Subject: 9.19.14 Weekend TPs Package
From: Burns Strider <[email-masked]>
To: CTRFriendsFamily <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 16:14:12 -0400
List-Id: <CTRFriendsFamily.americanbridge.org>

​Hi all,

See the Correct The Record weekend talking points package both attached and
below. Have a great weekend!

*9.19.14 Weekend Package*

1.       *Hillary Clinton on Immigration
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#1488f88f06ef0dc3_immigration>*

*2.      **The Clinton Global Initiative
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#1488f88f06ef0dc3_cgi>*

*3.      **Benghazi Document  Review
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#1488f88f06ef0dc3_benghazi>*

*4.      **Hillary Clinton and Syria
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#1488f88f06ef0dc3_syria>*

*TALKING POINTS: **HILLARY CLINTON ON IMMIGRATION*

*KEY POINTS:*

·         Hillary Clinton has been a vocal supporter of comprehensive
immigration reform and a path to citizenship.

·         In the Senate, Hillary Clinton consistently voted in favor of
comprehensive immigration reform.

·         Clinton is a supporter of the DREAM Act and advocated for it on
the Senate floor.

·         In the Senate, Hillary Clinton introduced an amendment to reunite
families separated by the immigration system.  The amendment would have
reclassified the spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents
as immediate relatives.

·         Clinton introduced a bill to restore access to Medicaid and SCHIP
benefits for legal immigrant pregnant women and children.

·         Clinton introduced a bill to provide more funding for job
training for people with limited English language skills.

BACKGROUND: HILLARY ON Immigration

*Hillary Clinton: “I’m a huge supporter of immigration reform and a path to
citizenship and will continue to advocate for that.”* As former Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton recently told a tearful young undocumented
immigrant, “I’m a huge supporter of immigration reform and a path to
citizenship and will continue to advocate for that.” Clinton’s remarks came
at the Clinton Foundation’s “No Ceilings” forum in New York. Clinton went
on to say, “I believe strongly we are missing a great opportunity by not
welcoming people like you and 11 million others who have made contributions
to our country into a legal status so you don’t have to worry, you can go
to school, you can work, you can pursue your dreams.” Clinton also said she
is “strongly in favor” of the bipartisan Senate bill and that the House’s
opposition is “a big missed opportunity for our country.” [Washington Post,
4/17/14
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/04/17/hillary-clinton-says-shes-a-huge-supporter-of-immigration-reform/>
]

*Hillary Clinton has been a strong supporter of the DREAM Act. *As Senator
Clinton stated during a debate over the DREAM Act on the Senate floor,
“There is a solution to this crisis, but sadly, the Senate today failed to
act. The DREAM Act – which I have proudly cosponsored for several years –
would help expand opportunities for our nation’s immigrant children. For
those students who have grown up in the United States, have demonstrated
good moral character, and are pursuing a college education or have enlisted
in the military, the DREAM Act will provide an opportunity to earn legal
status in this country.” [Clinton floor remarks, 10/24/07
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?r110:S24OC7-0015:>]

*Sen. Clinton consistently voted in support of comprehensive immigration
reform. *In the Senate, Hillary Clinton voted for the bipartisan
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 and voted to invoke cloture on
S.1639, the 2007 comprehensive immigration reform bill. [Vote #157, S.2611,
5/25/06
<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?&congress=109&session=2&vote=00157>
, Vote #235, S.1639,6/28/07
<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00235>
]

*Sen. Clinton introduced legislation to restore access to Medicaid and
SCHIP benefits for legal immigrant pregnant women and children.* In 2007,
Hillary introduced the Legal Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act
<http://beta.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/764?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Legal+Immigrant+Children%27s+Health+Improvement+%22%5D%7D>
“which
amends titles XIX (Medicaid) and XXI (Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP)
of the Social Security Act to grant states the option of covering certain
categories of eligible pregnant women and child resident aliens, including
targeted low-income children, under the Medicaid and SCHIP programs.”
[S.764,3/5/07
<http://beta.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/764?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Legal+Immigrant+Children%27s+Health+Improvement+%22%5D%7D>
]

*Sen. Clinton introduced legislation to provide more job training funds for
individuals with limited English language skills.* In 2003, Hillary Clinton
introduced the Access to Employment and English Language Acquisition Act
which “Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to provide for: (1) job
training that integrates occupational skills training with language
acquisition; and (2) specified services for individuals who are Limited
English Proficient (LEP). Authorizes the Secretary to award incentive
grants to States for exemplary performance in carrying out integrated
training programs.” [S.1543, introduced, 7/31/03
<http://beta.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/senate-bill/1543?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Access+to+Employment+and+English+Language+Acquisition+Act%22%5D%7D>
]

*Sen. Clinton introduced an amendment to reunite families who had been
separated by the immigration system. *In 2007, during a debate over the
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, Sen. Clinton introduced an amendment
“to reclassify the spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents
as immediate relatives.” As she said before the vote, “It is time to take
all the rhetoric about family values and put it into action and show that
we mean what we say when we talk about putting families first. That is what
my amendment does. This amendment is a bipartisan amendment offered with
Senator Hagel and Senator Menendez. It is our view we must make reuniting
families a priority in our immigration system, that we should show
compassion for those living apart from their spouses and minor children,
that we should reform immigration in a way that honors families and brings
them together.” The bipartisan amendment, introduced with Sens. Hagel and
Menendez failed, 44-53. [Vote # 195, 6/6/07
<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00195>
]

*TALKING POINTS: THE CLINTON GLOBAL INITIATIVE*

*BACKGROUND:** The Clinton Global Initiative’s annual meeting will take
place in New York City on September 21-24.*

*TALKING POINTS:*

·         The purpose of the Clinton Global Initiative is to find solutions
to the world’s most pressing challenges by bringing together the best minds
and turning their ideas into action.

·         CGI is nonpartisan and its members include global leaders with a
wide array of backgrounds who are creating positive change around the world.

·         *Here are just a few examples of the life-changing work developed
as a result of the Clinton Global Initiative:*

o   Clinton Global Initiative members have made more than 2,900 Commitments
to Action, which have already improved the lives of over 430 million people
<http://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/about-us/cgi-mission>
in
more than 180 countries.

o   The Clinton Global Initiative worked to secure funding commitments
valued at $103 billion
<http://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/about-us/cgi-mission>
to
spur innovative solutions to global challenges.

o   In Africa alone, CGI members have committed $27.8 billion
<http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/31/world/africa/clinton-africa/> to projects
and other participation.

o   Procter & Gamble committed to providing more than 300 million liters
<http://news.pg.com/press-release/pg-corporate-announcements/procter-gamble-makes-commitment-clinton-global-initiative-p>
of
clean drinking water to more than 2 million people in the Horn of Africa
through the Clinton Global Initiative.

o   The Clinton Global Initiative America program addresses economic
recovery and revitalization efforts in the U.S, including a $47 million plan
<http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/06/seeking_national_support_birmi.html>
to
revitalize Birmingham and create hundreds of jobs.

o   Clinton Global Initiative America partnered
<http://www.kentucky.com/2014/06/19/3299141_west-liberty-rebuilding-effort.html?rh=1>
with
a Kentucky town damaged by a tornado to build energy-efficient housing.

o   Last year at CGI, the NAACP committed
<http://www.naacp.org/press/entry/CGI-Release> to addressing the impact of
HIV/AIDS in the 30 U.S. cities that account for nearly two-thirds of the
country’s HIV cases.

o   CGI established the U.S. Youth Employment Action Network to encourage
companies to expand employment opportunities for America’s youth.

·         *The world is a better place because of programs like these.*

·         *Last year, the Clinton Global Initiative honored Bishop Elias
Taban with a Global Citizen Award.*

o   Bishop Taban is a former child soldier from South Sudan who wrote an
op-ed <http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/americas-friend-in-need/>
encouraging
Sudan and South Sudan to end their conflict over oil production and
transport fees so that both countries could move forward with development
and growth.

o   In the op-ed he wrote
<http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/americas-friend-in-need/>,
“There must always come a point where we look forward and recognize the
need to stop fighting over past wrongs so we can build toward a new
future.  That time has come for South Sudan.  We must restart oil
production and work out an agreement to transport it through north Sudan.”

o   Hillary Clinton was so inspired by his words that, while Secretary of
State, she used his op-ed to convince
<http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article51307> the Sudan and South
Sudan to reach a compromise.

*TALKING POINTS: BENGHAZI DOCUMENT REVIEW*

*BACKGROUND:** In the latest so-called Benghazi “bombshell,” former State
Department official Raymond Maxwell alleges that he and others conducted a
review of documents related to Benghazi prior to handing them over to the
Accountability Review Board.*

*TALKING POINTS:*

·         *This latest so-called Benghazi “bombshell” is without merit and
has been strongly denied by the State Department.*

o   “A State Department spokesman calls the implication that documents were
withheld ‘totally without merit.’” [Daily Signal, 9/15/14
<http://dailysignal.com/2014/09/15/benghazi-bombshell-clinton-state-department-official-reveals-alleged-details-document-review/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social>
]

o   “Spokesman Alec Gerlach says ‘The range of sources that the ARB’s
investigation drew on would have made it impossible for anyone outside of
the ARB to control its access to information.’” [Daily Signal, 9/15/14
<http://dailysignal.com/2014/09/15/benghazi-bombshell-clinton-state-department-official-reveals-alleged-details-document-review/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social>
]

o   “Gerlach says the State Department instructed all employees to
cooperate ‘fully and promptly’ with the ARB, which invited anyone with
relevant information to contact them directly. ‘So individuals with
information were reaching out proactively to the board. And, the ARB was
also directly engaged with individuals and the [State] Department’s bureaus
and offices to request information and pull on whichever threads it chose
to,’ says Gerlach.” [Daily Signal, 9/15/14
<http://dailysignal.com/2014/09/15/benghazi-bombshell-clinton-state-department-official-reveals-alleged-details-document-review/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social>
]

·         *The Accountability Review Board was independent, exhaustive, and
critical of the State Department.*

o   Following an examination of the Accountability Review Board process,
the Inspector General concluded the Board operated “independently and
without bias.” [Special Review of the Accountability Review Board
Process,September
2013 <http://oig.state.gov/documents/organization/214907.pdf#page=5>]

o   Ambassador Pickering testified that the ARB met “almost continuously”
for two-and-a-half months, conducted nearly 100 interviews, reviewed
thousands of pages of documents and viewed hours of video. He said that the
Accountability Review Board “was provided with the fullest cooperation by
the Department of State and all elements of the U.S. government.” [House
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Hearing, 9/19/13
<http://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2013-09-19-Ser.No_.-113-59-FC-Reviews-of-the-Benghazi-Attacks-and-Unanswered-Questions.pdf#page=13>
]

o   Press accounts at the time noted that the results of the Board “sharply
criticized the State Department for a lack of seasoned security personnel
and for relying on untested local militias to safeguard the compound.” [New
York Times, 12/18/12
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/us/politics/inquiry-into-libya-attack-is-sharply-critical-of-state-department.html?hp&_r=5&pagewanted=all&>
]

·         Maxwell has had the opportunity to bring up these allegations in
the many interviews he’s had with the media and members of Congress both
before and after his retirement, yet has neglected to do so until now.

·         Maxwell, who retired in November 2013, was one of four State
Department officials placed on paid administrative leave from his position
in the bureau of Near Eastern Affairs as a result of the Accountability
Review Board’s findings. [New  York Times, 12/19/12
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/us/politics/3-state-dept-officials-resign-following-benghazi-report.html?_r=0&pagewanted=print>
]

*TALKING POINTS: HILLARY CLINTON AND SYRIA*

*BACKGROUND:** This week, Congress voted in favor of President Obama’s
proposal to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels. While the bill passed
by a wide majority in both the House and the Senate, some prominent members
of Congress voted against the bill.*

*KEY POINTS:*

·         As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton was an early advocate of
arming the moderate Syrian opposition. She "believed, at the time, they
would be overwhelmed by Assad’s military force and that they would open up
the door to extremists coming in."

·         Hillary Clinton has repeatedly said that the situation in Syria
is a “wicked problem” with no right answer.

   - While she advocated arming and training the moderate Syrian opposition
   early on, she has said there is no way to predict if that would have
   worked, but she believed it was the best of the options available at the
   time.

·         Secretary Clinton has made clear that, even though she advocated
a plan to arm the Syrian rebels, it was the “President’s call” and she
“respected his deliberations and decision.”

*HILLARY CLINTON’S STATEMENTS ON SYRIA:*

   - “Wicked problem ... a term used by planning experts to describe
   particularly complex challenges that confound standard solutions and
   approaches. Wicked problems rarely have a right answer; in fact, part of
   what makes them wicked is that every option appears worse than the next.
   Increasingly that's how Syria appeared.” [“Hard Choices”, CBS News,
   6/5/14
   <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clintons-hard-choices-bergdahl-benghazi-and-more/>
   ]
   - "[T]he risks of both action and inaction were high. Both choices would
   bring unintended consequences. The Presidents' inclination was to stay the
   present course and not take the significant further step of arming rebels.
   No one likes to lose a debate, including me. But this was the President's
   call and I respected his deliberations and decision. From the beginning of
   our partnership, he had promised me that would always get a fair hearing.
   And I always did. In this case, my position didn't prevail."  [*Hard
   Choices*, pg. 461, 2014]
   - “I recommended that we do more in the very beginning to support the
   moderate opposition, because I believed, at the time, that they would be
   overwhelmed by Assad’s military force and that they would open up the door
   to extremists coming in.”  [Politico, 6/17/14
   <http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/hillary-clinton-benghazi-107976.html>
   ]
   - “[T]he failure to help build up a credible fighting force of the
   people who were the originators of the protests against Assad… left a big
   vacuum, which the jihadists have now filled.” [The Atlantic, 8/10/14
   <http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/08/hillary-clinton-failure-to-help-syrian-rebels-led-to-the-rise-of-isis/375832/?single_page=true>
   ]
   - “Now the wicked problem has gotten even wickeder…This is not just a
   Syrian problem anymore…I could not have predicted the extent to which ISIS
   was effective in seizing cities in Iraq and taking over the region.” [The
   Hill, 6/12/14
   <http://thehill.com/policy/international/209153-hillary-clinton-warns-of-extremist-spillover-from-syria>
   ]
   - *“*You know, this is why I called the chapter on Syria ‘A Wicked
   Problem.’ I can’t sit here today and say that if we had done what I
   recommended… that we’d be in a demonstrably different place.” [The
   Atlantic, 8/10/14
   <http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/08/hillary-clinton-failure-to-help-syrian-rebels-led-to-the-rise-of-isis/375832/?single_page=true>
   ]

Hillary Clinton’s RECENT STATEMENTS ON SYRIA

*Sec. Clinton: None of the options on Syria “offered much hope of success,”
but “we had to keep at it.” *In her book *Hard Choices*, Secretary Clinton
wrote, “I started referring to Syria as a ‘wicked problem,’ a term used by
planning experts to describe particularly complex challenges that confound
standard solutions and approaches. Wicked problems rarely have a right
answer; in fact, part of what makes them wicked is that every option
appears worse than the next. Increasingly that’s how Syria appeared. Do
nothing, and a humanitarian disaster envelops the region. Intervene
militarily, and risk opening Pandora’s box and wading into another
quagmire, like Iraq. Send aid to the rebels, and watch it end up in the
hands of extremists. Continue with diplomacy, and run head-first into a
Russian veto. None of these approaches offered much hope of success. But we
had to keep at it.” [*Hard Choices*, pg. 461, 2014]

*Sec. Clinton: Pres. Obama’s inclination was to “not take the significant
further step of arming rebels” in Syria. *In her book *Hard Choices*, Secretary
Clinton wrote, “Despite high-level support from the National Security
Council, some in the White House were skeptical. After all, the President
had been elected in large part because of his opposition to the war in Iraq
and his promise to bring the troops home. Getting entangled in any way in
another sectarian civil war in the Middle East was not what he had in mind
when coming into office. And the President thought we needed more time to
evaluate the Syrian opposition before escalating our commitment. The risks
of both action and inaction were high. Both choices would bring unintended
consequences. The President’s inclination was to stay the present course
and not take the significant further step of arming rebels.” [*Hard Choices*,
pg. 464, 2014]

*Sec Clinton: Syria “was the President’s call and I respected his
deliberations and decision.” *In her book *Hard Choices*, Secretary Clinton
wrote, “No one likes to lose a debate, including me. But this was the
President’s call and I respected his deliberations and decision. From the
beginning of our partnership, he had promised me that I would always get a
fair hearing. And I always did. In this case, my position didn’t
prevail.” [*Hard
Choices*, pg. 464, 2014]

*Sec. Clinton, on Syria: “I can’t sit here today and say that if we had
done what I recommended, and what Robert Ford recommended, that we’d be in
a demonstrably different place.” *In an interview with Jeffrey Goldberg for
The Atlantic, Sec. Clinton said, regarding whether she agreed with U.S.
Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford that the U.S. was at fault for not building
a credible Syrian opposition, “I have the highest regard for Robert. I’m
the one who convinced the administration to send an ambassador to Syria.
You know, this is why I called the chapter on Syria ‘A Wicked Problem.’ I
can’t sit here today and say that if we had done what I recommended, and
what Robert Ford recommended, that we’d be in a demonstrably different
place.” [The Atlantic, 8/10/14
<http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/08/hillary-clinton-failure-to-help-syrian-rebels-led-to-the-rise-of-isis/375832/?single_page=true>
]

*Sec. Clinton: “I did believe… that if we were to carefully vet, train, and
equip early on a core group of the developing Free Syrian Army, we would…
have some better insight into what was going on on the ground.” *In an
interview with Jeffrey Goldberg for The Atlantic, Sec. Clinton said,
regarding whether Israel had done enough to pursue peace, “Well, I did
believe, which is why I advocated this, that if we were to carefully vet,
train, and equip early on a core group of the developing Free Syrian Army,
we would, number one, have some better insight into what was going on on
the ground. Two, we would have been helped in standing up a credible
political opposition, which would prove to be very difficult, because there
was this constant struggle between what was largely an exile group outside
of Syria trying to claim to be the political opposition, and the people on
the ground, primarily those doing the fighting and dying, who rejected
that, and we were never able to bridge that, despite a lot of efforts that
Robert and others made.” [The Atlantic, 8/10/14
<http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/08/hillary-clinton-failure-to-help-syrian-rebels-led-to-the-rise-of-isis/375832/?single_page=true>
]

*Sec. Clinton, on Syria: “I know that the failure to help build up a
credible fighting force of the people who were the originators of the
protests against Assad… the failure to do that left a big vacuum, which the
jihadists have now filled.” *In an interview with Jeffrey Goldberg for The
Atlantic, Sec. Clinton said, regarding whether ISIS would be in the same
position it was if the U.S. had done more to build up a moderate Syrian
opposition in 2011, “Well, I don’t know the answer to that. I know that the
failure to help build up a credible fighting force of the people who were
the originators of the protests against Assad—there were Islamists, there
were secularists, there was everything in the middle—the failure to do that
left a big vacuum, which the jihadists have now filled. They were often
armed in an indiscriminate way by other forces and we had no skin in the
game that really enabled us to prevent this indiscriminate arming.” [The
Atlantic, 8/10/14
<http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/08/hillary-clinton-failure-to-help-syrian-rebels-led-to-the-rise-of-isis/375832/?single_page=true>
]

*Sec. Clinton, on Syria: “Now the wicked problem has gotten even
wickeder.” *According to The Hill’s coverage of Sec. Clinton’s discussion
at the Council on Foreign Relations, “In her new memoir Hard Choices,
Clinton described Syria’s civil war as a ‘wicked problem.’ ‘Now the wicked
problem has gotten even wickeder,’ Clinton said Thursday at an event at the
Council on Foreign Relations. ‘This is not just a Syrian problem anymore.’
A Sunni jihadi group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)—once part
of al Qaeda—has gained control of large areas of Iraq and Syria over the
last year. In recent days, ISIS seized key Iraqi cities such as Mosul and
Tikrit. ‘I could not have predicted the extent to which ISIS was effective
in seizing cities in Iraq and taking over the region,’ said the former
secretary of State, who was America’s top diplomat when the U.S. pulled out
of Iraq in 2011 and when Syria’s civil war erupted that year.” [The Hill,
6/12/14
<http://thehill.com/policy/international/209153-hillary-clinton-warns-of-extremist-spillover-from-syria>
]