/23/se.02.html> and in her book <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/hillary-clintons-benghazi-chapter-107240.html>, Secretary Clinton has taken responsibility repeatedly. She was determined to leave the State Department and our country safer, stronger, and more secure. · *Secretary Clinton took action:* Secretary Clinton appointed <http://www.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2013/01/203158.htm> a nonpartisan, independent Accountability Review Board to review what happened and began <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/05/209672.htm> the process of implementing the 29 recommendations put forth by the ARB before leaving the State Department to strengthen embassy security. · *Secretary Clinton was fully transparent:* Secretary Clinton fully <http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1301/23/se.01.html> and publicly <http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1301/23/se.02.html> answered questions before Congress. The report of the Accountability Review Board is just the second to be made public, making it one of the most transparent internal reviews in State Department history. · *The Benghazi tragedy has been investigated exhaustively, costing taxpayers millions of dollars to repeat the same investigations over again.* Ten different congressional committees have participated in investigating the Benghazi tragedy. They have held more than 50 senior level staff briefings, 14 public hearings, at least 3 independent/bipartisan reports, dozens of interviews, and the disclosure of more than 25,000 pages of documents. The Department of Defense reported <http://bigstory.ap.org/article/pentagon-says-benghazi-probes-cost-millions> that these efforts have cost the taxpayers millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours. The House Select Committee on Benghazi is expected to cost taxpayers more than $3 million. *TALKING POINTS: HILLARY CLINTON: A LIFETIME CHAMPION OF THE MIDDLE CLASS* *“With all due respect, it is not rich people who made America great. It is the vast American middle class. It is the upward mobility of people who thought they could do better than their parents.”* *–Hillary Clinton* *BACKGROUND:* Hillary Clinton has dedicated her life to ensuring that hardworking Americans can succeed. In uncertain times, families need faith that opportunity for their children and grandchildren is alive and well. Hillary Clinton wants the American Dream to be a real possibility for every child and every family across our nation. · *Hillary Clinton knows that tomorrow’s shared success starts with today’s child*, and her dedication to children began long before she ever entered public office. In fact, her first job out of law school was for the newly-formed Children’s Defense Fund, an organization she would later chair. · *Hillary Clinton has worked to expand access to early childhood education for children of lower-income families.* As First Lady of Arkansas, Hillary Clinton introduced her husband to the HIPPY program, which expanded early childhood education to economically disadvantaged children. In the Senate, Clinton partnered with Kit Bond in an effort to expand voluntary full-day pre-K for children from low-income families. Today, as part of the Too Small to Fail Initiative to improve the health and well-being of children five and under, Hillary Clinton is working to close the “word gap” for kids in low-income families who often have smaller vocabularies than their classmates. · *Hillary Clinton has worked to increase health coverage for millions of children in low-income and working families* through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, a program she helped created as First Lady. In the Senate, Hillary Clinton looked for ways to strengthen the program, introducing bills to allow states to expand it. · *Hillary Clinton’s record proves she believes that every American should be able to earn an equal day’s pay for an equal day’s work.* As a Senator, Hillary Clinton introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act and was an original cosponsor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. · *In the Senate, Hillary Clinton supported increasing the minimum wage* and voted repeatedly to protect and increase it. She was an original cosponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, and authored the 2006 and 2007 Standing with Minimum Wage Act to tie Congressional salary increases to an increase in the minimum wage. · *As a Senator, Hillary Clinton supported progressive tax policies* that required millionaires to pay their fair share. She opposed tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations in 2001 and 2003, and she supported a variety of middle-class tax cuts, including tax credits for student loan recipients, and keeping in place the tax cuts for those who make under $250,000 a year. o Clinton has said “that inherited wealth and concentrated wealth is not good for America,” and she has consistently voted against repealing the estate tax on millionaires, doing so in 2001, 2002, and 2006. · *Hillary Clinton supported working families going through difficult times through no fault of their own.* In the Senate, she was a bipartisan leader on fighting to extend emergency unemployment benefits. *BOTTOM LINE:* Leading the charge for equal pay for equal work, fighting to increase wages, strongly advocating for progressive tax policies and access to education and healthcare to help middle-class families – Hillary Clinton has fought for an America and a future where everyone can rise to their potential. *HILLARY CLINTON’S RECENT STATEMENTS ON THE MIDDLE CLASS* *In her many public appearances over the past year, Hillary Clinton has continued to advocate for the middle class by sharing her vision all over the country:* · *In a speech to a women-focused event for Democrat Tom Wolf, “Clinton focused on ‘hard-working families’ and restoring America’s luster and a strong middle class with ‘a fresh start.’”* According to Politico, Clinton gave one of her strongest political speeches since her 2008 campaign ended in June 2008 as she headlined a women-focused event for Democratic gubernatorial Tom Wolf in Pennsylvania. Clinton focused on “hard-working families” and restoring America’s luster and a strong middle class with “a fresh start,” as well as women’s pay equity and her gauzy first days as a new grandmother. For the first time in months, Clinton’s public talk was neither a dry recitation of public policy nor a self-reflection about her tenure as secretary of state.” [Politico <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/pennsylvania-governor-race-2014-tom-wolf-hillary-clinton-111760.html#ixzz3Fkai9jLu>, 10/9/14] · *Clinton’s language at a women-focused event for Democrat Tom Wolf was “some of her strongest about rebuilding the middle class.”* According to Politico, “The remarks were some of her strongest about rebuilding the middle class. They came after she was accused of being out of touch for her comment in June about being ‘dead broke’ when she left the White House, and for giving paid speeches at exorbitant prices.” [Politico <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/pennsylvania-governor-race-2014-tom-wolf-hillary-clinton-111760.html#ixzz3Fkai9jLu>, 10/9/14] · *The theme of Clinton’s speech at an event for Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf was working families.* According to BuzzFeed, “The thread running through Clinton’s message here in Pennsylvania, the state she won six years ago in a primary against Barack Obama, was working families — a theme she teased repeatedly throughout her speech with populist undertones, mentions of her granddaughter, and stories about her own trips as a child to Scranton, where Clinton’s father, Hugh, was born to a working-class immigrant family.” [BuzzFeed <http://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/hillary-clinton-finds-her-message#ukknyi>, 9/9/14] · *In Pennsylvania, Clinton criticized the power of corporations, siding with middle-class families.* According to the Wall Street Journal, “Though she and her husband have raised more than $1 billion from U.S. companies and corporate officials over the last two decades*, *Mrs. Clinton signaled that she sided with everyday families struggling to pay bills and keep afloat. Corporations, she said, ‘seem to have all the rights, but none of the responsibilities of people …’ She decried practices that pay women less than men for the same work and took aim at politicians who’ve belittled women’s rights. ‘A 20th century economy will not work for 21st century families,’ she said.” [Wall Street Journal <http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/10/09/hillary-clinton-blends-family-stories-populist-attacks-at-pennsylvania-rally/>, 9/9/14] · *Hillary Clinton’s speeches are revealing a theme that she would fight to restore and re-open the middle class. *According to TPM, “The notion of ‘upward mobility’ was central to Clinton's message to the New American audience in May. She described it as ‘time-tested wisdom’ that was ‘at the heart of what I believe is the basic bargain of America.’… Here is how Clinton described that basic bargain of America, as she sees it, in May: ‘No matter who you are or where you come from, if you work hard and play by the rules, you’ll have the opportunity to build a good life for yourself and your family.’" [TPM <http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/hillary-clinton-2016-economic-message>, 9/22/14] · *Hillary Clinton’s speeches are revealing a theme that she can address income inequality and gender inequality. *According to TPM, “So income inequality has been a big part of the message. But it's also been married to inequality between the sexes. At both the New American and CAP events, the same factoid made an appearance: That three-quarters of jobs that rely on tips -- like ‘waiters, bartenders and hairstylists’ as she said on both occasions -- are held by women…. And she said Thursday that these issues should be used to mobilize voters -- in the 2014 midterms and moving forward.” [TPM <http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/hillary-clinton-2016-economic-message>, 9/22/14] · *In recent speeches, Clinton has taken a tougher stance on big business, likely in “an effort to find the balance between populism and her familiar centrism” she may need in 2016, according to Reuters. *According to Reuters, “Long viewed as an ally by Wall Street, likely 2016 presidential contender Hillary Clinton has increasingly been taking banks and big business to task while on the campaign trail for Democrats across the country.… This is a change of tone for the former New York senator, who faced criticism for her Wall Street ties as recently as September, after appearing with Goldman Sachs (GS.N) chief executive Lloyd Blankfein. Allies and analysts see it as an effort to find the balance between populism and her familiar centrism that Clinton may need in order to broaden her appeal in a potential 2016 Democratic primary contest.” [Reuters <http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/02/us-usa-elections-clinton-idUSKBN0IM0ED20141102>, 11/2/14] · *During a New Hampshire midterm event, Clinton discussed expanding economic opportunity and raising the minimum wage. *According to the Boston Globe, “Clinton spoke in New Hampshire about expanding economic opportunity, raising the minimum wage, and protecting women’s rights. She acknowledged that, across the country, there is ‘a lot of anxiety and insecurity.’ But the former secretary of state and US senator from New York struck a hopeful note: She bookended her remarks talking about her new granddaughter and said seeing another generation in the family focuses the mind on what’s important. Clinton said she and her husband were raised to believe the American Dream was within your reach if you worked hard. ‘You should not,’ Clinton told a packed gymnasium, ‘have to be the grandchild of a governor or a senator or a former secretary of state or a former president to believe that the American Dream is in your reach.’” [Boston Globe <http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/11/02/hillary-clinton-campaign-with-jeanne-shaheen-maggie-hassan-new-hampshire/rNXPdVMI3umCS97hOY5ytK/story.html>, 11/2/14] · *In midterm campaign appearances, Clinton has been echoing populist notes. *According to Bloomberg, Clinton “has been sounding more populist notes of late as a campaign-trail advocate for Democratic candidates who are on the ballot next week. That's an important turn as she contemplates a run for president in 2016 because Clinton's biggest weakness among Democrats, and some Republicans, is the perception that she's too close to Wall Street and corporate America…. And the more anti-corporate tone is pleasing to the ears of liberals who have pined for Senator Elizabeth Warren, a scourge of Wall Street banks, to challenge Clinton for the Democratic nomination. And, they say, it's a message Clinton can use against Republicans because many in the GOP have turned wary of Wall Street and big corporations since the 2008 financial crash.” [Bloomberg <http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2014-10-27/clinton-trickledone-economics-has-failed>, 10/27/14] · *During a midterm appearance in New York, Clinton clarified earlier comments about companies and job creation, while maintaining the same theme: “Clinton’s for the little guy.” *According to Bloomberg, “Days after Republicans feasted on her claim that corporations don't create jobs, Hillary Clinton tried Monday to ‘be absolutely clear about what I've been saying for a couple of decades.’ ‘So-called trickle-down economics has failed,’ Clinton said as she stumped for Representative Sean Patrick Maloney in New York. ‘Our economy grows when businesses and entrepreneurs create good-paying jobs here in an America where workers and families are empowered to build from the bottom up and the middle out–not when we hand out tax breaks for corporations that outsource jobs or stash their profits overseas.’ While campaigning Friday for Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley, Clinton created a stir–and drew criticism from Republicans–by saying, ‘Don’t let anybody tell you that it’s corporations and businesses that create jobs.’…The cleaned-up message, though, hits at the same theme: Clinton's for the little guy.” [Bloomberg <http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2014-10-27/clinton-trickledone-economics-has-failed>, 10/27/14] · *While campaigning for Democrats in the midterm election, Clinton frequently tells voters that “everyone deserves a second chance, a third chance.” *According to a CNN, an investigation into Clinton’s most common lines on the trail found that Clinton frequently tells voters, "‘Everyone deserves a second chance, a third chance...’ Clinton has focused a great deal on economic populism on the stump, an issue other Democrats thinking about seeking the presidency in 2016 have started to tweak Clinton on. ‘Everyone deserves a second chance, a third chance to keep going and to make something of themselves,’ Clinton said in Iowa earlier this year. ‘That was one of the most important lessons of my life.’ Clinton usually uses the line to encourage compassion from a crowd, and to show that she has compassion, too.” [CNN <http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/28/politics/clinton-midterm-lines/>, 10/28/14] · *In a San Francisco speech, Clinton revealed some of what may be her economic message: “Who’s on your side?” *According to the Washington Post, “Here in San Francisco on Monday, Clinton gave a spirited call to arms to Democrats as she road-tested what is likely to be her economic message if she runs again. The November midterms, she said, come down ‘to a simple question: Who’s on your side?’ She sounded close to her party’s populist marrow when she decried the erosion of economic security for many working Americans, and a long way from her tone-deaf remark earlier this year about being ‘dead broke’ when she and Bill Clinton left the White House in 2000. ‘It’s time to elect leaders who will fight for everyone to get a fair shot at the American dream,’ Hillary Clinton said.” [Washington Post <http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hillary-clinton-is-a-bright-spot-on-a-gloomy-democratic-election-landscape/2014/10/20/f86cb1b6-5862-11e4-bd61-346aee66ba29_story.html>, 10/21/14] · *Hillary Clinton’s speeches are revealing a theme that she could finish the economic recovery begun by Obama. *According to TPM, “Clinton seems to have a handle of the line she wants to toe: Obama saved us from worse economic struggles (as his defenders have been saying for years), but the work isn't over. Implicit, of course, is that she -- if she runs -- would finish the job. ‘We haven't seen a full recovery from the economic crash,’ Clinton said Thursday at CAP. ‘When the president came in, he deserves an enormous amount of credit for staunching the bleeding and preventing a further deterioration and getting us out of that ditch we were in. But we know unless we change our policies, a lot of the benefits are not going to be broadly shared.’ ‘It's not just about more jobs for more people and better paying jobs,’ she said. ‘It's making sure that the people themselves get to keep those benefits and build that future back that they are so desperate to see for themselves.’" [TPM <http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/hillary-clinton-2016-economic-message>, 9/22/14] · *In an interview with PBS this summer, Hillary *said <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/hillary-clinton-talks-hard-choices-battle-scars/#.U6t-JXR93NI.twitter> *:* “Bill and I have had terrific opportunities, both of us…have worked hard, but we’ve been grateful for everything that we’ve been able to achieve, and sadly that’s just not true for most Americans today…It’s important that we all try to figure out what we’re going to do, and that’s what I’ve done my entire life, fighting for a higher minimum wage, or family leave…equal pay for equal work…I think my record speaks for itself.” · *At a speech at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June, Hillary *said <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nswp_KBBjdM>*:* “At the end of the day, we’re all on the same team. We’re on the American team. And we’ve got to do a better job of getting our economy growing again and producing results and renewing the American Dream so that Americans feel that they have a stake in the future and that the economy and the political system is not stacked against them, because that will erode the trust that is at the basis of our democracy.” *TALKING POINTS: HILLARY CLINTON’S SPEAKING FEES* *BACKGROUND:* *The right wing and certain media outlets have latched onto recent reports of Hillary Clinton’s speaking arrangements and travel logistics as some kind of faux proof she is out of touch. The reality is that Hillary Clinton knows how blessed she is, she’s said that directly, and that helps her fuel her life-long motivation for working hard to make sure the American Dream is a real possibility for every child and every family across our nation.* - Americans are givers. We are a generous nation, coming to the aid of those in need. Americans want to hear from Hillary Clinton and she is crisscrossing the country, sharing her insights and her vision, and raising money for the life-changing programs funded by the Clinton Foundation. This philanthropy reflects Hillary’s belief in doing all she can to ensure everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. - The Clinton Foundation is a philanthropic organization that funds programs to help people throughout this great nation and all over the world. Here are just a few examples of the life-changing programs funded by the Clinton Foundation: - Job One: helps young people find jobs. - Too Small To Fail: helps improve the health and well-being of children ages zero to five. - No Ceilings: helps encourage the full participation for women and girls in the 21st century. - Clinton Health Access Initiative: works to expand access to HIV/AIDS medications throughout the world. - Hillary Clinton has often said how blessed she felt by the success she’s had, noting it’s why she has and continues to focus on giving back so that every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the same opportunity for success. - That’s why the right wing is so obsessed with Hillary and Bill Clinton’s success. Because unlike leading Republicans, the Clintons recognize that success is a blessing rather than an entitlement. For Hillary Clinton, that blessing is a reason to support and focus on policies that promote and share the opportunity with others, unlike leading Republicans who live beholden to special interests or abuse their power. - Republicans are launching these disingenuous attacks on Hillary Clinton for a reason. Republicans know that Hillary Clinton connects with Americans struggling for a greater opportunity. She offers ideas about a future that involves helping people. Meanwhile, the majority of would-be GOP front-runners are under investigation, indictment or on trial. - Hillary came from a middle-class background in middle America and she’s had the chance to live the American Dream. That’s why she has focused her efforts, her life-long labors, to level the playing field of opportunity in our country. As she said herself, the number one threat facing our democracy is a lack of opportunity for people who work hard and play by the rules to live a more prosperous life and provide a better opportunity for their children than what they had. - *“We know how blessed we are. We were neither of us raised with these kinds of opportunities, and we worked really hard for them. …**All one has to do is look at my record going back to my time in college and law school to know not only where my heart is, but where my efforts have been. I want to create a level playing field so that once again, you can look a child in the eye and you can tell them the truth, whether they’re born in a wealthy suburb or an inner city or a poor country community; you can point out the realistic possibility that they will have a better life.” *[The Hill, 6/25/14 <http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/210576-were-clinton-comments-taken-out-of-context> ] - *Hillary Clinton’s speaking fees are in line with those of other political figures:* - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell collected “up to $200,000 a hit on the speaker circuit.” [Salon, 7/17/13 <http://www.salon.com/2013/07/17/the_buckraking_practices_of_hillary_clinton_and_8_other_political_heavies_partner/> ] - Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been paid $150,000 to speak. [Minnesota Daily, 4/17/14 <http://www.mndaily.com/news/campus/2014/04/17/protest-aside-condoleezza-rice-speaks-sold-out-crowd> ] - Rudy Giuliani charged a $270,000 fee for a speech at a private equity firm. [Salon, 7/17/13 <http://www.salon.com/2013/07/17/the_buckraking_practices_of_hillary_clinton_and_8_other_political_heavies_partner/> ] - Former Pres. George W. Bush’s “standard speaking fee is reportedly between $100,000 and $150,000.” [Daily Beast, 5/20/11 <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/05/20/george-w-bushs-15-million-speech-payday.html> ] - Former Gov. Jeb Bush’s “corporate speechmaking” – “more than 100 since 2007” – “appears to have generated millions.” [New York Times, 4/20/14 <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/us/politics/jeb-bushs-rush-to-make-money-may-be-hurdle.html?_r=0> ] - Former VP nominee and Gov. Sarah Palin has charged $100,000 for her speaking fee. [Politico, 1/12/10 <http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31409.html>] - *Republicans are only launching these baseless attacks on Hillary Clinton to divert attention from their abuse of taxpayer funds for excessive travel:* - Republican Governor and potential GOP presidential candidate, Chris Christie, has frequently used state police helicopters for his own personal travel, including the time he used a state police helicopter to get to a baseball game. [Asbury Park Press, 5/31/11] - Marco Rubio, another potential Republican presidential contender, charged non-work travel expenses on the state party’s credit card and double-billed taxpayers and the state party for multiple plane tickets. [St. Petersburg Times, 10/22/10 <http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/marco-rubios-personal-finances-clash-with-call-for-fiscal-discipline/1129566> ] - Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has used taxpayer funds for motorcycle tours throughout Wisconsin and its surrounding states. [The Hotline, 4/6/10] *STRATEGIC MEMORANDUM: **Lame Duck Period Brings Lame Attacks* *TO: Interested Parties* *FROM: Isaac Wright, Executive Director Correct The Record* *DATE: Tuesday, December 2, 2014* *Lame-Duck Period Brings Lame Attacks* During the lame-duck session of Congress following the midterm elections and the new Republican Congressional majorities, and before the new year of their antics begins, Republican strategists have set themselves to attacking Hillary Clinton in a classically Karl Rove style, without the substance to make a salient argument. Although these lame-duck-period attacks lack the substance to connect with Americans in a serious way, the strategic nature of the attacks demands examination. The right wing is propping up lines of attacks on Clinton’s speaking engagements and other points in an attempt to tear down Hillary Clinton’s message of renewing American upward mobility. This is a classic Karl Rove strategy <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/architect/interviews/slater.html> of attacking an individual’s strength, rather than a weakness. The right wing has pushed over a half-dozen storylines attacking Clinton for her public speaking engagements in the weeks following the mid-term elections and has tried to drive multiple other story lines in order to create a false disconnect between Clinton and middle-class America. One Washington Times columnist <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/28/bruce-fein-hillarys-doomed-presidential-candidacy/?page=all> even used Clinton’s speaking engagements and her financial successes as evidence to declare her potential candidacy “doomed,” before she even makes a decision. *Why Make These Attacks* In my November 6 memo <http://correctrecord.org/emerging-2016-themes/> detailing Clinton’s emerging themes of economic opportunity and advancing the middle class, I noted the rise of these themes and their connections with a cynical electorate. “It is no doubt that Clinton herself resonates well with the American people based on exit polling. For example, an exit poll conducted by CNN showed <http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/05/politics/midterm-election-5-takeaways/> that ‘83 percent of Democrats think that she would make a good President.’ Over 40 percent of midterm voters said Clinton would make a good president, higher than for any of the four potential 2016 Republican candidates also asked about in the NBC News national exit poll <http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/2014/US/house/exitpoll>*.* A largely overlooked piece of exit polling <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/11/04/the-single-most-depressing-number-in-the-national-exit-poll/> suggests, in consideration of Clinton’s recent themes, why Americans are gravitating to her vision. When asked about their expectations for the life of future generations, 48 percent responded they expected life to be worse, 27 percent about the same and only 22 percent expected life for future generations to be better.” At a time when record numbers of voters are unsure whether or not things will be better for the next generation than the current one, Clinton’s message of a renewed American upward mobility is connecting. Clinton’s extensive record of fighting for mobility and to advance the middle-class becomes a prime target for the Republican apparatus nationwide looking to attack her strengths. *Correcting The Record* Even as the right wing attempts to disparage Clinton’s deep connection with the American middle class as a means to dilute her message of a renewed American upward mobility, the reality of Clinton’s personal story, her vision, and her record remains unshakeable. *Clinton’s Personal Story* Hillary Clinton was raised in a middle-class, suburban home in Illinois. Raised as a Republican, she made her own decisions about politics and policy to best fight for increased opportunities and a level playing field for all Americans. Long before she entered political life, she took her first job <http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity-2/> as an attorney for the Children’s Defense Fund, following her passion for opportunity and equality. *Clinton’s Vision* As she campaigned across the country this fall, Clinton laid out her core principles for advancing the middle class, saying <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/hillary-clinton-jobs-comment-112225.html>, “Our economy grows when businesses and entrepreneurs create good-paying jobs here in America and workers and families are empowered to build from the bottom up and the middle out.” She argued against “tax breaks for corporations that outsource jobs or stash their profits overseas.” *Clinton’s Record* · *Hillary Clinton has worked to expand *access <http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity-2/>* to early childhood education for children of lower-income families.* As First Lady of Arkansas, Hillary Clinton introduced her husband to the HIPPY program, which expanded early childhood education to economically disadvantaged children. In the Senate, Clinton partnered with Kit Bond in an effort to expand voluntary full-day pre-K for children from low-income families. Today, as part of the Too Small to Fail Initiative to improve the health and well-being of children five and under, Hillary Clinton is working to close the “word gap” for kids in low-income families who often have smaller vocabularies than their classmates. · *Hillary Clinton has worked to increase health coverage for millions of *children <http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity-2/>* in low-income and working families* through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, a program she helped created as First Lady. In the Senate, Hillary Clinton looked for ways to strengthen the program, introducing bills to allow states to expand it. · *Hillary Clinton’s record proves she believes that every American should be able to earn an *equal <http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity-2/>* day’s pay for an equal day’s work.* As a Senator, Hillary Clinton introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act and was an original cosponsor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. · *In the Senate, Hillary Clinton *supported <http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity-2/>* increasing the minimum wage* and voted repeatedly to protect and increase it. She was an original cosponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, and authored the 2006 and 2007 Standing with Minimum Wage Act to tie Congressional salary increases to an increase in the minimum wage. · *As a Senator, Hillary Clinton supported *progressive <http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity-2/>* tax policies* that required millionaires to pay their fair share. She opposed tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations in 2001 and 2003, and she supported a variety of middle-class tax cuts, including tax credits for student loan recipients, and keeping in place the tax cuts for those who make under $250,000 a year. o Clinton said <http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity-2/> “that inherited wealth and concentrated wealth is not good for America,” and she has consistently voted against repealing the estate tax on millionaires, doing so in 2001, 2002, and 2006. · *Hillary Clinton supported *working <http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-a-lifetime-champion-of-income-opportunity-2/>* families going through difficult times through no fault of their own.* In the Senate, she was a bipartisan leader in the fight to extend emergency unemployment benefits. *Conclusion* It is important, now more than ever, not to cede one of Clinton’s greatest strengths – her passion for advancing the middle class and renewing American upward mobility – to the right-wing talking points factory and its efforts to sow seeds of mistrust on the left. Democrats must not allow the right wing to mount a new “swift-boat” campaign for 2016. *BACKGROUND* *Clinton On The Middle Class* *HILLARY CLINTON’S RECENT STATEMENTS ON THE MIDDLE CLASS* *In her many public appearances over the past year, Hillary Clinton has continued to advocate for the middle class by sharing her vision all over the country:* · *In a speech to a women-focused event for Democrat Tom Wolf, “Clinton focused on ‘hard-working families’ and restoring America’s luster and a strong middle class with ‘a fresh start.’”* According to Politico, Clinton “gave one of her strongest political speeches since her 2008 campaign ended in June 2008 as she headlined a women-focused event for Democratic gubernatorial Tom Wolf in Pennsylvania. Clinton focused on ‘hard-working families’ and restoring America’s luster and a strong middle class with ‘a fresh start,’ as well as women’s pay equity and her gauzy first days as a new grandmother. For the first time in months, Clinton’s public talk was neither a dry recitation of public policy nor a self-reflection about her tenure as secretary of state.” [Politico <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/pennsylvania-governor-race-2014-tom-wolf-hillary-clinton-111760.html#ixzz3Fkai9jLu>, 10/9/14] · *Clinton’s language at a women-focused event for Democrat Tom Wolf was “some of her strongest about rebuilding the middle class.”* According to Politico, “The remarks were some of her strongest about rebuilding the middle class. They came after she was accused of being out of touch for her comment in June about being ‘dead broke’ when she left the White House, and for giving paid speeches at exorbitant prices.” [Politico <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/pennsylvania-governor-race-2014-tom-wolf-hillary-clinton-111760.html#ixzz3Fkai9jLu>, 10/9/14] · *The theme of Clinton’s speech at an event for Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf was working families.* According to BuzzFeed, “The thread running through Clinton’s message here in Pennsylvania, the state she won six years ago in a primary against Barack Obama, was working families — a theme she teased repeatedly throughout her speech with populist undertones, mentions of her granddaughter, and stories about her own trips as a child to Scranton, where Clinton’s father, Hugh, was born to a working-class immigrant family.” [BuzzFeed <http://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/hillary-clinton-finds-her-message#ukknyi>, 9/9/14] · *In Pennsylvania, Clinton criticized the power of corporations, siding with middle-class families.* According to the Wall Street Journal, “Though she and her husband have raised more than $1 billion from U.S. companies and corporate officials over the last two decades*, *Mrs. Clinton signaled that she sided with everyday families struggling to pay bills and keep afloat. Corporations, she said, ‘seem to have all the rights, but none of the responsibilities of people …’ She decried practices that pay women less than men for the same work and took aim at politicians who’ve belittled women’s rights. ‘A 20th century economy will not work for 21st century families,’ she said.” [Wall Street Journal <http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/10/09/hillary-clinton-blends-family-stories-populist-attacks-at-pennsylvania-rally/>, 9/9/14] · *Hillary Clinton’s speeches are revealing a theme that she would fight to restore and re-open the middle class. *According to TPM, “The notion of ‘upward mobility’ was central to Clinton's message to the New American audience in May. She described it as ‘time-tested wisdom’ that was ‘at the heart of what I believe is the basic bargain of America.’… Here is how Clinton described that basic bargain of America, as she sees it, in May: ‘No matter who you are or where you come from, if you work hard and play by the rules, you’ll have the opportunity to build a good life for yourself and your family.’" [TPM <http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/hillary-clinton-2016-economic-message>, 9/22/14] · *Hillary Clinton’s speeches are revealing a theme that she can address income inequality and gender inequality. *According to TPM, “So income inequality has been a big part of the message. But it's also been married to inequality between the sexes. At both the New American and CAP events, the same factoid made an appearance: That three-quarters of jobs that rely on tips -- like ‘waiters, bartenders and hairstylists’ as she said on both occasions -- are held by women…. And she said Thursday that these issues should be used to mobilize voters -- in the 2014 midterms and moving forward.” [TPM <http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/hillary-clinton-2016-economic-message>, 9/22/14] · *In recent speeches, Clinton has taken a tougher stance on big business, likely in “an effort to find the balance between populism and her familiar centrism” she may need in 2016, according to Reuters. *According to Reuters, “Long viewed as an ally by Wall Street, likely 2016 presidential contender Hillary Clinton has increasingly been taking banks and big business to task while on the campaign trail for Democrats across the country.… This is a change of tone for the former New York senator, who faced criticism for her Wall Street ties as recently as September, after appearing with Goldman Sachs (GS.N) chief executive Lloyd Blankfein. Allies and analysts see it as an effort to find the balance between populism and her familiar centrism that Clinton may need in order to broaden her appeal in a potential 2016 Democratic primary contest.” [Reuters <http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/02/us-usa-elections-clinton-idUSKBN0IM0ED20141102>, 11/2/14] · *During a New Hampshire midterm event, Clinton discussed expanding economic opportunity and raising the minimum wage. *According to the Boston Globe, “Clinton spoke in New Hampshire about expanding economic opportunity, raising the minimum wage, and protecting women’s rights. She acknowledged that, across the country, there is ‘a lot of anxiety and insecurity.’ But the former secretary of state and US senator from New York struck a hopeful note: She bookended her remarks talking about her new granddaughter and said seeing another generation in the family focuses the mind on what’s important. Clinton said she and her husband were raised to believe the American Dream was within your reach if you worked hard. ‘You should not,’ Clinton told a packed gymnasium, ‘have to be the grandchild of a governor or a senator or a former secretary of state or a former president to believe that the American Dream is in your reach.’” [Boston Globe <http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/11/02/hillary-clinton-campaign-with-jeanne-shaheen-maggie-hassan-new-hampshire/rNXPdVMI3umCS97hOY5ytK/story.html>, 11/2/14] · *In midterm campaign appearances, Clinton has been echoing populist notes. *According to Bloomberg, Clinton “has been sounding more populist notes of late as a campaign-trail advocate for Democratic candidates who are on the ballot next week. That's an important turn as she contemplates a run for president in 2016 because Clinton's biggest weakness among Democrats, and some Republicans, is the perception that she's too close to Wall Street and corporate America…. And the more anti-corporate tone is pleasing to the ears of liberals who have pined for Senator Elizabeth Warren, a scourge of Wall Street banks, to challenge Clinton for the Democratic nomination. And, they say, it's a message Clinton can use against Republicans because many in the GOP have turned wary of Wall Street and big corporations since the 2008 financial crash.” [Bloomberg <http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2014-10-27/clinton-trickledone-economics-has-failed>, 10/27/14] · *During a midterm appearance in New York, Clinton clarified earlier comments about companies and job creation, while maintaining the same theme: “Clinton’s for the little guy.” *According to Bloomberg, “Days after Republicans feasted on her claim that corporations don't create jobs, Hillary Clinton tried Monday to ‘be absolutely clear about what I've been saying for a couple of decades.’ ‘So-called trickle-down economics has failed,’ Clinton said as she stumped for Representative Sean Patrick Maloney in New York. ‘Our economy grows when businesses and entrepreneurs create good-paying jobs here in an America where workers and families are empowered to build from the bottom up and the middle out–not when we hand out tax breaks for corporations that outsource jobs or stash their profits overseas.’ While campaigning Friday for Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley, Clinton created a stir–and drew criticism from Republicans–by saying, ‘Don’t let anybody tell you that it’s corporations and businesses that create jobs.’…The cleaned-up message, though, hits at the same theme: Clinton's for the little guy.” [Bloomberg <http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2014-10-27/clinton-trickledone-economics-has-failed>, 10/27/14] · *While campaigning for Democrats in the midterm election, Clinton frequently tells voters that “everyone deserves a second chance, a third chance.” *According to a CNN, an investigation into Clinton’s most common lines on the trail found that Clinton frequently tells voters, "‘Everyone deserves a second chance, a third chance...’ Clinton has focused a great deal on economic populism on the stump, an issue other Democrats thinking about seeking the presidency in 2016 have started to tweak Clinton on. ‘Everyone deserves a second chance, a third chance to keep going and to make something of themselves,’ Clinton said in Iowa earlier this year. ‘That was one of the most important lessons of my life.’ Clinton usually uses the line to encourage compassion from a crowd, and to show that she has compassion, too.” [CNN <http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/28/politics/clinton-midterm-lines/>, 10/28/14] · *In a San Francisco speech, Clinton revealed some of what may be her economic message: “Who’s on your side?” *According to the Washington Post, “Here in San Francisco on Monday, Clinton gave a spirited call to arms to Democrats as she road-tested what is likely to be her economic message if she runs again. The November midterms, she said, come down ‘to a simple question: Who’s on your side?’ She sounded close to her party’s populist marrow when she decried the erosion of economic security for many working Americans, and a long way from her tone-deaf remark earlier this year about being ‘dead broke’ when she and Bill Clinton left the White House in 2000. ‘It’s time to elect leaders who will fight for everyone to get a fair shot at the American dream,’ Hillary Clinton said.” [Washington Post <http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hillary-clinton-is-a-bright-spot-on-a-gloomy-democratic-election-landscape/2014/10/20/f86cb1b6-5862-11e4-bd61-346aee66ba29_story.html>, 10/21/14] · *Hillary Clinton’s speeches are revealing a theme that she could finish the economic recovery begun by Obama. *According to TPM, “Clinton seems to have a handle of the line she wants to toe: Obama saved us from worse economic struggles (as his defenders have been saying for years), but the work isn't over. Implicit, of course, is that she -- if she runs -- would finish the job. ‘We haven't seen a full recovery from the economic crash,’ Clinton said Thursday at CAP. ‘When the president came in, he deserves an enormous amount of credit for staunching the bleeding and preventing a further deterioration and getting us out of that ditch we were in. But we know unless we change our policies, a lot of the benefits are not going to be broadly shared.’ ‘It's not just about more jobs for more people and better paying jobs,’ she said. ‘It's making sure that the people themselves get to keep those benefits and build that future back that they are so desperate to see for themselves.’" [TPM <http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/hillary-clinton-2016-economic-message>, 9/22/14]· *In an interview with PBS this summer, Hillary *said <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/hillary-clinton-talks-hard-choices-battle-scars/#.U6t-JXR93NI.twitter> *:* “Bill and I have had terrific opportunities, both of us…have worked hard, but we’ve been grateful for everything that we’ve been able to achieve, and sadly that’s just not true for most Americans today…It’s important that we all try to figure out what we’re going to do, and that’s what I’ve done my entire life, fighting for a higher minimum wage, or family leave…equal pay for equal work…I think my record speaks for itself.” · *At a speech at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June, Hillary *said <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nswp_KBBjdM>*:* “At the end of the day, we’re all on the same team. We’re on the American team. And we’ve got to do a better job of getting our economy growing again and producing results and renewing the American Dream so that Americans feel that they have a stake in the future and that the economy and the political system is not stacked against them, because that will erode the trust that is at the basis of our democracy.” Women, Peace, and Security *Hillary Clinton made promoting women’s rights a **signature part of her tenure* <http://articles.philly.com/2013-02-28/news/37354818_1_afghan-women-peace-talks-peace-negotiations>* as Secretary of State. She elevated their role in peacekeeping efforts and helped inaugurate Georgetown’s Institute for Women, Peace, and Security. Recently, she spoke about **security through inclusive leadership* <http://www.georgetown.edu/news/hillary-clinton-security-inclusive-leadership.html>*, saying, “Today marks a very important next step. Shifting from saying the right things to doing the right things. Putting into action the steps that are necessary to not only protect women and children but to find ways of utilizing women as makers and keepers of peace.” As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton fought to do just that.* Elevated Role of Women as Peacekeepers *Under Hillary Clinton, “tradition-bound” bureaus and agencies were pushed “to think differently about the role of women in conflicts and peacemaking.” *In her book *Hard Choices*, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote, “We had to push tradition-bound bureaus and agencies to think differently about the role of women in conflicts and peacemaking, economic and democratic development, public health, and more. I didn’t want [the Office of Global Women’s Issues] to be the only place where this work was done; rather I wanted it to be integrated into the daily routine of our diplomats and development experts everywhere.” [*Hard Choices*, pg. 567, 2014] *Sec. Clinton “funded aid programs to train women leaders in developing countries for government, civil society, and peace negotiations.” *“Last week, Georgetown University inaugurated a new Institute for Women, Peace, and Security to research the role of women in mitigating global conflicts. The institute was first announced by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who made promotion of women’s rights a signature part of her tenure. Clinton funded aid programs to train women leaders in developing countries for government, civil society, and peace negotiations. Ambassador Melanne Verveer, who will head the Georgetown institute - and ran Clinton’s office for Global Women’s Issues - clearly hopes to build on that legacy in her new role.” [Trudy Rubin, Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/28/13 <http://articles.philly.com/2013-02-28/news/37354818_1_afghan-women-peace-talks-peace-negotiations> ] *Sec. Clinton promoted investing in women and girls because they “build peace and prosperity and political stability for everyone.” *“The United States is committed to making women and their advancement a cornerstone of our foreign policy not just because it’s the right thing to do. Investing in women and girls is good for societies, and it is also good for the future prosperity of countries. Women drive our economies. They build peace and prosperity and political stability for everyone—men and women, boys and girls.” [Statement on International Women’s Day, state.gov, 3/8/12 <http://www.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2012/03/185483.htm>] *Sec. Clinton: “When women participate in peace processes, they tend to focus discussion on issues like human rights, justice, national reconciliation, and economic renewal.” *In her book *Hard Choices*, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote, “When women participate in peace processes, they tend to focus discussion on issues like human rights, justice, national reconciliation, and economic renewal that are critical to making peace. They generally build coalitions across ethnic and sectarian lines and are more likely to speak up for other marginalized groups. They often act as mediators and help to foster compromise. Yet despite all that women tend to bring to the table, more often than not they’re excluded. Of the hundreds of peace treaties signed since the early 1990s, fewer than 10 percent had any women negotiators, fewer than 3 percent had any women signatories, and only a small percentage included even a single reference to women. So it’s not too surprising that more than half of all peace agreements fail within five years.” [*Hard Choices*, pg. 571, 2014] *Sec. Clinton pushed equal participation for women in peace efforts in countries affected by war, insecurity, and violence. *According to the State Department website, the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP) “seeks to ensure that women participate equally in preventing conflict and building peace in countries threatened and affected by war, violence, and insecurity. The Department’s implementation of the NAP demonstrates its commitment to furthering the promotion of gender equality in service of U.S. foreign policy and national security.” [“Department of State Implementation of the United States National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security,” state.gov, 8/15/12 <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2012/08/196530.htm>] *Sec. Clinton: “We must support women and girls” if we want to support “stable, peaceful societies worldwide.”* “So if we want to support strong democracies, thriving economies, and stable, peaceful societies worldwide, we must support women and girls. And that means focusing on a wide range of issues – from working to improve women’s leadership in industries where they are currently underrepresented, as Australia has pledged to do in the mining and construction industries, to enforcing and strengthening laws that guarantee women’s equal political participation, as Senegal has committed to do, to addressing once and for all the problem of nationality laws that discriminate against women and leave they and their families vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.” [Remarks at the Equal Futures Partnership Launch, state.gov, 9/24/12 <http://www.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2012/09/198115.htm>] Coordinated National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security *Sec. Clinton coordinated the development of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security with USAID and the Defense Department. *In her book *Hard Choices*, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote, “I spent years trying to get generals, diplomats, and national security policymakers in our own country and around the world to tune in to this reality. I found sympathetic allies at the Pentagon and in the White House, including Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michèle Flournoy and Admiral Sandy Winnefeld, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. State, USAID, and Defense got to work on a plan that would change the way diplomats, development experts, and military personnel interact with women in conflict and postconflict areas. There would be new emphasis on stopping rape and gender-based violence and empowering women to make and keep peace. We called it a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. In December 2011, President Obama issued an executive order launching the plan.” [*Hard Choices*, pg. 572, 2014] *Under Sec. Clinton’s leadership, America developed “its national action plan to promote the essential role of women when it comes to securing peace.”* According to a Courier-Journal op-ed by Kentucky state legislator Mary Lou Marzian, “With the leadership of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, America joined the ranks of more than 30 countries in developing its national action plan to promote the essential role of women when it comes to securing peace. All of this started with a movement of women that has risen up across the globe and has been developing through the United Nations.” [Mary Lou Marzian, Courier-Journal, 8/25/12 <http://archive.courier-journal.com/article/20120826/OPINION04/308260026>] *The National Action Plan better coordinated U.S. efforts to implement a UN resolution on women and peacekeeping. *According to a State Department fact sheet, “In this process, the United States has reaffirmed its support for [UN Security Council Resolution] 1325 and decided to initiate development of a National Action Plan to better coordinate and advance our efforts. The plan will include regular consultation with civil society groups in countries affected by conflict in recognition of their knowledge and expertise in the promotion of peace. We also will continue to partner with other countries, bilaterally and multilaterally, in support of 1325 principles.” [“The United States and UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Promoting the Political Participation of Women in all Aspects of Peace and Security,”state.gov, 10/26/10 <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/10/150006.htm>] *Secured Support for UN Security Council Resolution 1325 * *Sec. Clinton helped lead the charge to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325, “the first ever to recognize the role of women in restoring peace and maintaining security.”* According to Sec. Clinton’s remarks on making human rights a human reality, “We led the charge for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the first ever to recognize the role of women in restoring peace and maintaining security. We created a National Action Plan and encouraged others to do the same.” According to the United Nations, “Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) stresses the importance of women’s equal and full participation as active agents in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace-building and peacekeeping.” [Remarks on Making Human Rights a Human Reality, state.gov, 12/6/12 <http://www.state.gov/secretary/20092013clinton/rm/2012/12/201618.htm>; UN.org, accessed 6/24/14 <http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/issues/women/wps.shtml>] *Made Fighting Sexual Violence a Peacekeeping Priority * *Sec. Clinton achieved consensus in the UN to make ending sexual violence a priority for global peacekeeping missions. *In her book *Hard Choices*, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote, “A little more than a month after my trip to Goma, in late September 2009, I presided over a meeting of the United Nations Security Council focused on women, peace, and security, where I proposed making the protection of women and children from the kinds of rampant sexual violence I witnessed in the Congo a priority for UN peacekeeping missions around the world. All fifteen Council members agreed. It wasn’t going to solve the problem overnight, but it was a start.” [*Hard Choices*, pg. 282, 2014] *Sec. Clinton “led the unanimous adoption of UN Resolution 1888,” which mandated that “peacekeeping missions protect women and children from sexual violence during armed conflict.” *“Secretary Clinton has long worked to highlight the urgent need to end sexual violence against women and promote their in participation in peace and security. She led the unanimous adoption of UN Resolution 1888, the successor resolution to UNSCR 1325 and 1320.” According to the UN website, “Resolution 1888, as a follow up to Resolution 1820, mandates that peacekeeping missions protect women and children from sexual violence during armed conflict, and requests that the Secretary-General appoint a special representative on sexual violence during armed conflict (Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict).” [“The United States and UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Promoting the Political Participation of Women in all Aspects of Peace and Security,” state.gov, 10/26/10 <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/10/150006.htm>; UN.org, accessed 6/24/14 <http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/issues/women/wps.shtml>]