«A life in global politics», a conversation with Hillary Rodham Clinton
Summary
TLDRThe event celebrated the 50th anniversary of CEDO with a focus on its role in international relations and human rights advocacy over the years. Keynote speaker Hillary Clinton discussed a range of pressing global issues, from the pivotal conflict in Ukraine which she sees as essential to democracy, to the increasing strategic competition between the U.S. and China. She also touched upon handling global populism, the roles of technology and social media in modern conflicts, and shared her experiences dealing with global leaders. Climate change and its impact was another key topic, highlighting the necessity of global cooperation. Through her ongoing engagement with civic causes, Clinton emphasized importance in addressing world challenges collaboratively.
Takeaways
- 🎉 CEDO celebrates its 50th anniversary, looking forward to continued impact in international relations.
- 👩💼 Hillary Clinton highlights the role of smart power in global politics.
- 🇺🇦 The Ukraine conflict is seen as crucial for global democracy by Clinton.
- 🌍 The future of U.S.-China relations is pivotal and influenced by current global events.
- 🌐 Transatlantic relations are crucial in navigating global challenges like populism and climate.
- 🗣 Populism poses a significant threat to modern democracies, needing close attention.
- 🔍 Social media is a double-edged sword in politics, offering both opportunity and threat.
- 📚 Clinton continues her mission advocating for human rights, women's rights, and education.
- 🤝 Global cooperation is imperative in addressing challenges like climate change and technological disruption.
- 🎓 Clinton emphasizes her ongoing commitment to empowering civic agencies and promoting justice.
Timeline
- 00:00:00 - 00:05:00
Introduction and gratitude for the presence of attendees at the 50th anniversary of the institution. Highlights the contribution of the USA Consulate and Secretary Clinton's significant role.
- 00:05:00 - 00:10:00
The historical context of the institution founded by Joseph Rivera, emphasizing the defense of human rights and development in Latin America and Africa. The transition to a private foundation and its focus on international relations and democracy.
- 00:10:00 - 00:15:00
Acknowledgment of the contributions by various patrons and team members to the institution, making it a significant think tank in international affairs. Special mention of Secretary Clinton's prominence on the international scene.
- 00:15:00 - 00:20:00
USA ambassador to Spain introduces Secretary Clinton, highlighting her achievements and lifelong commitment to human rights, women, and marginalized communities. Personal anecdotes about working with Clinton add a personal touch.
- 00:20:00 - 00:25:00
The ambassador discusses the significance of Secretary Clinton's work in global politics, particularly her role as Secretary of State. Reflects on her influence and the anticipation of her insights on international relations.
- 00:25:00 - 00:30:00
The opening remarks of Secretary Clinton, expressing gratitude for the invitation, and emphasizing the crucial question of how international relations have evolved since the Cold War era.
- 00:30:00 - 00:35:00
Discussion of how international dynamics have transformed with increased connectivity and technology since 50 years ago. Emphasizes the complex geopolitical environment, requiring a blend of hard and soft power.
- 00:35:00 - 00:40:00
Secretary Clinton reflects on the binary nature of past international relations and the need for smart power – a mix of hard and soft tactics to achieve global peace and prosperity.
- 00:40:00 - 00:45:00
Evaluates Putin's actions in Ukraine as a threat to global peace and democracy. Expresses concern about authoritarian powers and stresses steadfastness with Ukraine.
- 00:45:00 - 00:50:00
Reflections on the importance of addressing global authoritarian threats while supporting Ukraine. Acknowledges miscalculations by leaders like Putin about the West's strength and resolve.
- 00:50:00 - 00:55:00
Secretary Clinton addresses the U.S-China relations and the strategic complexities involved. Highlights how Putin's actions in Ukraine influenced China and global geopolitics.
- 00:55:00 - 01:00:00
Examines the implications of China's rising influence and the need for responsible engagement in international affairs. Predicts challenges and new dynamics in the Asia-Pacific.
- 01:00:00 - 01:05:00
The necessity of engagement with Latin America and Africa, emphasizing the role of Europe and USA. Acknowledges historical missteps and advocates strategic support for developing regions.
- 01:05:00 - 01:10:00
Explores evolving U.S domestic politics, using the example of 2016 elections as a manifestation of populism. Discusses how democracies can tackle divisive political climates and misinformation.
- 01:10:00 - 01:18:40
Concludes with Secretary Clinton's ongoing commitment to civic and global initiatives, and her continued fight for equality, climate action, and democratic values. Highlights future challenges with technology like AI.
Mind Map
Video Q&A
What is the significance of the 50th anniversary event?
The event celebrates 50 years of CEDO, highlighting its history and future goals in international relations and human rights.
Who were the main speakers at the event?
The event featured Hillary Clinton and a U.S. Ambassador, along with other representatives from CEDO.
What topics did Hillary Clinton discuss during the event?
She spoke about global politics, international relations, her experiences with Russia and China, populism, and her ongoing work in global social causes.
What was Hillary Clinton's perspective on the war in Ukraine?
She described it as a defining conflict for democracy and international stability, emphasizing the importance of supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.
How did the speakers mention the U.S. and Europe relations?
There was a focus on transatlantic relations, highlighting shared values and interests, and discussing challenges like the Inflation Reduction Act.
Did climate change play a part in the discussion?
Yes, climate change was discussed as a transnational challenge that requires global cooperation and response.
View more video summaries
- 00:00:00foreign
- 00:00:08[Music]
- 00:00:37foreign
- 00:00:38[Music]
- 00:00:52[Music]
- 00:01:27thank you
- 00:01:30[Music]
- 00:01:55thank you
- 00:02:00[Music]
- 00:02:21foreign
- 00:02:23[Music]
- 00:02:30foreign
- 00:02:33[Music]
- 00:04:12console dear friend Hall
- 00:04:16thank you very much indeed to start all
- 00:04:18your presence for your attendance and
- 00:04:20the main event of the 50th anniversary
- 00:04:23of cedop 50 years is a long time and we
- 00:04:28hope to be
- 00:04:30carrying on for some from another for
- 00:04:34another 50 years although some of us
- 00:04:36will not be here in 50 years time
- 00:04:40my fast words must be
- 00:04:44thank the Ambassador and the Consulate
- 00:04:46of the USA for having eased the presence
- 00:04:50of secretary Clinton in this celebration
- 00:04:53welcome or welcome madam
- 00:04:58secretary Clinton to these events
- 00:05:00is a long-standing institution the life
- 00:05:05of Joseph Rivera its founder was always
- 00:05:08linked to the defense of Human Rights
- 00:05:11the development
- 00:05:13of the world and democracy first in
- 00:05:17Chile where he carried out
- 00:05:20for helping the most marginalized
- 00:05:22neighborhood and then work in the
- 00:05:25cooperation and development of Latin
- 00:05:27America in Africa since the end of the
- 00:05:2960s Mr Rivera was part of the group of
- 00:05:35to Brotherhood and I'm sure there are
- 00:05:37members from that group later who became
- 00:05:40which became a cdob in 1973 cedop was
- 00:05:44created as an association devote
- 00:05:48a documentation a training and study
- 00:05:51center in order to recover our
- 00:05:54Democratic memory and to promote the
- 00:05:57understanding of more solitary and fair
- 00:06:01institutions with the arrival of
- 00:06:03democracy in 1979 cedob was set up as a
- 00:06:07private Foundation as a private
- 00:06:09institution and from its very onset it
- 00:06:10had the support and the complicity of
- 00:06:13public Nations
- 00:06:15which were included progressively in our
- 00:06:18board to all of them I'd like to thank
- 00:06:21them in this very special celebration we
- 00:06:24have here today for their support it is
- 00:06:27an acknowledgment that I'd like to
- 00:06:29Extended to our patrons
- 00:06:32mentioning especially the Secretary of
- 00:06:34our Board of Trustees Karma mudiment who
- 00:06:37unfortunately passed away last October
- 00:06:41has gone a long way till today to turn
- 00:06:45into one of the main thing tanks devoted
- 00:06:48to the analysis of international
- 00:06:49relations
- 00:06:52up a window from Barcelona to Europe and
- 00:06:55to the world and it is
- 00:06:58the journey that actually from the end
- 00:07:02of the 70s it took us to our current
- 00:07:05headquarters where we are right now cdop
- 00:07:08has always had the will to explain
- 00:07:15from the point of view of Barcelona and
- 00:07:17Catalonia and to explain
- 00:07:21public and private Institute
- 00:07:24with values analysis research and
- 00:07:27dissemination
- 00:07:29are either socialization of knowledge we
- 00:07:32have been Pioneers in the study of the
- 00:07:34international relations in Catalonia
- 00:07:37also through our Publications amongst
- 00:07:40which we have the annual report at the
- 00:07:43c-dub journey for international Affairs
- 00:07:46which this year
- 00:07:48turns 40 and I'd like to end by what
- 00:07:53recognizing though good work carried out
- 00:07:56by all of the chair people at c-dub who
- 00:07:58have come before me and
- 00:08:01all of the research and work Team
- 00:08:04without which it would not be possible
- 00:08:06to carry out the work we carry out to
- 00:08:08all of you
- 00:08:09your present today thank you very much
- 00:08:11indeed and I'd like to thank all of our
- 00:08:15funders collaborators and friends who
- 00:08:18have turned cdub into an independent
- 00:08:21internationally renowned think tank
- 00:08:25we hope to be able to continue with your
- 00:08:27support with your
- 00:08:30strength to build up the cdop of the
- 00:08:33future
- 00:08:36Brothers personalities that have
- 00:08:38participated in our activities and
- 00:08:40Conference lectures and there will be no
- 00:08:43better way to celebrate this 50th
- 00:08:45anniversary of our institution then with
- 00:08:48Mrs Hillary Clinton why one of the most
- 00:08:53outstanding Personalities in the
- 00:08:55international scene who has come to
- 00:08:58Barcelona for the first time she just
- 00:09:00told me so for these very special
- 00:09:02occasion thank you
- 00:09:04Madam thank you Mrs Hillary Clinton for
- 00:09:07having accepted our invitation and thank
- 00:09:10you all for being here with us and I'm
- 00:09:12going to give the floor to the
- 00:09:13ambassador of the USA Judiciary noso who
- 00:09:16will be introducing our guest speaker
- 00:09:19thank you
- 00:09:21[Applause]
- 00:09:25[Music]
- 00:09:28thank you
- 00:09:31thank you so much uh Anthony and good
- 00:09:36afternoon good evening everyone senior
- 00:09:39president it's great to be here once
- 00:09:42again in Barcelona it's a pleasure to be
- 00:09:45here today to not only celebrate the
- 00:09:4750th anniversary of state of but also to
- 00:09:50introduce my friend Mentor colleague
- 00:09:55sister Hillary Rodham Clinton welcome to
- 00:09:59Barcelona uh
- 00:10:01I am here as ambassador to Spain and
- 00:10:06present here in our consulate here in
- 00:10:07Barcelona and the present President
- 00:10:10Biden gave me this wonderful opportunity
- 00:10:11to be represent the United States here
- 00:10:13because uh back when I was a younger
- 00:10:16person I met Hillary Clinton it all goes
- 00:10:19back to her and
- 00:10:21I met Paul shortly after arriving here
- 00:10:25in Spain last year and he mentioned
- 00:10:27mentioned to me this big anniversary
- 00:10:29coming up for cdov and we battled around
- 00:10:32ideas for a keynote speaker for this
- 00:10:35important occasion and I couldn't think
- 00:10:37of a better figure to help celebrate the
- 00:10:39history of Spain's oldest International
- 00:10:42Affairs Think Tank and one of the great
- 00:10:44think tanks of Europe
- 00:10:47um and I thought who else would Hillary
- 00:10:49Rodham Clinton should be here to
- 00:10:51represent
- 00:10:51to present here and celebrate with us
- 00:10:54this amazing anniversary Hillary Rodham
- 00:10:57Clinton has served as Secretary of State
- 00:10:59as already know senator from New York
- 00:11:02first lady of the United States first
- 00:11:04lady of Arkansas a practicing lawyer a
- 00:11:07professor activist a volunteer but the
- 00:11:10first thing her friends and family will
- 00:11:12tell you is that throughout her life
- 00:11:15throughout her life in global politics
- 00:11:18she's never forgotten where she came
- 00:11:19from or who she is fighting for
- 00:11:23I met secretary Clinton then
- 00:11:27first lady almost to be Senator Clinton
- 00:11:30in 1999 when I was a younger person a 29
- 00:11:34year old lawyer with strong interest in
- 00:11:38politics and in helping the world make
- 00:11:40become a better place in New York City
- 00:11:43and my life changed as a result of my
- 00:11:48friendship with her
- 00:11:49throughout her term I don't want to get
- 00:11:54emotional so I gotta stop
- 00:12:06um
- 00:12:06okay I'm better now uh throughout her
- 00:12:09term as Secretary of State she restored
- 00:12:12America's leadership in the world built
- 00:12:14a coalition for tough new sanctions
- 00:12:17against Iran that brought them to the
- 00:12:19negotiating table brokered a ceasefire
- 00:12:22in Gaza and supported President Obama's
- 00:12:25decision to bring Osama Bin Laden to
- 00:12:28Justice and these are just a few of the
- 00:12:30accomplishments she was able to manage
- 00:12:33as Secretary of State
- 00:12:34she was and is a forceful Champion for
- 00:12:37human rights internet freedom and rights
- 00:12:39and opportunities for women and girls
- 00:12:42lgbtq people and young people from
- 00:12:44throughout the world she told her
- 00:12:46supporters in November 2016 to never
- 00:12:50stop believing that fighting for what's
- 00:12:53right is worth it
- 00:12:55and I know for sure and I'm certain of
- 00:12:58that because I was there with her in
- 00:13:002016 and no she has not stopped since
- 00:13:03and will not till we have her in with us
- 00:13:06on deserves I am sure the discussion
- 00:13:10today will show us that show us all that
- 00:13:13she has certainty in and live by
- 00:13:15throughout her career her life and she
- 00:13:18will share with you and all of us her
- 00:13:20vision and her conviction and you will
- 00:13:23all be witnesses to the tremendous
- 00:13:25person and human that we all have gotten
- 00:13:28to know those of us who have worked with
- 00:13:30her and by her side for so many years
- 00:13:31thank you very much for being here thank
- 00:13:34you Paul thank you see you all for
- 00:13:36having us be part of this discussion and
- 00:13:39the floor is yours Paul and secretary
- 00:13:42Clinton
- 00:13:49please help me with this
- 00:13:51[Applause]
- 00:14:05secretary Clinton
- 00:14:07with an honor to have you here
- 00:14:10thank you very much
- 00:14:11thank you very much for accepting our
- 00:14:13invitation to
- 00:14:15um to speak at cedops uh big anniversary
- 00:14:1850th anniversary
- 00:14:21um I couldn't think of a better person
- 00:14:22to start this celebration this year and
- 00:14:27also to Showcase showcase a similar
- 00:14:29understanding of uh International
- 00:14:32Affairs and that is with Ambassador
- 00:14:34Reynolds so what we discussed the first
- 00:14:36time we met and had the idea to perhaps
- 00:14:40if everything went well have you here
- 00:14:43with us it's been a long while
- 00:14:45it's been a year and a half since we had
- 00:14:47that conversation and here we are today
- 00:14:49so thank you again
- 00:14:52um when preparing for this conversation
- 00:14:55um I've read all your books and
- 00:14:58particularly the hard choices the Memoir
- 00:15:01of your times as U.S Secretary of State
- 00:15:04and reading that book reminded me very
- 00:15:07much of the shared vision of
- 00:15:09international Affairs that you and sedop
- 00:15:12share
- 00:15:13International politics I think we both
- 00:15:16believe that it's not only about States
- 00:15:19Territory and power it's also about what
- 00:15:22you describe as smart power
- 00:15:25and I quote you a right combination of
- 00:15:27diplomatic economic military political
- 00:15:31legal and cultural aspects that are
- 00:15:33defining a new world architecture
- 00:15:37you say
- 00:15:39once a few and I feel strong and I would
- 00:15:42add also traditional columns could hold
- 00:15:45up the weight of the world now either a
- 00:15:48dynamic mix of materials shapes and
- 00:15:51structures is needed
- 00:15:53so for cedop we also understand that
- 00:15:55global politics is about the role of
- 00:15:57civil society it's about the role of
- 00:15:59companies it's about the role of global
- 00:16:01cities it's about the role of
- 00:16:03transnational challenges
- 00:16:05such as climate change Foods insecurity
- 00:16:07energy as much as it is about States and
- 00:16:10international institutions
- 00:16:13so my first question to you is how do
- 00:16:16you think the world has changed in these
- 00:16:18last decades
- 00:16:20and of course how can we adapt to this
- 00:16:23plural if you allow me to say
- 00:16:25International dynamics that are taking
- 00:16:27shape and how did you cope with that
- 00:16:29when you were Secretary of State
- 00:16:32thank you very much Paul for that simple
- 00:16:35question uh
- 00:16:37it'll take about 50 years to answer
- 00:16:42I want to thank cdob I want to thank the
- 00:16:46board and the staff certainly for this
- 00:16:49invitation but also for the work you're
- 00:16:51doing to try to answer that question
- 00:16:53because it's really at the heart of what
- 00:16:56we mean by international relations today
- 00:16:59uh I particularly want to thank my
- 00:17:02longtime friend and colleague
- 00:17:05Ambassador Reynoso for being here and
- 00:17:08for so representing our country uh well
- 00:17:12I spent a few days with her in Madrid
- 00:17:14before coming here and I was wondering
- 00:17:17whether she was our ambassador to Spain
- 00:17:20or Spain's ambassador to us because so
- 00:17:24many people were so uh enthusiastic
- 00:17:27about her presence and I also want to
- 00:17:30thank our Council General Katie Stana
- 00:17:32for being here as well
- 00:17:35I think the question that you ask is
- 00:17:37really at the heart of how we have to
- 00:17:42think about the world that we are living
- 00:17:46in today
- 00:17:4750 years ago
- 00:17:49um when cdob was formed it was a very
- 00:17:53different world wasn't it it was a very
- 00:17:55different world here
- 00:17:58and around the world
- 00:18:00it was for the United States a world
- 00:18:03largely defined by the Cold War
- 00:18:06and the ongoing competition uh with the
- 00:18:11then Soviet Union
- 00:18:13and
- 00:18:15you could see the world in a much more
- 00:18:17binary way
- 00:18:19whose side were you on what were you
- 00:18:22going to do to promote your side and try
- 00:18:25to undermine the other side so it was as
- 00:18:28you rightly uh included in the question
- 00:18:32very much dominated by the balance of
- 00:18:36power among states
- 00:18:38and the systems that those States
- 00:18:41represented
- 00:18:43and of course we know that with the fall
- 00:18:47of the Soviet Union a an event in
- 00:18:51history that
- 00:18:53is still being
- 00:18:55adjusted to and understood
- 00:18:59um
- 00:19:00that cold war
- 00:19:02binary was
- 00:19:06diminished not eliminated as we know
- 00:19:09from what's happening today but it was
- 00:19:12certainly diminished and there was a lot
- 00:19:13of talk back in the 90s about the end of
- 00:19:17history and how
- 00:19:19democracy had certainly shown that it
- 00:19:23was the stronger system and therefore we
- 00:19:26were moving into a new era in human
- 00:19:29history
- 00:19:31well predictions like that have a way of
- 00:19:34coming back to bite those who predicted
- 00:19:36because we now see the rise again of
- 00:19:40aggressive States like Russia
- 00:19:43invading a neighbor we see the rise of a
- 00:19:47lot of authoritarian leaders such as
- 00:19:50Putin but also Xi Jinping and others who
- 00:19:54are attempting to dominate not just
- 00:19:57their own Nation but surrounding areas
- 00:20:01to wield Regional and even International
- 00:20:04affairs
- 00:20:07but I actually think the bigger changes
- 00:20:10are the changes that have happened in
- 00:20:13the lives of human beings the advances
- 00:20:16in technology particularly
- 00:20:19have for better and worse connected us
- 00:20:22in ways that we never could have dreamed
- 00:20:27of 50 years ago
- 00:20:28and because of that connectivity people
- 00:20:32are much more aware of what is happening
- 00:20:34not just near at home but very far away
- 00:20:39and technology has empowered people
- 00:20:41again in ways that are very positive but
- 00:20:46also ways that have created serious
- 00:20:49challenges uh to the structure of
- 00:20:53society to the governance by Nations
- 00:20:57so honestly Paul I think
- 00:21:00it's imperative that organizations like
- 00:21:03cdub and many others
- 00:21:05really think hard about where we are 50
- 00:21:10years after you began because the old
- 00:21:14ways of thinking
- 00:21:15and of relating and of understanding one
- 00:21:18another are no longer sufficient
- 00:21:22and I don't think yet we fully
- 00:21:24appreciate
- 00:21:26either the complexity
- 00:21:29the opportunities or the dangers
- 00:21:33of this new environment in which we find
- 00:21:37ourselves and just to
- 00:21:40wrap up on on that preliminary question
- 00:21:43when I became Secretary of State there
- 00:21:46had been again a binary uh between what
- 00:21:50was called hard power and soft power
- 00:21:52hard power of course meaning military
- 00:21:56power coercion intimidation
- 00:22:00soft power meaning diplomacy development
- 00:22:04cultural exchanges and influences
- 00:22:09and again I thought that binary was an
- 00:22:11insufficient
- 00:22:13explanation for what we needed to
- 00:22:16understand and so I did use a phrase
- 00:22:19that had been coined earlier just talk
- 00:22:22about smart power because smart power
- 00:22:25would require us
- 00:22:27yes maybe on occasion to use what is
- 00:22:30called hard power but more importantly
- 00:22:33to try to figure out how to create uh a
- 00:22:37a an international environment in which
- 00:22:40we overcame our differences our
- 00:22:45insecurities our fears in a way that
- 00:22:48enabled us to find more win-win outcomes
- 00:22:53rather than a zero sum assessment of the
- 00:22:57world how did we try to help create more
- 00:23:01prosperity
- 00:23:02more freedom
- 00:23:04that would benefit not only the people
- 00:23:07who could be lifted up but the rest of
- 00:23:10us because we would be hopefully seeing
- 00:23:14a world that would be more peaceful more
- 00:23:16prosperous and more secure
- 00:23:19thank you for that because actually you
- 00:23:20mentioned already some of the things
- 00:23:22that I wanted to continue our
- 00:23:24conversation on and that is bringing the
- 00:23:27current Global Affairs into the picture
- 00:23:29of course
- 00:23:30and I'll start with the most urgent one
- 00:23:33and probably a very complicated one
- 00:23:35which is your experience with Russia
- 00:23:37with Putin in particular has always been
- 00:23:40tough
- 00:23:41uh during the presidential campaign of
- 00:23:44course in 2016 you denounced Russian
- 00:23:46interference as a danger to American
- 00:23:49democracy and this is still the case in
- 00:23:52many places around the world you
- 00:23:53actually characterized Putin as a strong
- 00:23:55man who doesn't think necessarily in
- 00:23:58terms of moral or human rights but
- 00:24:01things rather in terms of power and
- 00:24:03domination
- 00:24:05actually this is what is happening today
- 00:24:07in Ukraine and Putin's uh imperialist
- 00:24:11reminiscences have actually brought back
- 00:24:14that idea of strong men using
- 00:24:16traditional tools of power and I would
- 00:24:19say also of traditional military power
- 00:24:21to invade Ukraine and with that go
- 00:24:27against all the principles of
- 00:24:29international law of territorial
- 00:24:31integrity and sovereignty what's your
- 00:24:33assessment right now of the war in
- 00:24:35Ukraine and how should we relate with
- 00:24:38Russia when at the time when some sort
- 00:24:42of normality arrives
- 00:24:45well I actually think that Ukraine is
- 00:24:48the key
- 00:24:49to what kind of world order we will be
- 00:24:53able to build
- 00:24:56on
- 00:24:57the invasion of Ukraine remember
- 00:25:00followed Putin's invasion in 2008 of
- 00:25:04Georgia and the seizure of two
- 00:25:08um
- 00:25:09areas within Georgia
- 00:25:11and then of course in 2014 his invasion
- 00:25:16and takeover of Crimea and and parts of
- 00:25:21the donbos
- 00:25:23looking back at that both the 2008
- 00:25:27Georgia military action and the 2014
- 00:25:31Ukrainian military action
- 00:25:33I think there was a sense
- 00:25:37in my country in the west generally in
- 00:25:40Europe
- 00:25:42that nobody wanted
- 00:25:44to have to accept
- 00:25:47that Putin was going to
- 00:25:52be an aggressor in Europe
- 00:25:56putting the peace and security that had
- 00:26:00been built after the second world war at
- 00:26:04risk
- 00:26:05putting the freedom and sovereignty and
- 00:26:09autonomy
- 00:26:10of Nations that had been part of the
- 00:26:13Soviet Union and were now independent
- 00:26:16democracies
- 00:26:18all putting it at risk and so the
- 00:26:22reaction that all of us had
- 00:26:24was no we impose sanctions we certainly
- 00:26:28rhetorically
- 00:26:30criticized
- 00:26:31what Russia had done
- 00:26:34but there was no appetite
- 00:26:37for doing any more than that we hoped
- 00:26:40that okay you know he has done what he's
- 00:26:44done he certainly has to
- 00:26:47understand he can't go any further he
- 00:26:49can't take more aggressive action so so
- 00:26:52let's just you know hope for the best
- 00:26:56I have had a lot of dealings with Putin
- 00:27:00and as you may know I'm not his favorite
- 00:27:02person
- 00:27:04uh in part because
- 00:27:08um I have
- 00:27:10tried to stand up for Democratic Values
- 00:27:13even for the people of Russia when they
- 00:27:17were being
- 00:27:19not just undermined but eliminated by
- 00:27:22his consolidation of power in fact in
- 00:27:252011 when they had elections for the
- 00:27:28Duma the parliament in Russia it was so
- 00:27:31corrupt so rigged
- 00:27:33that there were even videos of people
- 00:27:36throwing away you know election
- 00:27:37officials working for the government
- 00:27:39throwing away ballots
- 00:27:41changing ballots not counting ballots
- 00:27:43everything that you know you can imagine
- 00:27:46and I said the Russian people deserved
- 00:27:48uh free and fair elections to chart
- 00:27:51their own Course and there were big
- 00:27:53demonstrations in Moscow St Petersburg
- 00:27:56and a few other places and he blamed me
- 00:27:58he blamed me for tens of thousands of
- 00:28:02Russians going into the streets
- 00:28:04to demand free and fair elections so
- 00:28:07it should have been clear that he was
- 00:28:10going to consolidate and turn himself
- 00:28:12into what he'd always planned to be
- 00:28:15which was an authoritarian
- 00:28:17dictatorial leader of Russia
- 00:28:21reminiscent of the czars and that he had
- 00:28:24dreams of
- 00:28:26in some way re-establishing uh Imperial
- 00:28:30Russia
- 00:28:33now
- 00:28:34we
- 00:28:35hoped for the best but sadly
- 00:28:39the message that Putin got
- 00:28:42from the election of Donald Trump in
- 00:28:462016.
- 00:28:48and the failure before that of any of us
- 00:28:52to do more than just criticize him
- 00:28:56was that we would let him do whatever he
- 00:28:58wanted to do
- 00:29:00and here is how I see what has happened
- 00:29:03in Ukraine
- 00:29:04I think that
- 00:29:06Putin was waiting to see whether Trump
- 00:29:09would be elected again in 2020
- 00:29:13because Trump had promised and I think
- 00:29:15he promised Putin privately
- 00:29:17but we know
- 00:29:19that he made it clear to the people
- 00:29:21working in the white house with him
- 00:29:23because John Bolton wrote a book about
- 00:29:25it
- 00:29:26that he would pull the United States out
- 00:29:27of NATO when he was re-elected
- 00:29:30so Putin was just waiting waiting for
- 00:29:33Trump to pull us out of NATO and then
- 00:29:36literally
- 00:29:37not just Ukraine but in my view the
- 00:29:40Baltic Nations and others would have
- 00:29:42been at very serious risk
- 00:29:45so thankfully Trump was not re-elected
- 00:29:48and I think
- 00:29:51Putin badly underestimated President
- 00:29:53Biden
- 00:29:54and he couldn't
- 00:29:57he couldn't be more he couldn't be
- 00:29:59patient anymore so he decided to do what
- 00:30:02he had wanted to do to continue The
- 00:30:04Invasion that he had started in 2014 and
- 00:30:08so we saw the results of his
- 00:30:11determination a year ago February
- 00:30:16he did not count on the solidarity uh
- 00:30:21between
- 00:30:22um
- 00:30:23Europe and the United States Canada
- 00:30:26other nations like Japan and South Korea
- 00:30:28he certainly didn't count on sanctions
- 00:30:31that would be
- 00:30:34very tough and bite
- 00:30:37he didn't count on the amount of
- 00:30:40military assistance that would be
- 00:30:42provided to Ukraine
- 00:30:45but he mostly did not count on the
- 00:30:48leadership of President zielinski and
- 00:30:51the courage and bravery of the Ukrainian
- 00:30:54military and the Ukrainian people
- 00:30:57we knew from our intelligence that he
- 00:31:00had been told
- 00:31:01that he would be in charge of Ukraine
- 00:31:05literally within a week
- 00:31:06they would march on Kiev they would take
- 00:31:09over the government they would install a
- 00:31:11puppet regime and his goal of subduing
- 00:31:16Ukraine would have been realized
- 00:31:21so now where are we
- 00:31:24thankfully
- 00:31:25we are at a point where we've learned a
- 00:31:29lot about Putin and Russia we've learned
- 00:31:32that the Russian military is poorly LED
- 00:31:34poorly resourced poorly trained
- 00:31:38we've learned that the Ukrainian
- 00:31:39military
- 00:31:40fights far above its weight in terms of
- 00:31:43the
- 00:31:44initial equipment that it had and as it
- 00:31:46gets more sophisticated uh armaments it
- 00:31:50has used them to good purpose
- 00:31:53and we have learned that we have to stay
- 00:31:56with Ukraine
- 00:31:57because now having seen what Putin did
- 00:32:00and what we believe he intends to do if
- 00:32:04he were successful
- 00:32:06the future stability and security not
- 00:32:09just of Europe and not just of those
- 00:32:10countries most endangered by Putin but
- 00:32:14literally the west and democracy is at
- 00:32:17stake the final thing I would say Paul
- 00:32:19is thank you thank you to the people
- 00:32:23who have supported the Ukrainian
- 00:32:26leadership and Military in this fight
- 00:32:29for Freedom democracy which I believe is
- 00:32:31our fight as well
- 00:32:34and by standing up to Putin we've
- 00:32:36accomplished a few other things and we
- 00:32:38can get into this
- 00:32:40I think our Ukraine policy has turned
- 00:32:42out to be our China policy
- 00:32:45I think our Ukraine policy has turned
- 00:32:47out to be a unifying force
- 00:32:52that has brought governments of the
- 00:32:54right and the left in Europe together in
- 00:32:56support of Ukraine
- 00:32:59I think our Ukraine policy has put into
- 00:33:02Stark relief
- 00:33:05maybe what I'll speak for my country we
- 00:33:07have taken for granted which is our
- 00:33:10freedom our Democratic institutions and
- 00:33:12what gave us a a really uh extraordinary
- 00:33:17run of 50 years uh over uh not just you
- 00:33:22know the during the the so-called Cold
- 00:33:24War but after so this is this is a fight
- 00:33:27we have to win and I believe we can I
- 00:33:29think it's a fight that the ukrainians
- 00:33:31can win and by helping the ukrainians
- 00:33:33win it's a fight that we all can win
- 00:33:36so precisely on uh on the one hand on
- 00:33:40transatlantic relations they've been
- 00:33:43um they've revived the moment of trump
- 00:33:46whereby precisely the idea was that the
- 00:33:49European Union was even a foe to uh to
- 00:33:53what uh our shared values and interests
- 00:33:55had gone hand in hand but we have seen
- 00:33:57divergences as well recently on the
- 00:34:00inflation reduction act or for instance
- 00:34:02on European strategic autonomy which
- 00:34:04some people understand to be drifting
- 00:34:08apart the United
- 00:34:10States and Europe and the European Union
- 00:34:12and if we add the China question into
- 00:34:15the mix of course things uh become
- 00:34:18complicated as well in the way both
- 00:34:22Europe and the US can can can deal with
- 00:34:25these changing balance of power
- 00:34:28um
- 00:34:29on on China
- 00:34:31it's true that we're living through a
- 00:34:34time of increasing let's put it
- 00:34:36confrontation between the U.S and China
- 00:34:38there are many names many ways to
- 00:34:40understand it some even speak of a new
- 00:34:42cold war or some other thing about the
- 00:34:45inevitability of the to season this trap
- 00:34:47right there are both countries
- 00:34:49superpowers destined uh to war in the
- 00:34:53background of that of course there is
- 00:34:55the policy that you together with
- 00:34:57President Obama LED on the pivot to Asia
- 00:35:00and the importance that Asia but China
- 00:35:03in particular would have in the Years uh
- 00:35:05to come how do you assess today this
- 00:35:07growing uh U.S China rivalry and how do
- 00:35:11you think Europe can play a role in that
- 00:35:14bipolar reality that we are getting into
- 00:35:18I agree with you that this
- 00:35:20is also a really crucial question you
- 00:35:23know there was a a bit of a debate in
- 00:35:26the United States at the beginning of
- 00:35:27the Ukraine war as to whether really
- 00:35:31putting so much effort into helping
- 00:35:33Ukraine uh defend itself and push Russia
- 00:35:37back was as as important as turning our
- 00:35:41attention to China I thought that was a
- 00:35:43false debate I think our Ukraine policy
- 00:35:46is our China policy and here's what I
- 00:35:48mean by that
- 00:35:51I think that
- 00:35:54before Putin invaded Ukraine
- 00:35:58um
- 00:36:00Putin went to China to meet with Xi
- 00:36:02Jinping
- 00:36:04and from all we know about it both their
- 00:36:06public discussion and what we have
- 00:36:08learned about their private discussion
- 00:36:11uh Putin shared his plans and basically
- 00:36:14told she what he believed I mean one of
- 00:36:17the dangers of course is if you become
- 00:36:19leader for life as Putin has and as she
- 00:36:22has decided to be
- 00:36:24people only tell you what they know you
- 00:36:26want to hear
- 00:36:28and so the Russian intelligence forces
- 00:36:30and Military
- 00:36:32interests had told Putin it's a cakewalk
- 00:36:36don't worry about it we'll be there in a
- 00:36:37week and so of course that's what Putin
- 00:36:39wanted to believe and that's what he
- 00:36:41told she
- 00:36:42and so I think at that moment
- 00:36:47she expected that Putin would be very
- 00:36:51successful in Ukraine
- 00:36:53which would send a message
- 00:36:57to the larger
- 00:36:58asia-pacific region that China
- 00:37:03had the power also to change the
- 00:37:06equation
- 00:37:08in places like Taiwan
- 00:37:11and I believed at the time before the
- 00:37:15Ukraine Invasion that
- 00:37:17she was intending to move against Taiwan
- 00:37:20either a blockade a Cyber attack on the
- 00:37:24chip industry or a full invasion that he
- 00:37:28intended to do it in a relatively
- 00:37:32couple of year time frame I didn't know
- 00:37:35whether it was three years or four years
- 00:37:36but he kept saying he was going to
- 00:37:40resolve the Taiwan issue he wasn't going
- 00:37:43to leave it to anyone after him
- 00:37:46okay so you're she and you're sitting in
- 00:37:48Beijing
- 00:37:49Putin has just told you he's going to be
- 00:37:51in Kiev in a week and all of a sudden
- 00:37:53you're watching what's happening
- 00:37:56and I believe it has
- 00:37:59impacted she's thinking in the following
- 00:38:02ways number one the Russian military did
- 00:38:06not perform
- 00:38:07she and prior Chinese leaders have put a
- 00:38:10lot of money into the people's
- 00:38:12Liberation Army
- 00:38:14and I think she has to be saying to
- 00:38:16himself
- 00:38:17wow
- 00:38:19Russia put a lot of money into their
- 00:38:21military and they are bogged down and
- 00:38:24they are literally losing tens of
- 00:38:27thousands of soldiers and they are being
- 00:38:31literally helped by this mercenary group
- 00:38:34called The Wagner
- 00:38:35Army organization
- 00:38:38wait a minute I better figure out
- 00:38:40whether the pla is real or just a paper
- 00:38:43tiger
- 00:38:45I think secondly
- 00:38:47the solidarity of the West
- 00:38:50with respect both in providing weapons
- 00:38:53but also economic sanctions has
- 00:38:58caused she to say to himself
- 00:39:01well I have a lot more that I sell than
- 00:39:05you know fossil fuels
- 00:39:07if there were a well-organized sanction
- 00:39:12regime against my economy what would
- 00:39:15that mean
- 00:39:16because she has some internal economic
- 00:39:20challenges that he has to pay attention
- 00:39:22to
- 00:39:23the third thing that's happened and
- 00:39:26again I give President Biden credit for
- 00:39:28this
- 00:39:29is that if you look at the countries in
- 00:39:31the region
- 00:39:33the United States India Japan and
- 00:39:36Australia have formed what they call a
- 00:39:39quad
- 00:39:40for the purpose of dealing with Chinese
- 00:39:43aggression
- 00:39:45Japan for the first time since the
- 00:39:48Second World War
- 00:39:49has put forth and passed in their diet
- 00:39:55their Parliament a very
- 00:39:58robust defense budget
- 00:40:01the Philippines
- 00:40:04under the new president
- 00:40:06has said to the United States we want
- 00:40:09your military back we want your Navy
- 00:40:11back
- 00:40:13in our ports and in our country after
- 00:40:16having literally asked the United States
- 00:40:18to leave
- 00:40:20all of that is happening
- 00:40:22because nations in the region
- 00:40:27know they'd better defend themselves and
- 00:40:30they'd better be in Alliance with each
- 00:40:32other and with the United States and
- 00:40:35with European countries in order to send
- 00:40:38a message of deterrence
- 00:40:40to China
- 00:40:42all of this has happened because of
- 00:40:44Ukraine
- 00:40:45and it's ironic
- 00:40:48that Putin's aggressive
- 00:40:52behavior in Ukraine has caused
- 00:40:56not just Chi to rethink you know how to
- 00:41:00best handle some of these issues but
- 00:41:02others in the region to all of a sudden
- 00:41:05decide to do things they would have
- 00:41:06never ever done in my opinion
- 00:41:09if Putin hadn't invaded Ukraine now
- 00:41:12where does that leave us with China well
- 00:41:15I think the European
- 00:41:17uh question is an important one
- 00:41:20we don't want
- 00:41:22either a cold or a hot war with China
- 00:41:24nobody should want that
- 00:41:27but we do want to try to convey to China
- 00:41:32that we're not going to sit by and watch
- 00:41:35them become an aggressor
- 00:41:37invading
- 00:41:39democracies whether it be Taiwan or
- 00:41:44doing what they've been doing for years
- 00:41:46putting military bases all through the
- 00:41:49region
- 00:41:50from literally
- 00:41:53Myanmar to Sri Lanka
- 00:41:57that we're not going to sit idly by and
- 00:42:00be surprised again
- 00:42:02and I think that we want to continue
- 00:42:06economic
- 00:42:08trading and investment with China
- 00:42:11wherever possible we have to be aware
- 00:42:14that China has cracked down on
- 00:42:17private Chinese businesses that they
- 00:42:20have put a much heavier hand of the the
- 00:42:24state state-owned state influence
- 00:42:27state-backed Enterprises
- 00:42:30so we have to be wary of some of their
- 00:42:33anti-competitive uh practices but we
- 00:42:36want to continue to have economic
- 00:42:39relations with China but we want China
- 00:42:42to be what's been called for many years
- 00:42:44now a responsible stakeholder we want
- 00:42:47China to work with us work with Europe
- 00:42:51the United States and others on climate
- 00:42:53change
- 00:42:54work with us on doing a better job than
- 00:42:58was done with the pandemic
- 00:43:01tell us the truth about what happened in
- 00:43:03Wuhan because we all have a stake in
- 00:43:06protecting ourselves from whatever comes
- 00:43:07next so we want to keep working with
- 00:43:10China on matters of international
- 00:43:13significance
- 00:43:15and we want to send a message to China
- 00:43:18that why don't you concentrate on your
- 00:43:21economic growth on lifting up the
- 00:43:24aspirations of the people of your
- 00:43:27country creating good relations with
- 00:43:30other nations not based on fear and
- 00:43:32intimidation so this is yet to be played
- 00:43:35out but I think
- 00:43:37Ukraine has had a big impact on how
- 00:43:42certainly the asia-pacific region and
- 00:43:44the United States are now thinking about
- 00:43:47China
- 00:43:48let me
- 00:43:50um before we go back to the United
- 00:43:51States for the last part of our
- 00:43:54conversation let me
- 00:43:56um ask you a bit about the global South
- 00:43:58of course
- 00:44:00um you are very aware that one of the
- 00:44:02most controversial decisions in recent
- 00:44:05U.S foreign policy was precisely the
- 00:44:07invasion of Iraq in your Memoirs in hard
- 00:44:10choices you are actually state that you
- 00:44:12deeply regret your vote in uh in the
- 00:44:15Senate to authorize military action in
- 00:44:18Iraq and actually that work together
- 00:44:20with Afghanistan or Libya are usually
- 00:44:22put as examples by China by Russia by
- 00:44:26India by other economies and countries
- 00:44:29in the global South to criticize the
- 00:44:31West double standards
- 00:44:34um how do we repair those relations how
- 00:44:37do we convince the global South that the
- 00:44:39current war in Ukraine is actually in
- 00:44:42their interest to align also with the
- 00:44:44protection of the basic standards and
- 00:44:46Norms that have ruled the world since
- 00:44:48the second world war until today and how
- 00:44:50can we engage them more effectively from
- 00:44:52the West with the global self
- 00:44:55well I think it's a very fair question
- 00:44:57and certainly
- 00:44:59I would be the last to say that uh
- 00:45:04there's not reason for uh nations in
- 00:45:08Latin America in Africa in Asia
- 00:45:11to have questions about
- 00:45:14our commitment to them their peace their
- 00:45:17security their prosperity
- 00:45:19and so I think that the best way to
- 00:45:21answer the question is to take some
- 00:45:25regions of the world because there's big
- 00:45:28differences between Latin America and
- 00:45:30Africa and Asia in terms of what our our
- 00:45:34opportunities and challenges might be
- 00:45:36let's start with Latin America because I
- 00:45:39think I think Spain has a particular
- 00:45:42opportunity
- 00:45:44um
- 00:45:45in trying to work with other European
- 00:45:49nations with the EU with the United
- 00:45:52States in trying to create a longer term
- 00:45:57strategic approach to Latin America
- 00:46:01and I think the United States has
- 00:46:06kind of come and gone we've been very
- 00:46:09focused on immigration and drug
- 00:46:12trafficking
- 00:46:13but our commitment to working on
- 00:46:16Democratic institutions on Economic
- 00:46:19Opportunity on creating a sustained
- 00:46:23relationship has depended almost
- 00:46:26completely on whoever was present
- 00:46:29so in this area I actually think
- 00:46:32that Spain
- 00:46:33maybe the EU
- 00:46:36could take the leadership role in
- 00:46:39working with
- 00:46:40nations in Latin America
- 00:46:44um to try to figure out how to have a
- 00:46:46much more
- 00:46:48um
- 00:46:49sustained
- 00:46:51committed relationship
- 00:46:54and in Latin America right now there's a
- 00:46:57lot of turmoil there's a lot of churn
- 00:46:59there are a lot of Nations that have
- 00:47:02been struggling with democracy
- 00:47:05struggling with you know strong man
- 00:47:08leaders you know you have authoritarian
- 00:47:11leaders in places like Venezuela
- 00:47:14obviously Cuba Nicaragua but you also
- 00:47:17have a lot of
- 00:47:19um uncertainty and and internal turmoil
- 00:47:23in in Nations you know like Peru and and
- 00:47:26Ecuador and Bolivia
- 00:47:28so it would be important that Spain
- 00:47:34maybe in the leadership role you will
- 00:47:36have in the in the EU starting in July
- 00:47:40take the lead in trying to say look we
- 00:47:42have a a commitment in Latin America the
- 00:47:47Chinese are heavy investors in Latin
- 00:47:51America
- 00:47:52the Europeans
- 00:47:54the Americans not as much
- 00:47:57and they use of course Chinese
- 00:47:59Investments come with
- 00:48:01um all kinds of strings attached often
- 00:48:04and so how can we be more competitive
- 00:48:07with China inside Latin America and do
- 00:48:11more to bolster uh democracy and the
- 00:48:14rule of law and stability
- 00:48:18I think Africa is such a complicated uh
- 00:48:22situation right now you know you
- 00:48:25mentioned Libya and Libya was a decision
- 00:48:30by NATO and the Arab League to work
- 00:48:33together to prevent Gaddafi from
- 00:48:36carrying out his stated intent to murder
- 00:48:39his own people like cockroaches
- 00:48:43it's unfortunate that the confusion and
- 00:48:48the
- 00:48:49problems in standing up a stable
- 00:48:51government
- 00:48:52have invited in a lot of interest into
- 00:48:55Libya so you have Russia supporting a
- 00:48:58faction you have certain Arab Nations
- 00:49:00supporting a faction uh and it is
- 00:49:04important that we do what we can to try
- 00:49:06to stabilize Libya uh you see the
- 00:49:10unfortunate
- 00:49:12um situation in Sudan the Wagner Army is
- 00:49:17very deeply involved in Sudan supporting
- 00:49:19one of the two
- 00:49:21contestants for power there and stealing
- 00:49:25a lot of resources while they're doing
- 00:49:27it the Wagner Army is in Mali I know
- 00:49:30that the French have decided to leave I
- 00:49:32think you still have Spanish forces in
- 00:49:35Mali
- 00:49:36we are leaving large
- 00:49:39chunks of Africa sub-Saharan Africa to
- 00:49:44either the Wagner Army which is pursuing
- 00:49:46relentlessly and ruthlessly Russia's
- 00:49:49interests and the rising jihadist threat
- 00:49:52that is you know
- 00:49:54unfortunately undermining governments
- 00:49:57and creating a lot of instability uh
- 00:50:02we know that there is going to be a race
- 00:50:06for natural resources Coming Out of
- 00:50:09Africa that will exploit those countries
- 00:50:11will leave very little in terms of
- 00:50:15benefits for them
- 00:50:16again I think the European Union the
- 00:50:18United States
- 00:50:19we could work to try to help support
- 00:50:23those countries so that they benefited
- 00:50:25from their natural resources as opposed
- 00:50:28to pay the price for seeing them
- 00:50:32exploited so I think in in those two
- 00:50:35parts of the world a more
- 00:50:39um engaged and respectful involvement by
- 00:50:43both the European nations individually
- 00:50:46and maybe through the EU along with the
- 00:50:48United States and others
- 00:50:50could try to rebuild some of the
- 00:50:54sense of
- 00:50:56cooperation that we need
- 00:51:00it is it is somewhat
- 00:51:03ironic and a bit frustrating that you
- 00:51:06know the United States and other
- 00:51:08European countries
- 00:51:10have spent many many billions of dollars
- 00:51:14in dealing with HIV AIDS malaria
- 00:51:18tuberculosis
- 00:51:20but when the pandemic hit
- 00:51:22none of us and I speak for the United
- 00:51:25States none of us helped the Africans
- 00:51:27with vaccines none of the European
- 00:51:29countries were particularly generous
- 00:51:32India the largest vaccine maker in the
- 00:51:35world shut its borders and you
- 00:51:37understand why elected leaders were
- 00:51:39under enormous pressure to make sure
- 00:51:41that we took care of our own people and
- 00:51:44you know we did what we needed to do
- 00:51:48and China comes in and builds a soccer
- 00:51:50stadium or they come in and build a road
- 00:51:53and they get a lot of credit for that
- 00:51:55and so we have to do a much better job
- 00:51:57in our relations in Latin America and
- 00:52:02Africa and in key Asian countries as
- 00:52:06well working to try to support them when
- 00:52:09the Chinese have enormous influence in
- 00:52:12Laos and Cambodia the Junta Takeover in
- 00:52:16Myanmar and the end of democracy there
- 00:52:19is heavily supported by Chinese
- 00:52:21interests so we have we we need to do a
- 00:52:25better job and we need to have the
- 00:52:27patience to stick with doing a better
- 00:52:30job because we don't have a good
- 00:52:33reputation for sticking with something
- 00:52:36that will produce results that people
- 00:52:39then can point to and understand that we
- 00:52:41are trying to be supportive thank you
- 00:52:44thank you very much
- 00:52:46I would like to bring you back to
- 00:52:48America and change books as well from
- 00:52:51your hard choices into what happened on
- 00:52:54the presidential election of 2016. in
- 00:52:57that book uh you recall that
- 00:53:01as much as you tried to convince
- 00:53:03Americans and you actually did have
- 00:53:06better policies
- 00:53:08better politics better Democratic
- 00:53:10credentials than your opponent that
- 00:53:12Donald Trump
- 00:53:13at the end of the day then I quote you
- 00:53:15here a lot of people were looking for
- 00:53:18someone to blame
- 00:53:20they casted their ballots based on anger
- 00:53:22on resentment on divisiveness
- 00:53:26and of course there are many causes and
- 00:53:28circumstances for Global populism
- 00:53:32depends very much on the country you are
- 00:53:34sitting you will see different reasons
- 00:53:36for it you will see different
- 00:53:37expressions of it
- 00:53:40but my question is that when emotions
- 00:53:43Trump rationality
- 00:53:45if you allow me to put it this way and
- 00:53:48vote discussed it on the anger on the
- 00:53:51resentment on the divisiveness that
- 00:53:53you're mentioned in your book How can
- 00:53:55democracies survive populism
- 00:53:59wow that's the question of the hour
- 00:54:01everywhere
- 00:54:04um I I do just want to add to your
- 00:54:06introduction I got more votes than
- 00:54:07Donald Trump
- 00:54:09because of our Electoral College
- 00:54:12obviously but um
- 00:54:14and but I do I do think that I do think
- 00:54:18that's significant because we
- 00:54:21we were in a battle for our Democratic
- 00:54:24future and
- 00:54:26um it was a battle against
- 00:54:30a demagogue using
- 00:54:33um all what we call dog whistles I don't
- 00:54:36know if you know that term but all the
- 00:54:38dog whistles all of the messaging all
- 00:54:41the signals
- 00:54:42that he was against everybody you didn't
- 00:54:46like
- 00:54:47if you don't like immigrants he's your
- 00:54:49guy if you don't like women advancing in
- 00:54:52the workforce it makes you nervous he's
- 00:54:54your guide if you don't like the lgbtq
- 00:54:57community getting rights and being able
- 00:54:59to live their lives including form
- 00:55:02relationships through marriage he's your
- 00:55:04guy I mean the list went on
- 00:55:06and he was very clever as demagogues
- 00:55:09often are
- 00:55:11um at sending those messages and
- 00:55:13creating
- 00:55:15um a an electorate that really did
- 00:55:18believe that he would Champion them
- 00:55:24against the other
- 00:55:27and what we've seen with populism
- 00:55:30authoritarian populism uh in Europe
- 00:55:33starting obviously in Hungary with Orban
- 00:55:36using immigrants as the you know the
- 00:55:38tool to consolidate power and then go
- 00:55:42after opposition uh political parties a
- 00:55:46free press
- 00:55:48academic intellectual uh discourse and
- 00:55:52so forth and we see elements of it
- 00:55:56it is an effort to
- 00:56:00create grievance resentment anger at the
- 00:56:04other as the primary driver of political
- 00:56:09identity and uh affiliation
- 00:56:14with a political party or a leader
- 00:56:17I think it's you know something that all
- 00:56:21of us are having to Grapple with
- 00:56:23uh because I can speak for the United
- 00:56:25States and this may be a little too
- 00:56:29um
- 00:56:30Arcane but I just want to make this
- 00:56:32point
- 00:56:33so when I got nearly three million more
- 00:56:36votes than Donald Trump I lost the
- 00:56:38Electoral College by 77 000 votes
- 00:56:42Joe Biden got more than seven million
- 00:56:45more votes than Donald Trump
- 00:56:47but he only won the Electoral College by
- 00:56:50a hundred thousand votes
- 00:56:52so it was like a mere image I was on the
- 00:56:54losing side he was on the winning side
- 00:56:57but they were basically in the same
- 00:57:00area of electoral accounting
- 00:57:05and what we're facing now in the
- 00:57:09upcoming election in 2024
- 00:57:12is an effort
- 00:57:14by the Republican party and their
- 00:57:17leading candidates
- 00:57:19to try to make sure no matter what
- 00:57:23the popular vote count is that Joe Biden
- 00:57:26who is running again will get
- 00:57:30that they will win the electoral college
- 00:57:32so that
- 00:57:34Donald Trump or if somebody else's their
- 00:57:37nominee will be the president
- 00:57:39now how do you combat that because the
- 00:57:42states that they are
- 00:57:44attempting to
- 00:57:46control through changes in how voting is
- 00:57:50held
- 00:57:52who gets to vote
- 00:57:54how the votes are counted
- 00:57:57are states that right now are
- 00:58:00either run by a republican governor and
- 00:58:03legislature
- 00:58:05or run by a Democratic governor but with
- 00:58:07a republican legislature and that's
- 00:58:11going to be the big challenge if the if
- 00:58:13the if we counted votes the way
- 00:58:14everybody else in the world counts votes
- 00:58:16Joe Biden would win again in my opinion
- 00:58:20and I also believe that if Donald Trump
- 00:58:23is the nominee Joe Biden will win
- 00:58:25but part of the reason Trump
- 00:58:28denied the results of the election
- 00:58:32launched an Insurrection against our
- 00:58:36government by encouraging
- 00:58:39his followers to attack our capital
- 00:58:43is because he couldn't believe that all
- 00:58:46the maneuvering they did
- 00:58:49to kind of
- 00:58:51get the vote right for them
- 00:58:53didn't work
- 00:58:55and so that's what they're planning this
- 00:58:58time and
- 00:59:00I think what you see with President
- 00:59:02Biden is an effort
- 00:59:06to both have achievements that people
- 00:59:08can point to putting people to work
- 00:59:10getting people
- 00:59:13to focus on the health care advantages
- 00:59:16that have been uh provided under his
- 00:59:19presidency
- 00:59:20but he also is trying to model what we
- 00:59:23used to think of as presidential
- 00:59:24leadership working with people we just
- 00:59:27went through this
- 00:59:28ridiculous exercise called the debt
- 00:59:31limit
- 00:59:32which should never be allowed to happen
- 00:59:35again
- 00:59:36but what President Biden did was to have
- 00:59:38a negotiation with the Republicans come
- 00:59:41up with an agreed upon piece of
- 00:59:44legislation and get it passed so he's
- 00:59:46trying to model
- 00:59:48Democratic Behavior small D democratic
- 00:59:51to sort of take some of the steam out of
- 00:59:54the populace and message because you
- 00:59:57know populists have to believe that
- 00:59:59they're being persecuted that there is a
- 01:00:01conspiracy against them that you know
- 01:00:04people don't understand them and people
- 01:00:06are against them for a million different
- 01:00:08reasons so Biden is trying to model no
- 01:00:11you know what we can work together I can
- 01:00:13sit across a table from somebody who
- 01:00:15doesn't agree with me and try to come to
- 01:00:17some compromise that will work
- 01:00:21that's his approach to dealing with the
- 01:00:24threat of populism
- 01:00:27but the Republican Party in the United
- 01:00:29States right now is unrecognizable from
- 01:00:32what it used to be I was in the senate
- 01:00:35for eight years from 2001 to 2009
- 01:00:39I worked with a lot of the people who
- 01:00:41are still there
- 01:00:43I introduced legislation with them I
- 01:00:47did all kinds of joint projects with
- 01:00:51them and so I know them
- 01:00:53and they have all joined the cult of
- 01:00:56trump and the cult of election denying
- 01:01:01for their own reasons
- 01:01:03and the result is that
- 01:01:06there's a almost post-truth
- 01:01:11political environment
- 01:01:13and it's really difficult
- 01:01:16because the Press
- 01:01:19feels it's their job to report both
- 01:01:22you know Senator so and so said he is
- 01:01:25sure the Earth is flat because that's
- 01:01:26how it looks to him
- 01:01:28and then we have all these scientists
- 01:01:30and hundreds of years of calculations
- 01:01:32which said it's not
- 01:01:34but we're here to tell you both sides
- 01:01:37and so people get
- 01:01:40more opinion from the news than they get
- 01:01:43facts
- 01:01:44and it's difficult for people to know
- 01:01:46what to believe and then you throw in
- 01:01:48the role of social media
- 01:01:51which has
- 01:01:53been a
- 01:01:56vehicle for disinformation
- 01:01:59misinformation conspiracy theories
- 01:02:03that have further confused our politics
- 01:02:07so trying to figure out how do you
- 01:02:09confront populism if you don't have a
- 01:02:13common Foundation of facts evidence and
- 01:02:16Truth
- 01:02:17and it's really important that people of
- 01:02:21good faith regardless of your political
- 01:02:23belief and you know in our country now
- 01:02:25we have many former Republicans who are
- 01:02:27called Never trumpers uh and they they
- 01:02:30don't agree with me on issues but they
- 01:02:32agree with me on democracy and they
- 01:02:34agree with me on the rule of law and
- 01:02:36they agree with me that we have to stand
- 01:02:38up to this concerted effort to literally
- 01:02:42turn facts and evidence into Political
- 01:02:46weapons uh instead of a foundation on
- 01:02:49which to make decisions so it's it's a
- 01:02:52problem here in Europe and it certainly
- 01:02:54is a big problem for us
- 01:02:57so we're reaching the end of our
- 01:02:59conversation but there are two questions
- 01:03:01that are I would like to ask you and and
- 01:03:03one of them
- 01:03:06um is about your experience as a woman
- 01:03:08in politics one is of the most famous uh
- 01:03:12statements that you did already in 1995
- 01:03:15as first lady was human rights are
- 01:03:17women's rights and women rights are
- 01:03:19human rights
- 01:03:21and in your book what happened again
- 01:03:24um you I would like to read something
- 01:03:27that I I found extremely impressive uh
- 01:03:29uh when you recall the the following
- 01:03:32situation during the second presidential
- 01:03:34debate in 2016. I quote you entirely
- 01:03:37here Trump was looming behind me two
- 01:03:40days before he talked about groping
- 01:03:43women
- 01:03:44now he was staring at me making faces it
- 01:03:48was incredibly uncomfortable
- 01:03:50it was one of those moments where you
- 01:03:52wish you could hit the pause button and
- 01:03:55ask everyone
- 01:03:57what would you do
- 01:03:59you stay calm keep smiling and carry on
- 01:04:04or do you turn and say loudly and
- 01:04:06clearly back up you creep get away from
- 01:04:10me you can't intimidate me
- 01:04:14I chose option A
- 01:04:17I wonder whether I should have chosen
- 01:04:20option b
- 01:04:23well
- 01:04:27you're right it was all going through my
- 01:04:30mind as I write about
- 01:04:33um
- 01:04:33in that second debate where he was
- 01:04:38stalking and making faces and and
- 01:04:42behaving in a very childish way
- 01:04:45but I as I was thinking it through I
- 01:04:49thought you know I'm kind of
- 01:04:51in a bind
- 01:04:53because
- 01:04:55if I respond in some way
- 01:05:00I can hear the commentary
- 01:05:03that um I just proved I couldn't take
- 01:05:06the heat I couldn't take the you know
- 01:05:09the pressure and so I snapped at him I
- 01:05:12responded to him I got angry and you
- 01:05:15know there's nothing worse than an angry
- 01:05:17woman and so I was
- 01:05:20convinced in the moment that
- 01:05:24um it was far better for me to just
- 01:05:26maintain my
- 01:05:28composure and go on as though he were
- 01:05:32not behaving as he was but of course
- 01:05:36afterwards you kind of think ah well it
- 01:05:38would have been a lot more fun and
- 01:05:39satisfying to respond but but I tell the
- 01:05:43story and Other Stories in my book about
- 01:05:45that election called what happened
- 01:05:48in a chapter called you know women in
- 01:05:50politics because there still is a double
- 01:05:54standard as we all know there are more
- 01:05:57and more women thankfully in positions
- 01:06:00of responsibility and authority and I am
- 01:06:04thrilled by that uh but there is still a
- 01:06:08an a set of expectations and standards
- 01:06:12that are imposed on most of us and that
- 01:06:15are kind of in the back of people's
- 01:06:18heads voters heads and you just have to
- 01:06:23um
- 01:06:24be as as clear about who you are what
- 01:06:27you stand for as you possibly can but
- 01:06:30you also have to be aware that uh
- 01:06:33many times when you are campaigning for
- 01:06:37votes or you're exercising Authority in
- 01:06:40a public setting
- 01:06:42your hair will be mentioned your clothes
- 01:06:45will be mentioned
- 01:06:47your marital status will be mentioned
- 01:06:49whether or not you have children will be
- 01:06:52mentioned it's it is just part of what
- 01:06:56is going to be said about you and it is
- 01:07:00not
- 01:07:01it is not yet
- 01:07:04um a time when we can get beyond that
- 01:07:07and there is a an additional element in
- 01:07:12this as well from social media
- 01:07:15the amount of
- 01:07:17misogyny and sexism and vitriolic
- 01:07:21attacks on women
- 01:07:23through social media who are in the
- 01:07:25public eye is just out of control
- 01:07:29and
- 01:07:30it's almost hard if you're not in that
- 01:07:33position to know what's going on online
- 01:07:35but let me just tell you
- 01:07:38that I spend a lot of time talking with
- 01:07:41women not just in my country but
- 01:07:43elsewhere who are in public life they're
- 01:07:45in government
- 01:07:47and they are now all saying to me that
- 01:07:52they attacks on them the threats against
- 01:07:55them
- 01:07:56are just
- 01:07:58almost
- 01:08:00persuading them
- 01:08:03that they shouldn't stay in public life
- 01:08:06and I was recently in um
- 01:08:09in England Last Summer
- 01:08:11and I was meeting with elected women
- 01:08:13officials and some of you might recall
- 01:08:15that during the brexit campaign a woman
- 01:08:20parliamentarian from the labor party who
- 01:08:22was against brexit and had lots of good
- 01:08:24reasons why she was against brexit was
- 01:08:27speaking about her opposition to brexit
- 01:08:29and was murdered by a
- 01:08:33fanatic supporter of brexit
- 01:08:36and so these women remembered her but
- 01:08:39they also were telling me about the
- 01:08:41kinds of threats they were facing and
- 01:08:43you know having to you know put in
- 01:08:45security cameras in their homes
- 01:08:48threats against their children threats
- 01:08:50against their spouses and you know this
- 01:08:53is something that is so troubling and
- 01:08:57frightening
- 01:08:58that a lot of
- 01:09:00women are wondering you know how how do
- 01:09:05they manage that you might recall uh
- 01:09:08Jacinda our
- 01:09:12New Zealand who announced her retirement
- 01:09:15from public life she had managed the
- 01:09:19pandemic she had responded to the
- 01:09:22horrible
- 01:09:23massacre in the mosque she had dealt
- 01:09:26with so many crises
- 01:09:29and she had done it with a real sense of
- 01:09:32of Grace and and determination
- 01:09:37and she was of course criticized because
- 01:09:39any of us in public life were going to
- 01:09:41be criticized but the online criticism
- 01:09:44was so vile
- 01:09:46so unbelievably horrifying
- 01:09:50that it was a factor in her saying you
- 01:09:52know what I I can't keep doing this I
- 01:09:54can't I mean the energy it takes to get
- 01:09:56up every day do a hard job do it well
- 01:10:00and still get not just legitimate
- 01:10:03criticism which everybody should expect
- 01:10:05but this hatred is is just too much so
- 01:10:10you know Paul I think
- 01:10:12as hard as it's always been to be a
- 01:10:14woman in in public life and certainly
- 01:10:18it's true for women in government and
- 01:10:20politics but it's also true for women
- 01:10:22who have a high profile in any other
- 01:10:24field
- 01:10:25all of that has been made harder because
- 01:10:27of social media and as you might guess I
- 01:10:30think we're not doing enough I know
- 01:10:32we're not doing enough in the United
- 01:10:33States uh to try to tame this uh new
- 01:10:40invention that has addicted our children
- 01:10:44and has had quite serious impacts which
- 01:10:47are now measurable in how children feel
- 01:10:50about themselves young girls in
- 01:10:52particular
- 01:10:53in fact our Surgeon General in the
- 01:10:55United States just issued a report
- 01:10:58finding that young girls are getting
- 01:11:00more depressed
- 01:11:01they are getting more anxious they're
- 01:11:05having more body image issues
- 01:11:09because they're addicted to social media
- 01:11:12and they are unable
- 01:11:15to get a real world perspective because
- 01:11:18of that
- 01:11:19and that's true around the world there's
- 01:11:22the studies that were being used are not
- 01:11:24just American studies so we've conducted
- 01:11:27this big experiment and now we have to
- 01:11:29figure out how to protect ourselves but
- 01:11:31mostly our children and the final thing
- 01:11:33is with the Advent of artificial
- 01:11:35intelligence if we think disinformation
- 01:11:37is a problem now
- 01:11:39we will have no idea
- 01:11:42what candidate of what party said
- 01:11:44anything because there will be deep
- 01:11:46fakes there will be made up
- 01:11:50um whole cloth arguments that are put
- 01:11:53into somebody's mouth
- 01:11:54and how will we run a democracy when we
- 01:11:58won't be able to trust what we see
- 01:12:01on our screens
- 01:12:04and so I think that
- 01:12:06populism is a huge problem but a lot of
- 01:12:09the populists have really understood how
- 01:12:12to weaponize social media against the
- 01:12:15rest of us
- 01:12:17and finally in a personal question if I
- 01:12:21if I may of course you've performed
- 01:12:23almost all roles in in American uh
- 01:12:27politics and global politics first lady
- 01:12:30Senator Secretary of State presidential
- 01:12:31candidate but of course one of uh the
- 01:12:35perhaps less known uh parts of Your
- 01:12:38Action outside of the United States is
- 01:12:40that you continue your work as a strong
- 01:12:42advocate for civic engagement citizen
- 01:12:45engagement women rights children
- 01:12:47education climate change other social
- 01:12:49causes and you are leading the
- 01:12:52organization onward together the last
- 01:12:56question of course is what is left to do
- 01:12:59for Hillary Rodham Clinton well you just
- 01:13:03listed a lot of the things that I'm
- 01:13:05working I'm working with the Clinton
- 01:13:06Foundation that my husband started in
- 01:13:08the Clinton Global initiative which we
- 01:13:11hold every September in New York to
- 01:13:13bring people together
- 01:13:15to figure out ways to solve problems
- 01:13:18um because that's what I really believe
- 01:13:20in I believe in bringing people together
- 01:13:22finding common ground looking for
- 01:13:26Solutions let me just give you a very
- 01:13:27quick examples like you mentioned
- 01:13:30climate change and
- 01:13:33it's a serious challenge for all of us
- 01:13:35but it's particularly one for poorer
- 01:13:39countries and extreme heat I know you
- 01:13:42had a heat wave in April here right
- 01:13:45um extreme heat is going to make it more
- 01:13:47and more difficult for people to be
- 01:13:50outside to deal with health problems
- 01:13:53that's going to be especially true of
- 01:13:55pregnant women and children people with
- 01:13:58any kind of chronic condition but as bad
- 01:14:01as it might be here in Barcelona or in
- 01:14:04New York where I live imagine what it
- 01:14:07will be like in Delhi or in Nairobi or
- 01:14:11in any of the countries that are going
- 01:14:16to have an even greater amount of
- 01:14:19extreme heat for longer periods of time
- 01:14:21so through the Clinton Global initiative
- 01:14:24we're working to help deal with some of
- 01:14:27these real world problems
- 01:14:29um in particular I'm working with a
- 01:14:31group of self-employed women in India
- 01:14:34who work outside
- 01:14:36they rake salt they pick up trash they
- 01:14:40work in construction they run Market
- 01:14:42stalls they're all outside and if they
- 01:14:46don't work they don't make money and
- 01:14:47they can't support their family and so
- 01:14:49when it's 120 or 125 degrees Fahrenheit
- 01:14:54in
- 01:14:57India they can't work
- 01:14:59I mean the heat is debilitating for
- 01:15:03human bodies
- 01:15:04so how do we help them have like an
- 01:15:06insurance product that will kick in when
- 01:15:09the heat is out of control we're also
- 01:15:12looking at how we
- 01:15:13publicize extreme heat waves and a group
- 01:15:17that I'm working with through this
- 01:15:19organization the Clinton Global
- 01:15:21initiative is working with some local
- 01:15:23leaders throughout Spain like in Seville
- 01:15:25and other places so that we give people
- 01:15:27notice if you have if you have a medical
- 01:15:30condition if you're pregnant if you're a
- 01:15:32child
- 01:15:33try to stay in try not to be outside for
- 01:15:36for these hours it's almost like we're
- 01:15:39forecasting storms because the extreme
- 01:15:42hate the stream heat will be like that
- 01:15:44so I'm going to keep working as long as
- 01:15:47I can on issues that affect
- 01:15:51human
- 01:15:52life and health and opportunity and
- 01:15:57their right and our rights and our
- 01:15:58freedom because I I feel like you know
- 01:16:01those are the big challenges that our
- 01:16:04world faces and I think all of us should
- 01:16:07find ways that we think we can bring
- 01:16:09people together to help solve those
- 01:16:11problems because
- 01:16:13they're coming for all of us none of us
- 01:16:15will escape no matter where we live and
- 01:16:17we need to stand up for democracy we
- 01:16:20need to stand up and protect ourselves
- 01:16:22from
- 01:16:23autocrats and authoritarians we need to
- 01:16:25try to end war and and teach the
- 01:16:28aggressors they can't be doing what
- 01:16:30they're doing we need to deal with
- 01:16:31climate change we need to deal with the
- 01:16:33Migration by trying to create more
- 01:16:35opportunity where people come from so
- 01:16:37there's there's really exciting issues
- 01:16:39all of the issues you worked on here at
- 01:16:40cdub and that's one of the reasons I was
- 01:16:43so delighted to be invited and thank you
- 01:16:45for having me Hillary Rodham Clinton
- 01:16:47it's been an absolute pleasure thank you
- 01:16:49very much thank you very much
- 01:16:52and of course
- 01:17:13thank you very much
- 01:17:17thank you it's been a pleasure
- 01:17:23[Music]
- 01:17:24foreign
- 01:17:25[Music]
- 01:18:12foreign
- 01:18:21[Music]
- 01:18:35foreign
- 01:18:37[Music]
- Hillary Clinton
- CEDO
- 50th Anniversary
- International Relations
- Global Politics
- Ukraine Conflict
- Russia
- China
- Populism
- Climate Change