Other Clinton highlights for March 16, 2010

RUSSIA/NUKES: Secretary Clinton is getting ready to arrive in Russia on Thursday for important talks on finalizing the new START treaty (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). The official reason for her two-day trip to Russia is a gathering of the Middle East diplomatic "quartet."

Yesterday, Clinton did an interview with Russian journalist Yevgenia Albats of the Russian magazine, The New Times. They primarily discussed START, the U.S.-Russia relationship, and Iran. When asked about the idea that "Russia is not ‘grown-up’ enough for democracy," Clinton responded:

We reject the idea that some countries are not ready for democracy. We believe that human rights are universal and that all people, regardless of where they live, thrive in an open society where ideas are exchanged freely. This competition of ideas leads to more accountable governance and a more innovative, prosperous economy, which form a solid foundation for the kind of relationship that we are looking for with Russia and Russians." 

WOMEN: Clinton and daughter Chelsea introduced the play Seven on Friday at the Daily Beast’s Women in the World Conference (see video below). The play tells the stories of seven amazing, real-life women and centers on the struggle for women’s empowerment worldwide. "It’s not just that women’s rights are human rights, but women’s progress is human progress," Clinton said. (And based on the photo at the bottom of this Daily Telegraph blog post, Clinton doesn’t appear to harbor any sour feelings toward Tina Brown for her "Hillary, Take Off Your Burqa" remarks last summer.)

INDIA: Clinton met with Indian Foreign Secretary* Nirupama Rao this afternoon. The two were expected to discuss bilateral and regional issues in advance of President Obama’s trip to India, scheduled for later in the year.

CRYSTAL STEMWARE: Crystal stemware in U.S. embassies worldwide will be provided by Swedish glassmaker Orrefors Kosta Boda through a $5.4 million State Department contract that went through a small Washington-based firm (which outsourced to the Swedish company). Some Americans are upset that a U.S. company isn’t being used. (A broader question: Why is the United States spending $5.4 million on fancy crystal when the budget deficit is out of control?)

PRINCESSES AND AMBASSADORS: This morning, Clinton met with Morocco’s Princess Lalla Hasnaa. This afternoon, among all her Ireland-related meetings, she met with Chinese ambassador-designate to the United States, Zhang Yesui; the Uzbek ambassador to the United States, Ilkhamdjan Nematov; and Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

KARL ROVE: In his recently released memoir, Courage and Consequence, a vengeful Karl Rove goes nitpicking and criticizes Clinton for sitting — not standing — for a photo with rescuers three days after the 9/11 attacks. (The then-senator had been on her feet for days, attending to her constituents’ needs.)

Correction, March 17, 2010:  Nirupama Rao’s position was corrected to "foreign secretary" from "foreign minister."