Clinton talks about Bhutto
Posted: Thursday, December 27, 2007 4:00 PM by Mark Murray
From NBC’s Andy Merten
At her second campaign stop of the day, Clinton gave a more personal account of her relationship with the late Benazir Bhutto, which dates back to her years as First Lady.
“I met her young children, her husband, her mother -- a lot of her family members,” she said while campaigning in Denison, IA this afternoon. “We stayed in touch throughout the years, met on several occasions, always talked about her commitment to bringing democracy back to Pakistan, and we talked about our children.”
Maintaining a somber tone throughout her opening remarks, the presidential hopeful continued: “This is a terrible loss -- certainly on a personal level -- for those of us who knew her, who were impressed by her commitment, her dedication, her willingness to pick up the mantle of her father, who was also assassinated. It’s a terrible, terrible, tragedy, but it’s also a tremendous loss for the people of Pakistan.”
Although her remarks this afternoon sounded more like a eulogy of the former prime minister, Clinton this morning also warned of the geopolitical implications of her assassination. “The world once again is reminded of the dangers facing those who pursue democracy and free elections in Pakistan and elsewhere -- in areas that are rife with conflict and violence and extremism,” she said at her first stop in Lawton. And at both stops, Clinton pledged to assist the future democratization of Pakistan, both from Capitol Hill and perhaps the Oval Office.
