10.24.14 CTR Weekend TPs

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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.”