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Tag: Secretary of State

  • Tea Leoni on David Duchovny and ‘Madam Secretary’

    Tea Leoni dished recently about her split from X-Files actor David Duchovny as well as about her upcoming CBS show Madam Secretary. Not surprisingly, the two topics even merge.

    It was in Parade magazine that Leoni opened up about at least some of her feelings about the father of her children.

    “Listen, David gave me the two greatest gifts on the planet; I don’t know how I could ever hate him,” she says. “We’ve always loved each other, and we adore these kids. … I’m not playing stupid—I understand feelings can get hurt and things can get icky. We’ve had our moments like that. But these kids are too important, and he feels the same way, I know it. He’s a good guy.”

    The actress still bears a wedding band tattoo she got back in 2007 on her ring finger. It matches one David Duchovny still sports, too.

    She says their kids have tried playing one parent against the other from time to time, but they put their collective feet down immediately.

    “There was that brief moment when the kids said, ‘Oh, I can work a scam on you here and him over there,’ and we were like, ‘News flash—no!’” Tea Leoni explained.

    “Tea and I had a long time together; we’ll always be connected and there for each other,” David Duchovny says of the mother of his children. He also added that he had no doubt that Madam Secretary was a good fit for his soon-to-be ex-wife (Tea filed for divorce this past June–the couple has been separated since 2011).

    Duchovny says Tea “committed to it right away. She usually takes a long time to consider things from all angles.”

    Tea Leoni hopes Madam Secretary will pique people’s interest in how the government works.

    “I’m sorry that young people aren’t ­ignited by politics, that it’s a dirty word. My daughter is interested in the stalemate in Congress; she says, ‘So neither side budges and that’s it? We don’t do anything?’ Making a case and negotiating—that’s what we want to do in the show. Wouldn’t compromise and agreement be great things to promote?”

    Sometimes raising kids in a divorced household can be akin to the inner workings of the government. It sounds like Tea Leoni and David Duchovny are on top of their dynamic duo–at least for now. Maybe by the time the kids are really pulling the wool over on Mom and Dad, her experience in Madam Secretary will have taught her a thing or two she can use in the ongoing parenting battle.

    Madam Secretary premieres on Sunday evening, September 21st on CBS.

  • Tea Leoni Returning to Televison, Gets OK from Kids

    Actress Tea Leoni will be returning to the small screen to star as Secretary of State Elizabeth Faulkner McCord, in the CBS political drama Madam Secretary.

    Madam Secretary, which will run after “60 Minutes” and before “The Good Wife” on Sundays, premieres on September 21. Leoni, 49, portrays a former CIA analyst turned college professor who is tapped by the president to become Secretary of State.

    Commenting on her character McCord, Leoni told E!, “There was something – I adored her. I adored her by page two, there’s no sarcasm to her. Sarcasm is too slow. I want to wake up and be her every day.”

    The former The Naked Truth star added, “I think in a lot of ways it’s inspiring to see women that we want to see. I think when I sort of set out to do this gal, I thought, ‘Who do I want in office?’ That’s been guiding my choices.”

    Here is a first look at Madam Secretary:

    Barbara Hall, who was a writer-producer for Judging Amy, and is presently a co-executive producer on Showtime’s Homeland, is the creator and executive producer of Madam Secretary, alongside Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman. Hall commented that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is excited about the series, and has met with Leoni. “She’s very eager to weigh in and help us,” Hall remarked.

    Hall added that Madam Secretary is adapted from real events and will attempt to “pull back the curtain on how the State Department works.”

    Leoni, who is presently separated from husband David Duchovny, said that her children gave her the “go-ahead” to get back into a television gig.

    “I turned to my 12-year-old son and I said, ‘It’s going to be a little tricky. I’m not going to be around as much. Are you cool with that?’” Leoni said, adding, “He said, ‘Yeah, I was getting kind of sick of you.’”

    Madam Secretary also stars Tim Daly and Bebe Neuwirth.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Xi Jinping Meets with US; Talk Economy & Security

    When Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the President of the People’s Republic of China, came into office a little over one year ago, he faced several monumental challenges as the leader of the world’s largest and potentially most powerful country. The main issue plaguing Xi was China’s economy, which had gone into quite a slump despite being the world’s second largest. Over the past two years, Xi has made every decision to expand China’s influence and grow its global market – a decision which has been at odds with the intentions and wants of the world’s largest economy, the United States. On Wednesday, Xi Jinping met with several US diplomats, including Secretary of State John Kerry, at the sixth round of the United States-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) to discuss the ongoing issues between the world’s two economic juggernauts.

    This year marks the 35th year of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the US and China, going back to the Nixon administration. While relations have improved over time, recent decisions by Xi have increased tensions between the US and China.

    Xi has given orders to allow China to become more aggressive in the South Pacific, pushing against US allies such as South Korea and Japan, reaffirming his notion that “The vast Pacific Ocean has ample space to accommodate two great nations.”

    While Xi’s statement may be true, his unilateral decision making (powers granted to him by being both the General Secretary and President of China) has led the US to question the ideas of state sovereignty and the intentions of China in the near future.

    On Tuesday, President Obama released a statement concerning the upcoming S&ED meeting in which he acknowledged the differences between the two nations, but also the need to create some similarities:

    The United States and China will not always see eye-to-eye on every issue. That is to be expected for two nations with different histories and cultures. It also is why we need to build our relationship around common challenges, mutual responsibilities, and shared interests, even while we candidly address our differences.

    President Obama is not attending the S&ED, but Secretary of State Kerry reiterated the President’s message on Wednesday with his opening remarks: “Let me emphasize to you today: The U.S. isn’t seeking to contain China.” Instead, Kerry emphasized that the US is simply seeking to make the South Pacific and China a more stable place, enabling the global market to continue to operate without hinderance or strife.

    At first glance, Xi seemed to agree with Kerry and the US on Wednesday, saying, “A conflict between China and United States will definitely be a disaster for the two countries and the world.” However, Xi would go on to add that “We should respect and treat each other equally, and respect the other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and respect each other’s choice on the path of development,” seemingly hinting at the fact that he thinks the United States and China should stop interfering in each others’ affairs and just let it be.

    With recent comparisons to Mao Zedong’s ideological warfare against his own people and China’s aggressive actions in the South Pacific, the US need be wary of its communications with China in the near future. While China is still currently the world’s second largest economy, it is projected to surpass the United States in the very near future. With increased economic power and its ownership of much of the US economy, any disruption in peaceful relations could end in much more disaster for the US than China.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • John Kerry Seeks to End Sexual Violence in Warfare

    Speaking before the largest such convention of all time, John Kerry called for the end of sexual violence in warfare at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, an event co-hosted by British Foreign Secretary William Hague and special envoy of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie.

    The four-day long summit in London had four explicit goals: 1) Institute practical training for soldiers and peacekeepers to help protect women from abuse; 2) End the culture of impunity surrounding sexual violence within the context of warfare by instituting consistent and effective legal protocols; 3) Increase support given to survivors of sexual assault; and 4) Eradicate the culture of acceptance surrounding sexual violence in warfare through a paradigm shift in beliefs.

    While most people believe the feat to be impossible, stating that rape is ingrained in warfare, Kerry and others believe quite the opposite, with Kerry likening the banning of sexual violence to the Chemical Weapons Convention, stating that, after World War I, “people, particularly veterans, were so horrified that, except for the most depraved exceptions we’ve seen once or twice since, chemical and biological weapons were banned from battlefields within a decade of that war. That speaks to possibilities.”

    In order to “write a new norm, one that protects women, girls, men and boys, from these unspeakable crimes,” Kerry envisions a five-part plan:

    1) Institute the use of a “mobile court” in order to bring swift and immediate justice to perpetrators.

    2) Increase funding for “Safe from the Start”, a program which educates refugee workers and others in how to prevent violence.

    3) Expand the “Together for Girls” program, whose goal is to end violence against young girls through education.

    4) Increase the amount of money US Embassies have to help people during times of emergency.

    5) Hold other countries to the standards of the United States and encourage them to stop giving visas to those accused of sexually violent crimes.

    “Thousands of years after rape was written into the lexicon of warfare, we know that it is time to write it out and to banish sexual violence to the dark ages and the history books where it belongs,” stated Kerry.

    In her opening remarks on Tuesday, Angelina Jolie had a very similar message to send to those in attendance: “It is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict. There’s nothing inevitable about it. It is a weapon of war aimed at civilians. It has nothing to do with sex, everything to do with power.”

    Along with Kerry, Jolie, and Hague, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former US President Jimmy Carter sent video messages to be shared at the conference, a conference which was attended by representatives from more than 100 countries.

    Kerry ended his speech by reading “Still I Rise”, a poem by the late Maya Angelou: “We came here to send a message: We rise, we rise . Let’s get the job done,” Kerry announced before leaving to a standing ovation.

    Image via Twitter

  • Mahmoud Abbas and John Kerry Talk Canceled

    Secretary of State John Kerry canceled a talk planned for today with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, according to The New York Times. The meeting would have extended negotiations set to expire April 29th into 2015.

    It seems Kerry canceled the talks due to Abbas breaking the terms of the peace negotiations before the scheduled meeting. In the past month, Abbas began the process of joining 15 international agencies, a move strictly prohibited during negotiations. It appears Abbas was seeking statehood outside of U.S. talks.

    The loss of these talks is a loss for both sides. They were expected to lead to the release of an American citizen held for twenty-five years on suspicion of spying for Israel by Palestine, as well the release of many Palestinian soldiers by Israel.

    Abbas justified his actions, saying Israel had broken their promise to release soldiers as scheduled. Indeed, a fourth group of Palestinian soldiers were slated for release on March 29th but were not. He also cited the lack of progress made in significant negotiations.

    Abbas stated “We don’t want to collide with the U.S. administration. We want a good relationship with Washington because it helped us and exerted huge efforts. But because we did not find ways for a solution, this becomes our right.”

    Despite Abbas’ statement, it has become trying for the U.S. to stay involved in peace talks with Palestine and Israel. Kerry still stressed that this was not the end of U.S. attempts, but the fatigue was evident in Kerry’s recent remarks to NATO.

    He stated “The United States is proud and ready and willing to be a facilitator in this process. But the leaders on both sides have to make the decisions, not us. It’s up to them to decide what they’re prepared to do with each other, for each other, for the future, for the region, for peace.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Newt Gingrich Eyeing Sec. of State Position?

    In a Twitter rant last month, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich sounded-off against current Secretary of State John Kerry for comments he made in a speech to students in Jakarta, Indonesia, going as far as to ask John Kerry to resign from his position as Secretary of State. So what was the subject of the comments that got Gingrich in such a tissy? None other than the Republican Party’s greatest enemy: climate change.

    In speaking to Indonesian students, Secretary of State Kerry stated that climate change is “the greatest challenge of our generation” and that “climate change can now be considered another weapon of mass destruction, perhaps the world’s most fearsome weapon of mass destruction.”

    Gingrich took great exception to both comments, going to Twitter to speak his disapproval:

    One could debate the validity of Kerry’s or Gingrich’s statements all day and wind-up achieving zero progress. Thus, perhaps the more interesting question is, “Why in the world would Gingrich care so much about what Kerry has to say?”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfktxYF5x4Q

    While Gingrich was a presidential candidate in 2012, he has been irrelevant on the political scene for quite some time. He now spends his days hanging out as the lone out-spoken Republican at CNN.

    His position at CNN allows him the perfect opportunity, though, to have a national media outlet serve as his personal soap-box and campaign platform. Gingrich took full advantage of this situation yesterday by publishing an essay at CNN.com entitled “Beyond empty symbols, a serious strategy for dealing with Russia.”

    In his scathing critique, Gingrich states that the United States needs to do something more than spout “liberal symbolism” in order to deal with the threat of Russia: “What we have so far is symbolic liberalism offering words, symbolic liberalism flying around the world from capital to capital having meetings, and symbolic liberalism targeting narrowly a handful of people in a way that will have no impact on Putin. What we could have is serious, robust action that would have a genuine and immediate impact and would weaken Russia’s ability to act aggressively toward its neighbors.”

    What is Gingrich’s plan to for action, you ask? Well, it’s fairly simple, actually. All Gingrich wants to happen if for President Obama to create multiple executive orders which lead to the construction of the Keystone Pipeline and also opens up the exportation of natural gas to Eastern Europe. Through this plan, Gingrich hopes to lower the international price of natural gas so much that it will cripple Russia’s economic stranglehold on Eastern Europe and thus save the day…. Just like Gingrich’s good ol’ pal Reagan did in order to bring down the Soviet Union….

    One can only think that by lambasting John Kerry on Twitter and by releasing his plan of action to solve an international crisis that no one has been able to properly assess and address yet that Gingrich is prepping himself to become the next Secretary of State for whichever Republican presidential candidate wins the 2016 election.

    Or perhaps Newt is just being Newt. Who knows? It’s American politics, after all.

    Image via YouTube

  • David Petraeus: Did He Endorse Hillary Clinton?

    Did David Petraeus endorse Hillary Clinton as a Democratic presidential candidate? He talked about her in a new book by Jonathan Allen and Aimee Parnes.

    In HRC Petraeus is quoted as saying, “She’d make a tremendous president.” Might that be all his followers need to hear in order to endorse her, too?

    David Petraeus always made it quite clear that he detested anything to do with politics. The former director of the CIA has clearly lauded the former secretary of state, and as everyone knows it’s just a matter of time before Hillary throws her hat into that proverbial ring.

    It wasn’t long ago that Hillary Rodham Clinton officially questioned David Petraeus regarding his records on the Iraq War surge–as seen in the video clip above. That line of questioning didn’t leave the former CIA director in a particularly positive light. It’s a bit surprising to hear him support Clinton in such a robust way. Clinton pretty much accused Petraeus of lying about the state of things in Iraq when he was President Bush’s commander in that country. This goes back to Clinton’s time as a senator and her first bid for the presidential office.

    Of course there are other times when Hillary Clinton reached out to David Petaeus and seemed rather human–something not everyone can admit having seen from former President Bill Clinton’s wife–but then again she is Bill Clinton’s wife, and that definitely explains some things.

    When Petraeus was forced to resign after word leaked about his extramarital affair, Hillary actually sent him a handwritten note, expressing her sympathy.

    “I have a little experience,” she wrote, reflecting back on her time as the First Lady when husband Bill carried on his sexual dalliances with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

    Regardless of the situation between the two, if one reads HRC, it indeed appears as though David Petraeus has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. Check out the book. In addition to the former CIA director’s comments, it offers an excellent read.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Nandita Berry Appointed Texas Secretary Of State

    Texas Governor Rick Perry has appointed a new secretary of state. Nandita Berry, a Houston attorney, has been named for the position, and will replace John Steen, who will be stepping down after the first of the year. This is the third time that Perry has had to name a new secretary of state in slightly over a year.

    Due to Berry’s immense accomplishments, Perry saw it fit for her to be Steen’s replacement, making Berry the first Indian-American to be named the state’s chief elections officer. “Nandita Berry personifies what is possible through hard work and dedication in the State of Texas,” Perry said. “Arriving from India at the age of 21 with nothing but $200 to her name, she worked diligently to earn her law degree and has since become one of the most accomplished attorneys in the state. Her work ethic, intelligence and wide array of experiences will serve her capably in her new duties as Secretary of State, and I look forward to working with her to keep Texas the best place in the country to live, work and raise a family.”

    “I came to Texas in search of a better life and the limitless opportunities to be found across our great state,” Berry said. “Every day, I see Austin’s pioneering spirit alive in Texas, and this great honor proves once again Texas is the land of opportunity, both in the private sector and public service.”

    Berry is the wife of conservative Houston radio talk-show host Michael Berry. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston, and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • John Kerry: North Korea’s Leader Is Reckless And Ruthless

    U.S. Secretary of  State John Kerry has described North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Un, 30, as reckless and insecure following the arrest and execution of the North Korean leader’s powerful uncle, Jang Song Thaek.

    Kerry said Kim’s actions were “ominous” to the country’s stability. In an exclusive interview with Martha Raddatz of ABC, Kerry said Kim’s “ruthless, horrendous dictatorship” can only be compared to Saddam Hussein.

    “It really reminded me of a video that we saw of Saddam Hussein doing the same thing, having people plucked out of an audience, and people sitting there sweating, and nobody daring to move or do anything,” Kerry told ABC,  “It tells us a lot about, first of all, how ruthless and reckless he is. And it also tells us a lot about how insecure he is, to a certain degree.”

    North Korea reported the execution of Jang Song Thaek on Friday. Earlier, the state had said it had stripped Thaek of his position and powers after accusing him of a number of criminal acts including financial crimes, alcohol abuse and womanizing. The Communist nation is known for its secretive politics and Thaek could have been executed because of a fall-out with the Korean leader as well as other personal reasons.

    Following the execution, Kerry lamented that it was not the first time this had happened under Kim’s administration. He called for urgent attention on North Korean nuclear plans. Kerry believes that this act demonstrates that North Korea is not ready to embrace stability.

    North Korea has already carried out two long-range missile tests and tested its nuclear weapons despite U.N. sanctions. The U.S. is already working with China and the U.K. to tame North Korean nuclear ambitions. Other countries that support U.N. sanctions include Russia, South Korea and Japan.

    Kerry, in the interview, said having someone like Kim with “a nuclear weapon potentiality” is out-rightly dangerous and unacceptable.

    (image via YouTube)

  • George Stephanopoulos On ‘This Week’

    George Stephanopoulos On ‘This Week’

    George Stephanopoulos, host of ABC News’ This Week, a political interview and commentary program, interviewed Secretary of State John Kerry recently about the nuclear deal with Iran, as well as Senator Saxby Chambliss.

    Secretary Kerry told Stephanopoulos on This Week Sunday, “Israel and the United States absolutely share the same goal here. There is no daylight between us, with respect to what we want to achieve at this point, We both want to make it certain Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. And Iran cannot be in a place where they can breakout and suddenly get that nuclear weapon.”

    Stephanopoulos also interviewed the head Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) on the show that he doesn’t have much hope that this deal will make much difference whether Iran builds a nuclear weapon or not.

    “They’re going to destroy uranium enriched to 20 percent, but irrespective of what [Kerry] just said, they’re going to be able to continue to enrich uranium to 3.5 percent,” Chambliss argued. “They’ve got six tons now. They’re going to allow them to go to seven tons, and then they’ll come back down to six tons within the next six months, but they’ll still have that capability.”

    Senator Chambliss then added, “I just don’t see this movement in the direction of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon at all.”

    Main image courtesy @KayeFoley and @ThisWeekABC via Twitter.

  • John Kerry Travels to Geneva For Negotiations

    Secretary of State John Kerry departed for Geneva on Friday to take part in discussions with Iranian leaders regarding nuclear power and production. Kerry will join top officials from the five other world powers taking part in the negotiations; Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov; British Foreign Minister William Hague; French Minister Laurent Fabius; and leaders from China, Russia, and Germany will all take part, as well.

    The last time negotiations were discussed concerning uranium enrichment in Tehran, no compromises were made. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said no deals would be considered which didn’t include the right to continue uranium enrichment. According to Iranian officials, they are only enriching for medicinal uses, reactor fuel, and research. However, it is also known for producing material used for nuclear warheads.

    A deal struck would mean that Iran would begin to lower the threat of atomic weapons for relief from certain scanctions, such as Iran’s previously-denied use of the World Bank, as well as the release of restrictions on their exportation of oil. However, Iranian leaders also say that they want ‘more’ and ‘faster’ release of sanctions, though that was not elaborated upon.

    U.S. Senators are driving a hard bargain as well, though; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recently spoke out about his displeasure at what the U.S. is offering. Leaders from both parties – Democratic and Republican – are voicing their disapproval of what the U.S. and the other five countries involved are offering Iran, as well. The resounding argument from the Senate is that we should not agree to anything less than a complete ban on uranium enrichment.

    It was unclear whether Secretary of State Kerry would join the conference in Geneva until earlier today. According to Fox News, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki reported that Kerry decided to attend “with the goal of continuing to help narrow the differences” and, possibly, a final agreement.

    Main image courtesy @JohnKerry via Twitter.

  • John Kerry Visits Egypt, Vows Support for Interim Gov’t

    NBC News and Fox News both report that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Egypt last weekend to see just how much of a foothold democracy has gained. “President Obama and the American people support the people of Egypt,” he told reporters in Cairo. “We believe this is a vital relationship.”

    Kerry’s visit comes coincidentally timed, as the shadow of Mohammed Morsi’s presidency was lifted via military coup this summer, and Morsi was scheduled to go on trial the day after Kerry arrived. The last time Kerry was in Egypt, he urged Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood-backed government to enact economic reforms and become a more inclusive administration. As public order declined, Egypt’s military deposed Morsi.

    Kerry indicated that Egypt’s leaders have signaled a turn towards a democratic constitution and free elections, coinciding with a “road map” to stability that the White House drafted for the struggling nation.

    “The road map is being carried out to the best of our perception, there are questions we have here or there about one thing or another, but foreign minister [Nabil] Fahmy has re-emphasized to me again and again that they have every intent, and they are determined, to fulfill that particular decision and that track,” Kerry said regarding Egypt’s progress to democracy.

    Fox News notes that a tense rift between Cairo and Washington, D.C. is the likely cause for increased secrecy and security. The State Department didn’t even confirm Kerry was visiting Egypt until he was already on the ground in Cairo. Additionally, last summer’s regime change put the Obama administration in a difficult position: unsure of whether the $1.3 billion in military aid given to Egypt was still viable.

    During his visit, Kerry was expected to meet with several key figures, including interim president Adly Mansour and military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who led the coup against Morsi. Egypt is merely the first stop on the Secretary of State’s latest Middle East tour, during which he plans to visit Saudi Arabia, Poland, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Morocco.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Kissinger Hospitalized After Fall at Home

    Kissinger Hospitalized After Fall at Home

    The Associated Press is reporting that former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has been hospitalized after suffering a fall at his home in New York.

    The New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center has stated that Kissinger is expected to be released from care later today. No other details have been released about his condition. Kissinger is 89 years old.

    Kissinger served as the secretary of state under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford from 1973 to 1977. He played a crucial role in the waning years of the Vietnam War and was sometimes consulted on foreign policy even after he left government work. In 1973 Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize related to the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam. In subsequent years, calls have been made to hold Kissinger accountable for U.S. policy in countries such as Chile and East Timor during his tenure as secretary of state.

    Kissinger and his wife, Nancy Maginnes, now live in New York City and Kent, Connecticut.