About Hillary Clinton getting pissed off in Africa .......

[Stinky The Clown]

..... the talking point involves miscellaneous bullshit about Bill celebrating his birthday in Vegas while she's traveling .... etc.

Hey talking pointers ..... she's the Secretary of State.

Bill is doing photo-ops with pygmies.

[polichick]

1. imo she was just too tired to be diplomatic at that moment...

I don't know how anyone can travel that much and not get overtired from time to time.

[BlooInBloo]

2. If she's too tired to do her job, then she should get somebody else to step in for a bit.

[polichick]

3. Or maybe take a few days off - hit the beach in August! nt

[greguganus]

4. Like Bill. n/t

[joeybee12]

6. Wow! Another well-thought out post! Very intelligent!

Very non-baiting.

[BlooInBloo]

7. As well thought-out as the one I responded to.

[Jim Sagle]

9. Or conversely, you could BlooInBloo it out yer ass.

[BlooInBloo]

11. (shrug) I'm not the one who said she was too tired to do her job.

[polichick]

20. Nobody said "she was too tired to do her job." nt

[BlooInBloo]

21. I didn't say you said those words.

[polichick]

22. Is it fair to suggest that doing her job requires HC to be diplomatic every single second?? nt

[BlooInBloo]

25. Um, you do realize that's like... you know... her *job*, right?

[polichick]

27. You missed the "every single second" part. nt

[BlooInBloo]

30. It's her job every single second she's working.

EDIT: If she fucks up on the job, no biggie. We all do. But it's still her job.

[polichick]

31. Problem is, she's working too many hours in too many time zones. nt

[BlooInBloo]

33. And now we're back full-circle to my first response.

[polichick]

35. And as I said, just head for the beach! ;)

[BlooInBloo]

36. :) Nothing wrong with a break every now and then.

[joeybee12]

5. And if the illiterate sk**k before her had done this the MSM would have covered up for her

attitude just like they covered up for her incompetence.

[lsewpershad]

12. Just wondering

What exactly is deplomacy? Saying exactually how you feel< the truth> with love? Just wondering. And by the way are we to believe the the State Dept had nothing to do with the whole affair? Again, just wondering.

[polichick]

13. Being diplomatic in this case would mean saying something like...

"Well, I'm not here to speak for President Clinton."

[Sparkly]

17. That's essentially what she said.

I don't see what the problem is.

[polichick]

18. I've got no problem with what she said, but it wasn't "diplomatic"...

Personally, I'm hardly ever diplomatic ~ but I do see how being that way sort of protects people from incoming fire.

[Sparkly]

24. Part of diplomacy is drawing lines.

She drew the line.

She did the right thing in delivering the message: American diplomats who are women are NOT secondary, lesser representatives of their husbands. I appreciate that she delivered that message.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. People ... This thread was NOT about HRC's reply. It was about what is being SAID about it

But carry on ....... :eyes:

[Tim01]

37. I think you are out of line.

You have no business trying to get people calmed down enough to make sense.

[karynnj]

45. except I heard nothing about Bill Clinton clebrating his birthday in LV

where was that? Was there something wrong with it? I don't et it.

This has been blown up way too much - I doubt it damaged any relationship. I do think her anger was inexplicable and I only feel sorry for the young man who asked.

[Sparkly]

10. If I may chime in...

She was SPOT ON and I was astonished to hear anybody took issue with her response!!!

HELLO?!?!

I wouldn't be surprised if most women, of all stripes, relate to this from her point of view. I know I do! I was cheering her when I saw the clip, and amazed to find anyone was criticizing her as if this were some "bad moment" or "mistake" or something. Hell with THAT!

I did think to myself that if she'd been in a debate, she'd have made a more "measured," flat response. But this was better.

You go, Hill!

[marshall]

14. I think she should have asked for a clarification or at least for a repeat of the question

Then it would have come out BEFORE her response that the translator botched the wording and the poor man who asked the question wouldn't have been needlessly raked over the coals.

Whenever one is about to lose one's temper, especially when one is in a position of needing to act with diplomacy, it would be best to make sure that the way you understood the statement or question was correct. The alternative is wild west diplomacy.

Otherwise it's like the police shooting somebody for waving something that only looked like a gun.

[Sparkly]

15. She did not lose her temper.

She responded perfectly appropriately to what she heard.

IF the translator "botched the wording" (did she?) it's not Sec. Clinton's fault, nor is it her job to prompt or question that process.

"Shooting somebody?" That's a ridiculous analogy.

[marshall]

19. But that is the achilles heel of being a diplomat

The analogy is drawn from the metaphor of "Wild West Diplomacy", or "Cowboy Diplomacy", if you will. It's the "Act, speak (or shoot) first, ask questions later" mentality. It's taken us down the wrong path before.

[Sparkly]

28. She was asked a question.

She answered.

She didn't fly off the handle, she didn't speak out of context or in relation to nothing, she didn't "shoot first and ask questions later," unprovoked.

She was asked a (ridiculous) question, and answered appropriately!

[marshall]

41. Actually she didn't answer the question

She responded to a mistranslation by her own State department translator. Her response to the confused student had nothing to do with the question he posed.

In diplomacy words are everthing.

I do think in many ways it will blow over, but I think it can be a learning opportunity for all of us about the need to make sure we have a clear understanding of each other.

[Sparkly]

42. Oh for cryin' out loud.

The question she heard merited exactly the answer she gave it. Period.

[marshall]

43. But she was responding to a question that didn't exist

Period. It did not exist outside her own department's bungled translation.

Meanwhile the legitimate question posed by the student was not answered.

[Sparkly]

44. Too bad!

IF that were the case, it's the translator's fault.

There was NOTHING wrong with what Clinton said -- in fact, I applaud it.

There is a LOT wrong with the media making hay of it, as cited in the OP.

[marshall]

46. The State dept. translator was probably schooled in European French

The Congolese student spoke French, but there are differences between European French and the French that is spoken in African countries. That is likely the root of the problem.

[spanone]

16. she looked tired. she's been working hard.

[Sparkly]

29. Oh, tired schmired -- she said nothing wrong, AND, Stinky's point was about the media slant.

Not about her answer to the question.

[katty]

23. she looks tired, this was the last thing she needed to put up with

[madeline_con]

26. Is "pygmies" PC? n/t

[steelmania75]

32. Leave Hillary and Bill alone

They've served the USA well, and Bill didn't have to go to NK and Hillary didn't have to take the SOS job, but they did, because they're patriots and they want to make the USA and the world a better place when they're done with their job.

[Stinky The Clown]

38. I'm not picking on them

But you make up any point of view you wish.

Welcome to DU, by the way.

[undeterred]

34. Women aren't allowed to be annoyed.

[Stinky The Clown]

39. Did you read the OP?

It takes issue with her detractors ... not with her.

I realize I wrote a complex sentence.

[undeterred]

40. Sorry, I was responding in reference to the headlines

about this incident more than I was to the post.

"Clinton's Outburst in Congo Raises Concerns About Her Diplomatic Skills" (Fox News)

"US Official gropes to explain Clinton's Outburst" (NPR)

"Six reasons why Hillary Clinton should cheer up a bit" (Guardian)