02:20 pm
Hillary and Human Rights: “I am Looking for Results”
Here are Clinton and Stewart’s remarks in full from yesterday’s briefing on the release of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices:
Hillary’s answer (albeit indirectly) to the criticism of her statement on the U.S.-China dialogue:
I am looking for results. I am looking for changes that actually improve the lives of the greatest numbers of people. Hopefully over time, we will be judged by the success of these efforts. . . . Some of our work will be conducted through official meetings and dialogues. That’s important to advancing our cause.
But I believe, strongly, that we must rely on more than one approach as we strive to overcome tyranny and subjugation that weakens the human spirit, limits human possibility, and undermines human progress. We will make this a global effort, that reaches beyond governments alone.
That’s a pretty good answer to those who question her earlier statement: stop focusing on form and start focusing on outcomes. Having been in more than one meeting (including some on the U.S.-China “dialogue” on human rights), I can tell you that a tremendous amount of time is spent arguing over things like who will sit where. There’s something to be said for a results-focused human rights policy, particularly if it involves significant additional funding of (and outspoken support for) frontline human rights activists.
In the end, however, the final judgment on Hillary’s record as a human rights advocate will be, as she herself says, not what she says but rather the success of her tenure. We can only hope that it turns out as well as she promises in these remarks.
Still, it’s too bad that her statement yesterday got absolutely zero coverage in either the MSM or the blogs. Hate to say it, but that’s not a surprise — controversy always plays better than positive statements. It’s also no coincidence that Hillary left the briefing without taking any questions, but it’s important to know why — not because she was ducking the China issue (though she may have been), but because this is the way it’s always done with the human rights report (and other reports as well): the Secretary comes in, makes a strong statement in support, and then leaves as the Assistant Secretary makes a statement and answers questions.
I was surprised that so few questions concerned Hillary’s statement last week — only the first two questions. Then again, most of the press in that room are international media who focus on particular countries — hence the relative parochialism of the questions. (Also, few if any of the reporters there actually bothered to read all or part of the report.)