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Clinton: Mandela Is 'Gift to Humanity'
AP | 7/19/03

Posted on 07/19/2003 12:38:17 PM PDT by kattracks

Clinton and his wife, Hillary, joined the audience as they sang "Happy Birthday" to the former South African president, who turned 85 on Friday.

Later, they were among some 1,600 guests who attended a banquet to honor the man who is revered at home and abroad as a hero who preached racial reconciliation to his apartheid-scarred nation despite the 27 years he spent imprisoned by the white, racist regime.

Guests at the banquet included celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Robert DeNiro, South African President Thabo Mbeki and former President South African President F.W. de Klerk, who released Mandela from prison in 1990 later shared the Nobel Peace Prize with him.

In his earlier speech, Clinton laid out a three-step plan he said Western nations could use to help raise Africa out of poverty. It included relieving Africa's foreign debt, increasing trade and helping to "unleash huge amounts of resources" for development.

Speaking to an audience that included retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, rock musician Bono and politicians from across South Africa, Clinton was interrupted several times by applause during a speech in which he compared Mandela to Mahatma Gandhi.

He spoke at length about his family's attachment to Mandela. It began when he and his daughter, Chelsea, watched a television broadcast of Mandela "walking to his freedom" in 1990.

"I am only his third-biggest fan in my family," Clinton said, bringing a wide smile to Mandela's face who received a hug from Hillary Clinton.

Clinton also spent considerable time outlining what he felt were the continent's priorities the menace of AIDS, the need for education, and the success of democracies.

Of the 42 million people worldwide infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, 29 million live in sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS has already killed more than 17 million in that region and more than 11 million African children have lost at least one parent to the pandemic.

"We can't work for Africa, or against Africa, but must work with Africa," Clinton said.


Clinton and his wife, Hillary, joined the audience as they sang "Happy Birthday" to the former South African president, who turned 85 on Friday.

Later, they were among some 1,600 guests who attended a banquet to honor the man who is revered at home and abroad as a hero who preached racial reconciliation to his apartheid-scarred nation despite the 27 years he spent imprisoned by the white, racist regime.

Guests at the banquet included celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Robert DeNiro, South African President Thabo Mbeki and former President South African President F.W. de Klerk, who released Mandela from prison in 1990 later shared the Nobel Peace Prize with him.

In his earlier speech, Clinton laid out a three-step plan he said Western nations could use to help raise Africa out of poverty. It included relieving Africa's foreign debt, increasing trade and helping to "unleash huge amounts of resources" for development.

Speaking to an audience that included retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, rock musician Bono and politicians from across South Africa, Clinton was interrupted several times by applause during a speech in which he compared Mandela to Mahatma Gandhi.

He spoke at length about his family's attachment to Mandela. It began when he and his daughter, Chelsea, watched a television broadcast of Mandela "walking to his freedom" in 1990.

"I am only his third-biggest fan in my family," Clinton said, bringing a wide smile to Mandela's face who received a hug from Hillary Clinton.

Clinton also spent considerable time outlining what he felt were the continent's priorities the menace of AIDS, the need for education, and the success of democracies.

Of the 42 million people worldwide infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, 29 million live in sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS has already killed more than 17 million in that region and more than 11 million African children have lost at least one parent to the pandemic.

"We can't work for Africa, or against Africa, but must work with Africa," Clinton said.




TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 07/19/2003 12:38:17 PM PDT by kattracks
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To: kattracks
Mandela is a scourge to humanity. But then, clinton has never been known for his good taste.
2 posted on 07/19/2003 12:43:16 PM PDT by EggsAckley ( "Aspire to mediocracy"................new motto for publik skools.............)
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To: kattracks
Sounds like one big circle JERK!!!!
3 posted on 07/19/2003 12:45:42 PM PDT by jocko12
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To: EggsAckley
Commies all! America haters all!
4 posted on 07/19/2003 12:45:53 PM PDT by OldFriend ((Dems inhabit a parallel universe))
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To: kattracks
"We can't work for Africa, or against Africa, but must work with Africa," Clinton said.

Clinton had 8 years to " must work with Africa,. . ". He considered a BJ more important for the entire 8 years.

5 posted on 07/19/2003 12:46:25 PM PDT by hflynn
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To: kattracks
Mandela Is 'Gift to Humanity'

...a gift I'd gladly return for a full refund!!

6 posted on 07/19/2003 12:47:05 PM PDT by LibertyThug
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To: hflynn
He could have also pushed the UN to send peacekeepers to Rwanda in 1994 when the nation and its people cried out for help.
7 posted on 07/19/2003 12:50:30 PM PDT by Trueblackman (Will you be frinking today???)
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To: kattracks
Clinton: Mandela Is 'Gift to Humanity'

Yeah, the kind of gift one leaves in a paper bag on another's doorstep, lights on fire and then rings the doorbell.

8 posted on 07/19/2003 12:51:29 PM PDT by Texas Eagle
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To: Texas Eagle
Holy $hit fires Batman!!!
9 posted on 07/19/2003 12:53:06 PM PDT by hflynn
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To: kattracks
I am so tired of this glorification of Mandela. He did admirably survive 27 years as a political prisoner and after he was released & became their president, he seemed OK for a while. But in recent years he has become a self-loving agitator. His close connection with Clinton probably distorted his perceptions, as it seem to with many. Blair has managed to finally escape it.
10 posted on 07/19/2003 12:56:33 PM PDT by BonnieJ
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To: kattracks
>>Clinton: Mandela Is 'Gift to Humanity'<<

With some people, there ain't no accounting for taste.
11 posted on 07/19/2003 12:57:19 PM PDT by Humidston (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law)
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To: kattracks
and blacks can't see throught this man and wife team? Duhhhhhhhh!
12 posted on 07/19/2003 1:00:01 PM PDT by shiva
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To: hflynn
That's exactly what I was thinking. For 8 years he was the most powerful man in the world, and now, he lays out a three-step plan for Africa.



13 posted on 07/19/2003 1:00:25 PM PDT by cwb
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To: EggsAckley
And Clinton is a PENANCE we bear!!
14 posted on 07/19/2003 1:01:55 PM PDT by potlatch (George Washington; If we are wise, let us prepare for the worst.)
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To: kattracks
Where's the receipt?
15 posted on 07/19/2003 1:02:31 PM PDT by A_perfect_lady (Let them eat cake.)
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To: kattracks
If only...


16 posted on 07/19/2003 1:02:37 PM PDT by Slyfox
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To: kattracks
Oh for the love of God, I thought I could take it, but I think I'm going to be sick.
17 posted on 07/19/2003 1:15:13 PM PDT by Vesuvian
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To: kattracks
Mandela has tarnished his image in recent years with his juvenille quarrels with Thabo Mbeki (ie: refusing to stand when Mbeki is announced at events) and his less-than-dignified remarks on the war. Had Mandela played the role of elder statesman during the recent war, that would be another thing. Instead he sounded as hysterical as an uneducated street protestor. Sad to see him to go senile at this juncture.
18 posted on 07/19/2003 1:20:55 PM PDT by jagrmeister
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To: kattracks
A gag gift!
19 posted on 07/19/2003 1:21:39 PM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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JOHANNESBURG - The best gift for Nelson Mandela on his 85th birthday would be for the world to do more for Africa, former US President Bill Clinton said yesterday. [I assume he means more than he ever did, which was nothing.]

Presenting the inaugural Nelson Mandela Lecture to an auditorium packed with foreign and local dignitaries, Clinton praised Mandela as a “gift to humanity.’’ Clinton and his wife, Hillary, joined the audience as they sang “Happy Birthday’’ to the former South African President, whose birthday was on Friday.

In his speech, Clinton laid out a three-step plan he said Western nations could use to help raise Africa out of poverty. It included relieving foreign debt, increasing trade and helping in wealth creation [Anyone know what that is?] to “unleash huge amounts of resources’’ that could be freed for development.

Speaking to an audience that included retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, musician Bono and politicians from across South Africa, Clinton was interrupted several times by applause during a speech in which he compared Mandela to Mahatma Gandhi. [Mandela liked pre-pubescent girls too?]

“In all of history there’s a story of struggle. In my lifetime there are only two people who have made that personal journey. The one is Mahatma Gandhi and his worthy successor, Nelson Mandela,” Clinton declared. He spoke at length about his family’s attachment to Mandela, which began when he and his daughter Chelsea watched an early morning television broadcast of Mandela “walking to his freedom” in 1990.

“I am only his third biggest fan in my family,” Clinton said, bringing a wide smile to Mandela’s face who received a hug from Hillary Clinton. [Ewww]

Clinton also spent considerable time outlining what he felt were the continent’s priorities_ fighting AIDS, education and democracy. Of the 42 million people worldwide infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, 29 million live in sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS has already killed more than 17 million in sub-Saharan Africa and more than 11 million African children have lost at least one parent to the pandemic. “We can’t work for Africa, or against Africa, but must work with Africa,” Clinton said.

He is expected to attend a banquet Saturday night where some 1,600 guests will pay tribute to Mandela. The guest list has been kept secret, but local media say it includes Barbra Streisand and Robert De Niro, as well as several world leaders and royals.-AP/AFP Africa Online

20 posted on 07/19/2003 1:21:50 PM PDT by mountaineer
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