Clinton To Give Speech On ‘American Exceptionalism’ With Bush Official In OH

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at campaign event at John Marshall High School in Cleveland, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Hillary Clinton will jump back on the campaign trail on Wednesday with a scheduled foreign policy speech in Cincinnati, Ohio in which she will reportedly boost the idea of “American exceptionalism.”

The former secretary of state will be joined onstage by George W. Bush’s former deputy assistant secretary of state, James Clad, who announced his endorsement in a Tuesday statement.

“For Republicans and Democrats alike, everything in national security requires clarity and steadiness, whether managing nuclear weapons or balancing great power rivalries,” Clad said in the statement. “Never losing sight of the national interest is key – a discipline which Secretary Clinton possesses in full measure.”

Without mentioning Donald Trump by name, Clad dismissed the GOP nominee as “an incoherent amateur” who cannot win in November.

“Our adversaries must never hear flippancy or ignorance in America’s voice. They should never take satisfaction from an incompetent president,” he said. “Giving an incoherent amateur the keys to the White House this November will doom us to second or third class status.”

A Clinton aide told Reuters that their joint appearance at a convention of the American Legion veterans’ group is intended to bolster support among independent and Republican voters.

“In her remarks to the American Legion, Hillary Clinton will make the case for American exceptionalism and call for maintaining America’s military and diplomatic leadership in the world,” the unnamed Clinton campaign aide said.

Clinton has secured endorsements from a number of other Bush administration officials, including former director of national intelligence John Negroponte and and former treasury secretary Hank Paulson.

The Democratic nominee has spent the last few days meeting with donors at fundraisers in Long Island, New York.

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Notable Replies

  1. I think this position will get her some votes. I don’t know if I agree.
    On the other hand, I don’t believe in capriciously changing decades of foreign policy directives and ideas.

  2. I think this gives HRC something to work with, especially coming from a GOP’er.

    Without mentioning Donald Trump by name, Clad dismissed the GOP nominee as “an incoherent amateur” who cannot win in November.

    “Our adversaries must never hear flippancy or ignorance in America’s voice. They should never take satisfaction from an incompetent president,” he said. “Giving an incoherent amateur the keys to the White House this November will doom us to second or third class status.

  3. As long as she keeps a steady hand on the rudder, she should be okay.

    And some folks may just be getting tired of Donnie’s Apocalypse Now description of America.

  4. It’s troubling that seemingly hundreds of seasoned experts in the defense and national security fields, of all political persuasions and party loyalties, would shudder in genuine fear should Trump be elected.

  5. “Flippancy and ignorance”? That’s Trump’s central negotiating strategy.

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