Interviews, Interviews, Interviews!

Hillary of course does lots of interviews while travelling abroad. Here are just a few from her time in Kenya.

Interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell:

Secretary Clinton also did an interview with Seanice Kacungira of Capital FM.Read the full text here. The first question was this: What drives Hillary Rodham Clinton? And I dont think she really gave the answer I wanted to hear... I'm still wondering what drives our passionate Secretary of State! She responded with this:

"Well, first let me say that I am very much enjoying my visit in Kenya. I only wish it were longer. And it’s been like a wonderful appetizer, so I will have to come back for the full meal and see more of the country. And I am very excited by the potential to deepen and strengthen our partnership and friendship, which goes back 50 years, for President Obama, who is a son of Kenya, to be able to help Kenya move towards fulfilling its potential. And I wanted to come to Africa and take an extended trip early in my term because I think Africa is such an important place of the future."

She also did an interview with with Fatuma Sanbur of IQRA FM. You can read the full text here, although sadly, most if it is blaked out by (inaudible) patches. One interesting question here was: And as a Muslim woman... I’d like to know personally your stand on hijab. Her response:

"I consider it a personal decision, and I have Muslim women friends who wear a hijab and who don’t. And I want women to make their own choices. I want women to be educated enough and feel confident enough that if it is their choice to wear a hijab, they wear it; if it is not their choice, they do not wear it.

Because I think that Muslim women, like all women, should have the right to make decisions that are important for themselves and their families. So in my country, there is – there are many opportunities for women to pursue their jobs regardless of whether or not they cover themselves."

She also did another very short interview with Bill Odidi of Metro FM while in Kenya. Read the full text here. Another great question was this one: When you spoke about achievements of women like Wangari Maathai, what really touched me is that you said that what we should do today should be geared towards the future generation. The young girl listening to this interview deep in rural Kenya, what would Hillary Clinton like to tell her?

The Secretary gave a great response:

"First of all, I would like to tell her that she is very valuable as a girl, that anyone who tells her that her future is less important, or her very being is somehow secondary to her brother, is wrong; that God made both girls and boys for a purpose. We need both of you. And for a young girl to do what she can to prepare herself for the future, try to go to school as long and far as you can, try to find the time to study and to learn so that you can be more prepared and confident about your future. Look for ways to continue your education even if might mean leaving your home so that you could be an educated woman and therefore could contribute to your family and your community.

And be concerned about what kind of world your children eventually will inherit. So look for ways to make a difference that will improve the quality of life, that more children will be able to go to school, more people will be able to have access to health care, more jobs will be in the rural areas. Be proud of where you came from, but be motivated to try to make it better."