What advice would you give the next president of the United States?
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has a few ideas. She's supporting Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton, but she offers advice to whoever becomes the next president in her new book, "Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership." Albright argues that in order for America to restore its international reputation and become a global leader, the person who becomes the 44th president has to have not only solid policies, but a solid personality.
She was featured recently on Word for Word. Here's the full program description:
The presidential race is ramping up, and the candidates are busy trying to convince voters they're the right person for the job. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says whoever is elected will face some daunting challenges. She offers advice to the next president of the United States in her new book, "Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership," which she discussed earlier this month in a conversation at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
In her talk, Albright said "foreign policy doesn't come in four year segments; the rest of the world doesn't abide by our electoral season."
But, she argues, The United States' precarious relationships with Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and North Korea, to name a few, are just the beginning. There's globalization, global warming, a national debt of over nine trillion dollars ... the list goes on and on.
So, how do you think the next president should deal with these domestic and international issues? What kind of advice would you offer? What will it take to overcome these challenges and what qualities will the next president need to face new ones?
_______________________
Larissa Anderson
Producer, Word for Word
MPR | APM
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Comments: 33
Look at France, Germany, and Canada, they have elected pro-capitalist, pro-USA leaders lately.
I guess France, Germany, and Russia were mad that we went into Iraq and ruined the good thing they had going with the United Nations "Oil for palaces" program.
Radical Islam doesn't like the idea of personal and economic freedoms, so we should just cower to them under the guise of political correctness?
Since we live in a world with a global economy, we have no choice. You can't live as an isolationist and expect to do business in the global ecomany. Whether we go looking for more trouble right now is not a good idea.
Do we need to continue to confront "Radical Islam"? Yes. But I feel Europe in general is not addressing the radical Islam problem and they will be of no help.
I see bad stuff going on in Dafur. But, you know folks, we got our hands full right now with the Middle East. France and Germany, feel free to step right in and take charge. France, isn't this a former colony of yours? Isn't it your problem? The problem is, they can't. Their military are so weak, underfunded, and not prepared, that would risk be embarrassed. That is one reason they have not participated in Iraq, they would expose to the world how weak they are. Their armys are just extensions of the socialist programs.
Staff is huge, they do the heavy lifting, but the President sets the adjenda.
I recall that she made the point that perfection does not exist in the world of diplomacy. I agree with that. There are times that it is necessary to make a deal with the devil, and then there are times that you don't make that deal because you have evidence that the devil will not keep his side of the deal. it is complex and nobody bats 1000.
For those who are so harsh with Albright, one question. Could you do better?
Read Madeliene Albright's words with vigor and then do exactly the opposite of what she suggests!!!
History will show that her tenure as Secretary of State was one of the low points in U.S. foreign policy.
Hillary is the one. I just finished reading your book...Excellent. Highly recommend it to all.
~mo-zy
I actually have no problem killing Al Qaeda operatives. Are we under the impression that Albright, Clinton, or Obama would pat them on the head and say have a nice day? I doubt that. Any of those three people would have invaded Afghanistan after 9/11 and probably would have done a better job of it and even might have caught Bin Laden on the Afghan side of the Pakistan border.
The thing is, killing people in and of itself does not make the islamic world shape up. It is not that simple. In fact, killing people can cause you to sign up with Al Qaeda, if the killed person happens to be your innocent aunt bombed whoops by mistake.
Micky, there is such a thing as the color gray. it is not all black and all white.
We've bombed innocents too, that's the way of wars. War does NOT create peace but it does create suffering and hatred and that WILL come home to roost.
Savages. Kicking ass. Yup, severe fear.
The biggest quality necessary for our next President is the ability to listen to all sides and then make executive decisions. The current Administration has had a tendency to listen only to the ideologues who agree with them and punish disloyalty [defined as having an alternate opinion], thus eliminating any chance for clearly informed decision. Truth is, just because you won the election doesn't mean you have the right to govern for only those approximately 50% that voted for you. 51% to 49% isn't a mandate - it's a clear signal that we have different viewpoints. It also means we are calling for rational decision making.
There are many difficult choices that must be made during the next term of President and Congress. Action on social security, the aging population, climate change, Iraq/bin Laden/Pakistan/Iran/Israel/Palestine/N. Korea/Darfur/everywhere else is absolutely necessary. Executive decisions, not partisan gamesmanship, are necessary. Leadership is necessary. Vision is necessary.
Details are handled by advisors and Agencies. Leadership takes a new way of thinking at the top!
I would hope that our next President would see his/her primary purpose to be preserve and protect the US of A. Not be proccupied with pleasing the peoples outside of US.
the US is the foundatioin of liberty in the modern world, it has the longest running culture providing for opportunity for of the indiviudal and providing the most to elevating the quality of life for individuals around the world.
Since, since I am not of any other candidate to take our place then our next Prsident shold do everything possible to condtinue that success.
I would also like to see the President working with each departemnt [including the State Dept] establish specific goals and the metrics to measure their achivement of their actions to achieve those goals. And when those actoins fail to achieve the goals then the President should replace the appropraite people [starting appointed and extending to non-appointed staff] and continue the process until effective people are found.
The place for us to start is to admit that we made some really stupid blunders in Iraq. From there we need to begin trying to fix them. The obvious and easiest place for that is with the current government. Insist that they actually make commitments and set milestones for themselves, then insist they actually do anything to meet them. Thus far they've done nothing but steal our aid money to line their own pockets and those of their friends and allies.
The next thing to do is give the militias sufficient warning that they are to disband and turn in their weapons, then actually go after them and do it for them if they refuse. And if the Iraqi government steps in and tells us to stop, which they have before, then we simply bow to their sovereignty and leave. Pull our troops into Kuwait or somewhere else out of the line of fire and let them deal with it themselves as they say they wish to do. Easy solution.
My estimate is that the government there would not last four days after U.S. troops begin exiting the country. Either that or they will recognize that we mean business and do what they have to do. Either way fewer of our people are dying.
Huckabee is a Bible thumper that is certain that far right Christian prayer is going to solve ALL problems, foreign and domestic.
Clinton doesn't talk, she yells; and she thinks everyone is listening.
Obama listens.
Advice to our next president: Keep listening.
\\\\ France, isn't this a former colony of yours? Isn't it your problem? ////
This does come under the heading of you broke it, you bought it. If it was ever France's problem that changed the day we chose to invade.
You seem to have a lot of fear of so called socialistic countries. Why? That includes almost all of Europe and when there are problems in the world we need these people to work with us! None of them are a pure socialism and we are sure as hell not a pure capitalism. Most countries blend what they hope is the best of socialism and capitalism.
One thing we cannot expect is for all countries to agree with us on all things. That desire is ridiculous.
Besides, the US could become totally socialistic under our constitution and when the day was over, if we didn't like the results, we could change to a pure capitalism or something in between. That's as long as we retain the right to free elections and keep a free, that is not government controlled, press!
Capitalism and socialism are not necessarily totally mutually exclusive. A pure capitalism is a viscous and cruel form of government. In fact, by itself it wont work. A pure socialism removes the incentive for anyone to strive and improve, so both are needed for a truly civilized society.
Listen to the rest of the world. Where common ground is found, build on it. Where differences exist, begin with respect. Agreement is not necessary to respect, but agreements cannot grow without it.
Listen to the state of the US. Hadn't heard that gas was nearing $4 a gallon? Where has he been? It's been all over the news for how long? Government of the people, for the people, and by the people starts with a government that has a clue what's going on with the people. Listen, think, listen some more, than work with wise people to find a way out of this mess.