Subject: 10.24.14 CTR Weekend TPs
From: Burns Strider <[email-masked]>
To: CTRFriendsFamily <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:59:33 -0400
List-Id: <CTRFriendsFamily.americanbridge.org>

​Hi all,

Please find Correct The Record's weekend talking points package both
attached and below.

*10.24.14 Weekend Package*

1.       Rand Paul’s Foreign Policy TPs
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#149430e57f48ecc7_foreign>

2.       Harper’s Hit Piece on Hillary TPs
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#149430e57f48ecc7_Harpers>

3.       Eleven Things You Should Know About Hillary
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#149430e57f48ecc7_eleven>

*TALKING POINTS: RAND PAUL’S FOREIGN POLICY*

*BACKGROUND:* In a lame attempt to clarify his contradictory foreign policy
positions, Rand Paul gave a speech last night that only left more questions
about what are the real views of Rand Paul and what are just political
posturing.

*TALKING POINTS:*

·      Rand Paul’s foreign policy is about as clear and predictable as
rolling the dice.

·      After being criticized for his extreme isolationist views, Rand Paul
is now trying to back track on those positions.

·      Rand Paul wants to have it both ways, claiming to be more of a hawk
when it is politically convenient for him.

·      This isn’t the first time Rand Paul has flip-flopped on important
issues for political reasons.

o   Rand Paul flip-flopped on Israel: After repeatedly claiming he would
eliminate foreign aid, including to Israel, he now claims that he would
not.

o   Rand Paul flip-flopped on ISIS: Rand Paul expressed reluctance to
intervene against ISIS, only to change his mind a few months later.

o   Rand Paul flip-flopped Russia: Rand Paul was against standing up to
Putin after the Russian leader sent troops into Georgia, but took a
different stance after Russian troops entered Ukraine.

·      In his speech, Rand Paul criticized Secretary Clinton and cited
former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Pakistani activist and recent
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, both of whom have praised
Secretary Clinton for her leadership around the world.

·      Rand Paul is quick to criticize the actions of our country’s leaders
after the fact, but he has never been in hot seat.

·      With such an unclear and contradictory foreign policy position, it
is impossible to predict the actions Rand Paul would take if he were ever
the one making the decisions.

·      Supporting Rand Paul’s foreign policy would be the biggest, and most
dangerous, gamble the American people could ever take.

*BACKGROUND RESEARCH*

*Rand Paul flip-flopped on Israel. *“Paul said, ‘I haven’t really proposed
(phasing out aid to Israel) in the past.’ That’s rewriting history. Not
only did Paul say he would eliminate all foreign aid during multiple media
interviews in January and February of 2011, but as late as March of that
year, his office released a budget proposal that included a zeroing-out of
foreign assistance, with a section specifically inserted to defend the
effect that policy would have on Israel. Paul is free to change his
position, but saying he never held the position in the first place is
flatly contradicted by his past statements and documents. We rate the claim
Pants on Fire.” [“Pants On Fire: I haven’t really proposed (phasing out aid
to Israel) in the past,” PolitiFact, 8/7/14
<http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/aug/07/rand-paul/did-rand-paul-propose-cutting-aid-israel/>
]

*Rand Paul flip-flopped on ISIS. *“After expressing reluctance to intervene
against ISIS over the summer, Sen. Rand Paul abruptly shifted gears on
Thursday and announced that he supports military action to eliminate the
Islamist group.  ‘The military means to achieve these goals include
airstrikes against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria,’ the Kentucky Republican
and likely 2016 presidential hopeful wrote in an op-ed in TIME. ‘Such
airstrikes are the best way to suppress ISIS’s operational strength and
allow allies such as the Kurds to regain a military advantage.’ […] When
ISIS initially captured large swaths of Iraqi territory in June, Paul’s
response was mainly to criticize former President Bush and Vice President
Dick Cheney for enabling ISIS’s rise by launching the U.S. invasion of
Iraq. In fact, Paul specifically argued that Obama didn’t deserve scorn for
failing to prevent the insurgent gains as a result. And while his new op-ed
criticizes Obama for saying he still hasn’t decided on a strategy to
confront ISIS, Paul himself has made similar comments in arguing there
might not be a viable strategy to defeat ISIS.” [“Rand Paul’s epic ISIS
flip-flop,” MSNBC, 9/4/14
<http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/rand-paul-epic-isis-flip-flop>]

*Rand Paul flip-flopped on Russia. *According to Mother Jones, “So when
Russia sent troops into Georgia (on George W. Bush’s watch), Paul didn’t
want to provoke Russia by placing missiles in Poland. Yet today, when
Russia moves into Ukraine (on Obama’s watch), he’s all for dispatching
missiles to Poland to send a message to Putin. Does Paul care more about
Crimea than Georgia? Or does he care more about keeping a foot on the GOP’s
anti-Obama bandwagon? Paul’s office did not respond to a request for
comment.” [“Rand Paul's Big Flip-Flop on Russia,” David Corn column, Mother
Jones, 3/14/14
<http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/03/rand-paul-flip-flop-russia-ukraine-georgia>
]

*Robert Gates: Sec. Clinton “made a singular contribution to strengthening
this country’s relationships with allies.”* Former Secretary of Defense
Robert Gates: “In a world that is ever more complex, turbulent and
dangerous, Secretary Clinton, 64, has made a singular contribution to
strengthening this country’s relationships with allies, partners and
friends; rallying other countries to join us in dealing with challenges to
the global order, from Libya and Iran to the South China Sea; and reaching
out to people in scores of countries to demonstrate that America cares
about them. She has developed, for the first time, long-range,
comprehensive strategies for  diplomacy and development that will
strengthen the critical civilian contribution to America’s national
security abroad.” [Robert Gates, Time Magazine, 4/18/12]

*Malala: "A world with more women leaders will be a better world, and
Hillary Clinton is helping make that possible."* "Hillary Clinton is a
symbol of strength for women across the world. It was she who famously
said, ‘Women’s rights are human rights.’ She not only spoke those words,
but also dedicated her life to empowering women around the world through
politics and philanthropy. She has been a source of strength for many women
leaders, including myself, my family and those who stood by me after I was
attacked. ‘Continue your mission, be strong, we believe in you’ is what she
said to me, my father and the rest of the Malala Fund team when we met her
last year at the Clinton Global Initiative awards. Her life and leadership
show women what we can achieve if we believe in our own strength and if we
channel our inner creativity, compassion and determination. A world with
more women leaders will be a better world, and Hillary Clinton is helping
make that possible." [Malala Yousafzai op-ed, 4/23/14
<http://time.com/70904/hillary-clinton-2014-time-100/>]

*TALKING POINTS: HARPER’S HILLARY HIT PIECE*

*BACKGROUND:* Harper’s Magazine published an attack essay on former
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by reporter Doug Henwood, misleading
readers on Hillary Clinton’s record and spreading a false narrative of
Hillary Clinton’s many decades of public service.

*TALKING POINTS:*

·         Folks with a political axe to grind have been trying to reinvent
Hillary Clinton’s legacy for decades. But Hillary only gets stronger
because she has always been about a better future for everyone.

·         The latest anti-Hillary hit piece contains nothing new – it
merely rehashes the same old stories from the same old hit men.

·         Relying on unreliable sources such as Dick Morris, the article is
factually untrue and full of debunked information.

o   The author even admits in the article that “his [Dick Morris’]
pronouncements on both Bill and Hillary should be taken with a substantial
grain of salt.”

·         The article’s criticism of President Clinton’s economic policies
completely ignores the fact that the 1990s were the longest period of
growth in U.S. history and during Clinton’s administration, 7 million
people were lifted out of poverty and nearly 23 million jobs were created.

·         Repeating the same talking points we’ve heard from America Rising
and Rush Limbaugh – from undermining Hillary’s accomplishments to bringing
up conspiracy theories from the past – the piece reads like a page straight
out of the GOP playbook.

·         Despite these desperate attempts to undermine her
accomplishments, Hillary Clinton’s record speaks for itself.

o   Hillary was crucial in expanding health care for millions of children.

o   Senator Clinton repeatedly voted and introduced legislation to increase
the minimum wage and played a pivotal role in securing billions for 9/11
funding.

o   In the words of Bob Gates, Secretary Clinton “made a singular
contribution to strengthening this country’s relationships with allies.”

o   Since leaving the State Department, Secretary Clinton has focused on
early childhood development, full global participation for women, electing
Democrats, and her family.

·         The unprecedented support behind Hillary Clinton is a result of
her vision and focus, making a real difference, supporting our families,
improving our communities and enhancing the lives of all people.

ELEVEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HILLARY

*Secretary Clinton helped restore America’s leadership and standing in the
world during a time of global challenges and changes.* Secretary Clinton
worked tirelessly to revitalize American diplomacy and strengthen alliances
by traveling nearly a million miles for hundreds of meetings with foreign
leaders in 112 countries. As America’s lead diplomat, Secretary Clinton
understood the importance of engaging the public and took diplomacy
directly to people around the world. Just as she was as a senator,
Secretary Clinton was a workhorse, often taking on difficult challenges and
addressing them directly around the world.

*Secretary Clinton built and maintained a coalition to enact the toughest
sanctions in Iran’s history.*Secretary Clinton helped impose the toughest
sanctions in Iran’s history by getting Russia and China on board. Even the Wall
Street Journal
<http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748703957904575252600443502256?KEYWORDS=HILLARY+clinton>
editorial
board noted that, “Clinton surely pulled out every stop to get Russia and
particularly China…on board.” And as Howard Dean recently told CNN
<http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1311/25/cg.02.html>, “Hillary
Clinton cranked up the sanctions for the first time under President Obama
that actually made the Iranians come to the table.”

*Secretary Clinton played an integral role in the New START Treaty with
Russia. *Secretary Clinton played an active role in reaching a missile
reduction agreement with Russia, working to push it through the Senate
<http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/08/11/clinton.start.treaty/> and securing
more than the necessary two-thirds majority. She entered the treaty into
force <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/02/156037.htm> in Munich with
her Russian counterpart. As a result of the treaty’s passage, there
will be fewer
nuclear missile launchers
<http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/02/156037.htm>. Simply put, the
world is safer.

*Secretary Clinton supported the raid that brought Osama bin Laden to
justice.* As NBC’s Brian Williams reported
<http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/05/02/11493919-president-obama-bin-laden-raid-is-most-important-single-day-of-my-presidency>
on
his website, “Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recommended an air strike
with no forces on the ground.  CIA Director Panetta supported a raid by
Special Forces and so did Secretary of State Clinton.”

*Secretary Clinton helped avert all-out war in Gaza by negotiating a
cease-fire between Israelis and Palestinians. *In November 2012, after
eight days of violence, Secretary Clinton negotiated a Gaza cease-fire with
Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi. In an article titled “Hillary Clinton
scores Gaza cease fire success,” Politico noted
<http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84145.html> that, “Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton got a Gaza cease-fire right at the moment hope seemed
dead for a rapid end to the violence…”

*Secretary Clinton played a role in bringing one war to an end and planning
for the end of another.*Working closely with Department of Defense
colleagues and as part of the President’s national security team, Secretary
Clinton played a role in the end of war in Iraq and in beginning a
transition in Afghanistan, with all NATO allies having agreed to stand-up a
post withdrawal support plan. As President Obama told 60 Minutes
<http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-and-clinton-the-60-minutes-interview/3/>,
it was “all a consequence of the great work that Hillary did and her team
did and the State Department did in conjunction with our national security
team.”

*Secretary Clinton was critical in America’s “pivot to Asia” strategy.* As
Martin Indyk of the Brookings Institute wrote in Foreign Policy
<http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/06/20/debating_hillary#sthash.tKnaZMYq.dpbs>,
“The ‘pivot’ to East Asia will probably be Obama’s most lasting strategic
achievement… [but] it is Clinton’s too. She laid the groundwork, built the
relationships, and developed the complex architecture of the new strategy —
and she turned up at that pivotal moment in Vietnam in July 2010 to declare
the U.S. commitment to the region.” Secretary Clinton earned praise
<http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/hard-diplomatic-work-pays-off-in-myanmar/1262961>
for
her work in opening up Burma, a place that had not been visited by a
Secretary of State in 50 years.

*Secretary Clinton worked to build the coalition to oust Qadhafi and stop
massacres in Libya. *As theWashington Post reported
<http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-10-30/world/35277483_1_brega-misurata-benghazi>
upon
the end of NATO operations in Libya, “U.S. officials and key allies are
offering a detailed new defense of the approach and Clinton’s pivotal role
– both within a divided Cabinet and a fragile, assembled-on-the-fly
international alliance. What emerges from these accounts is a picture of
Clinton using her mixture of political pragmatism and tenacity to referee
spats among NATO partners, secure crucial backing from Arab countries and
tutor rebels on the fine points of message management.”

*Secretary Clinton engaged in economic statecraft.* Secretary Clinton’s
focus on economic engagement resulted in increased investment
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-10/how-hillary-clinton-created-a-u-s-business-promotion-machine.html>
through
three new free trade agreements
<http://www.state.gov/e/eb/tpp/bta/fta/c26474.htm> (Colombia
<http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/01/155566.htm>,Panama
<http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/10/175348.htm> and South Korea
<http://translations.state.gov/st/english/texttrans/2011/04/20110417130630tegdirb5.767465e-02.html#axzz2nwkRuZel>)
and 15 Open Skies agreements
<http://www.state.gov/e/eb/rls/othr/ata/114805.htm> including with Japan,
Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Israel.

*Secretary Clinton brought the State Department into the 21st Century.
*Secretary
Clinton helped the State Department adapt to emerging issues such as cyber
security by creating the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism
Communications <http://www.state.gov/r/cscc/> to combat Al-Qaeda’s growing
influence online. She recognized the important role of energy in U.S.
foreign policy and helped create the Bureau of Energy Resources
<http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2011/11/18/us-department-state-establishes-new-bureau-energy-resources>
to
protect our energy infrastructure and influence how nations move to cleaner
fuel.

*Secretary Clinton elevated the cause of women’s rights to new heights*.
Secretary Clinton recognized women’s rights as a major foreign policy
issue. It is, according to Newsweek, the area of “hardships faced by women
and girls across the world–that her impact has been most profound.” Hillary
convinced the White House to allow her to create a new position at the
State Department: Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues. Newsweek
continued, “Across the world, in diverse and deeply reactionary cultures,
Clinton and [Ambassador-at-Large] Verveer have spoken and fought to
liberalize attitudes on women’s role in the economy, girls’ schooling,
women’s health, domestic violence, issues arising from war and conflict,
and myriad other concerns.”