Part 1
I took the time to write out the transcript from Hillary Clinton's appearance on the show 'Awesome'--a music and news morning show in Jakarta, Indonesia hosted by Luna Maya and Agnes Monica. It's important to understand the touch that Secretary Clinton has in utilizing soft power, and furthermore each day I will quickly analyze on-going conflicts, our diplomatic relationship, and what Secretary Clinton has achieved each day on her Asia swing. She has already been In Japan, a traditional U.S. ally. Now things get a little trickier.
At first, I had my reservations about Secretary Clinton. I wasn't sure if her managerial skills were up to the challenge of the State Department. She is starting to assuage those fears.
Much more below the fold...
UPDATE:
North Korea stepped up its war rhetoric Thursday, saying its troops are "fully ready" for war with South Korea, just hours before a visit to Seoul by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The North's military accused South Korean President Lee Myung-bak of using "nonexistent" nuclear and missile threats as a pretext for an invasion and warned it was prepared for an "all-out confrontation."
The strident statement carried on state-run media comes amid reports that the North is preparing to test-fire a long-range missile and as Clinton heads to Seoul for talks Friday that are expected to focus on North Korea.
North Korea is flexing it's muscles today.
Direct link here.
Part 2
Show Opens, Hosts Speak in Indonesian Conversationally...
MONICA: Please welcome Madam Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State of the United States of America.
dramatic music
MAYA, MONICA, CLINTON: HI!
MAYA: So how are you today?
CLINTON: I am so good, I am thrilled to be back here in Jakarta. And to have a chance to be on this 'awesome' show.
MONICA: And well, at the back we have your fans and many of them are the most promising musicians and movie makers...
CLINTON: There is so much excitement in the air here. You can just feel all the activity, and the culture, and the artists and a very good sense of what the future holds.
MONICA: Yes, we are very excited to meet you too.
MAYA: My first question for you. It's a simple question. This is the second time you have visited Indonesia. If you have a chance to come back to Indonesia, but for Holiday. Where would you like to visit?
CLINTON: Well I would like to hit as many places as possible. Because I had the chance last time I was here to go to different parts of Indonesia. I went to yo-yo Karta. I had a wonderful time there. I would like to come back and visit other parts of the country. So it's not any one place as much as getting as big of an overview as possible. You know, I was just speaking with President Obama.
MAYA and MONICA and AUDIENCE: Really? (Swoons)
CLINTON: He sends greetings to all of you. And we were talking with some of his memories.
MAYA: Yes, in Menteng Dalam.
CLINTON: Yeah. And...I met the children from his school yesterday at the airport. He saw the picture of them. He said "I understand that you met some of the students from my old school" and I said they were adorable.
MONICA: Madam Secretary--your visit to Indonesia is part of your first trip as U.S. Secretary of State. Can we perceive that as signifying a new direction in U.S. foreign policy. Are you trying to be on better terms with the Muslim countries?
CLINTON: I think Indonesia is important for many reasons. The work that you have done here--both the people of Indonesia and the government of Indonesia--over the last decade so that Democracy has really taken hold, and the economy is growing even in this difficult economic time globally, has a really feeling about what Indonesia is accomplishing...so I said last night at a meeting I had: if you want to see democracy and Islam and modernity and women's rights all co-existing at one place in the world, come to Indonesia because this is the place that is more about the future than many places in the world.
END OF PART 1
CLINTON: One thing that I noticed when I was here before. It's something that President Obama and I have talked about. It's part of his memories of spending his childhood years here that people were living harmoniously. There was great diversity. 250 languages? And there was a sense people could get along with one another. Work with one another. And now with a democratic form of government people are choosing to do so.
MAYA: It's getting heavy. But it's my turn now. This is the fun part. OK...so this is a music show. Dayshat is a music show. In english it means 'awesome'.
CLINTON: That's right. I was told I would be on a 'Awesome' show!
MAYA: But the question is--what's your favorite music, and artist?
CLINTON: Oh, you know. I am older than you are (laughter). I have many likes in music. When I work I listen to classical music because I find it very soothing. My husband can listen to jazz and rock and roll and concentrate. I have to have the sense of order and harmony. But I am someone who loves the music of my youth. That kind of happens when you grow up. What was important to you when you were young. It kind of stays that way. So, for me it's the old standbys, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones.
(Applause)
CLINTON: I don't feel so old! I love it!
CLINTON: When you see Paul McCartney or the Rolling Stones still perform, it makes you feel pretty good.
MONICA: During your last campaign, what is your most valuable experience you learned and how do you perceive your formal rival President Barack Obama since now you are working together?
CLINTON: Well, the most wonderful memory is how great the people of my country are. I had such an extraordinary experience. I criss-crossed the country. I met people in every state and so many different settings. And I campaigned hard against President Obama. We had an incredibly intense competition. But in a democracy someone has to win and someone has to lose. And something you get used to when you are practicing democracy for a long time is that if you lose you go and figure out how to continue helping. To make a contribution. So when the President asked me to be Secretary of State I was very surpised and very honored. And decided that I wanted to both serve my country and serve my president.
MONICA: That's what we have to learn here in Indonesia.
CLINTON: You know, I had a long conversation about that last night. I had a wonderful dinner with a number of active people here in every kind of advocacy group and civic society. And they asked me "How does it feel when you lose?" because you have so many political parties. So many people running. I said "Well, of course it hurts". But in Democracy you close ranks. What are we going to do to overcome our disagreements and try to support the people who have been elected. Because you can't just be tied up in politics. You have to turn to governing and make life better for people. And that's part of the on-going process of democracy.
MONICA: Well, since we have very limited time. So I have to ask you one final question--you because the United States Secretary of State just as the Gaza Crisis happened. What do you want to say to Indonesians who are angry about the U.S. policy in the Middle East?
CLINTON: Well, one thing is that immediately upon being inaugurated and my taking office as Secretary of State President Obama and I said we would become reengaged in trying to help in the Middle East. We felt like the U.S. had not been as active to help bring the parties together to resolve the conflict. So we appointed a special envoy. I will go to Cairo next week to a conference sponsored by the Egyptians to try to get humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. I am working hard to support the Palestinian Authority so they can help their help. And we will work really hard to try to resolve what has been such a painful, difficult conflict for so many years and work toward a two-state solution. So that Israeli's and Palestinian's can live in peace side by side and do the things you are doing here. Having fun. Working on the future. Caring about whether or not your child does well in school. We need to find a breakthrough.
MAYA and MONICA: Thank you so much!
MONICA: Since this is a music show...we'd like to hear you sing!
CLINTON: Here is the problem. You see all of these people. If I start to sing they will leave.
MAYA: OK, if you say one word in Indonesia--(For the life of me I cannot figure out how to spell what they tell her to say so I am not going to butcher it)
END OF INTERVIEW
While Secretary Clinton was in Indonesia, she has addressed climate change (Indonesia is the third largest CO2 emitter in the world), modernity and Islam, and looked upon Indonesia as a counter-balance to the encroaching power of China. Soft power has actually increased in Indonesia for a variety of reasons--President Barack Obama having lived there definitely helps.
She has discussed the possibility of a regime change in the DPRK (North Korea).
Signaled a possible shift in policy towards Burma (Myanmar).
Announced that she will attend the Gaza Conference on Aid in Cairo, Egypt.
And most importantly, has gotten results.
Major issues in Indonesia for the United States include forestry, relations with China, the drug-trade, maritime boundaries and shipping.
I am interested in what you all think about how she is doing so far. I personally feel she has hit just the right tone. Firm, yet assuring. Not unwilling to use sticks if necessary, but more ready to utilize carrots when appropriate. And she certainly is a charmer.
Tomorrow I will have a summary of her South Korea leg of the trip.