George's Bottom Line

Reporting and analysis from ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent and "This Week" Host George Stephanopoulos

George Stephanopoulos reports on events in politics, Congress and the White House for ABCNews, on the air and online. He interviews top newsmakers, discusses the events of the week and looks to the week ahead each Sunday on 'This Week.'

July 2009
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31

« Previous | Main | Next »

Lugar: 'There Will Be Questions Raised' About Bill Clinton's Foreign Work

November 30, 2008 10:16 AM

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told me today that while he believes he will vote to confirm Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., as President-elect Barack Obama's Secretary of State, questions linger about former President Bill Clinton's foreign work.

As part of a deal worked out between lawyers for the former president and Obama's transition team looking to clear obstacles to Hillary Clinton's nomination as Secretary of State, Bill Clinton has agreed to a number of concessions, including disclosing all contributors to his foundation, separating his Clinton Global Initiative from his foundation, and end any Clinton Global Initiative meetings outside of the United States, and submit any future speeches, projects and contracts to the State Department ethics czar for approval.

"I think it's a big step," but, Lugar said, "I think the wide-ranging activities of President Clinton are very substantial on this earth, they will continue to be."

Lugar said it's been suggested that Bill Clinton could be a diplomatic emissary to India and Pakistan to try to work out their dispute over Kashmir.

"I don't know how given all of our ethics standards now, anyone quite measures up to this who has such cosmic ties," Lugar said. "But I think the Obama campaign people have done a good job in trying to pin down the most important elements."

When I pressed Sen. Lugar on whether the package of restrictions on the former president was sufficient for him to vote for Clinton for Secretary of State, he said, "I would vote in favor of Sen. Clinton knowing what we have here on this program today."

"I suspect, however, that I'm not alone in suggesting there will be questions raised and will probably be legitimate," Lugar said.

Given all of the ties, all of the influence that he has, all of the relationships, that he is a major player in foreign policy," Lugar said. "Now Mrs. Clinton is going to be the Secretary of State. They are married."

Sen.  Jack Reed, D-R.I., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and top adviser to Obama said on "This Week," "I think this arrangement sets up a framework of transparency and disclosure."

"As it goes forward I think that the presumption will be that both Secretary of State and the former president will be very judicious about what they take on because of the new dimension here," Reed said.

--George Stephanopoulos

November 30, 2008 in This Week with George Stephanopoulos | Permalink | Share | User Comments (37)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

I think they all should be more concerned about Obamas foreign money donations than Bill Clintons connections !!! We know most of Clintons connections but we dont know anything about those millions that poured into Obamas campaigns from the list of weird names and fake addresses used.

Posted by: jimbo | Nov 30, 2008 11:46:59 AM

George Stephanopoulos the election is over. You can quit getting down on your hands and knees and quit giving Obama his daily rim job and BL0W JOB.

Posted by: Hammer GIRL | Nov 30, 2008 11:59:41 AM

The rest of the media lost all credibility since this election and the disgraceful love affair they all had for Obama. It was disgusting. George Stephanopoulos go home already you also have a disgusting COMB OVER hair doo.

Posted by: slicer dee | Nov 30, 2008 12:01:28 PM

wow. ok. so this is the "change" that obama led you all to believe? lugar is absolutely right. THEY ARE MARRIED!!! regardless of whatever "steps" that are put into place by lawyers (good start by the way obama) the secretary of state WILL BE A JOINT POSITION WITH HILLARY CLINTON. there is absolutely no disputing this. so, all of you democrats that have been running at the mouth about "how much better things were with clinton in office", you got your wish. this is turning out to be a third term for bill clinton. oh the "change".....

Posted by: tim | Nov 30, 2008 12:01:48 PM

The press has been speculating for weeks about the vetting of and deals with Bill Clinton in order for Hilary to acceptable as Secrety of State.

This whole issue is absurd.

If Mrs Clinton had won the nomination and, subsequently the election, would there have been a similar process?

If Hilary Clinton was President-Elect, no one would have to approve her husband. What's the logic here?

Posted by: Mark Rand | Nov 30, 2008 12:05:10 PM

good point mark rand. bottom line is that, if hillary would have won the presidential election, obviously, anyone with a lick of common sense would assume that bill would have ENORMOUS amounts of influence on the presidency. so why should it be any different with the secretary of state? this is getting off to a GREAT start... lol

Posted by: tim | Nov 30, 2008 12:12:15 PM

Wow, I'm not surprised at the comments, but can't say that I'm inclined to pay much attention to them, given that most of you probably voted for Bush ... twice! Yes, that's right ... you have such good judgment that even after he had proven himself to one of the worst presidents in US history, YOU STILL VOTED FOR HIM. Now that there's the prospect of having a competent non-corrupt administration, it's just too much for you. If Jesus Christ himself was the Democratic nominee, you wouldn't vote for him. I can't think of anything more un-American than the way the Republican base has acted over the past several years ... the permanent-majority-minded-there-is-no-global-warming-we're-American-so-we-can-bomb-anyone-we-like-including-civilians-and-other-nations-will-still-like-us-who-needs-the-rest-of-the-world-mexicans-are-taking-our-minimum-wage-jobs-the-economy-is-in-great-shape-our-healthcare-system-is-the-best-in-the-world, oh please. The reality is that the neo-cons are a bunch of degenerates that couldn't care less about the future of our children or this country, and that when push comes to shove, the only thing that moves the needle for those folks is the weight of their pocketbook. Where's the morality in having to experience suffering before one can empathize? Where's the family values in screwing up the environment so much for future generations that it may be beyond repair? The reality is that if the Republican party doesn't get rid of the regurgitated bile that has defined their agenda (and that is evidenced in the comments above) they're doomed forever, a wrecked and sinking ship. Just a piece of advice, pull your head out of Rush's A$$, turn of Fox Noise and start thinking about who you are and why you're here. It's funny, how when the best of humanity is revealed, the worst of humanity reveals itself.

Posted by: oysterboy | Nov 30, 2008 12:43:18 PM

I should qualify that the above rant is directed to the first few posts, not all of them.

Posted by: oyst | Nov 30, 2008 12:46:19 PM

I am so tried of everyone looking on the surface and seeing who Obama is appointing and asking about "what about change?" Change come by the policies he initate and how Obama work within a stagnate government. The people Obama appoint works his agenda, and his policies. So give Obama time to come into office and then, look behind the surface of his appointments and you will see change.

Posted by: J MCGhee | Nov 30, 2008 12:49:50 PM

The President using his brain? Appointing people based on merits not ideology alone? That's a nice change already...

Posted by: MIguy | Nov 30, 2008 1:06:44 PM

Oysterboy hit it right on the head. You Babbling Bobs of Nothingness never worried or said anything about ethics for eight years, and now want to talk as if though you have an ethical compass ... can you say 'No Credibility'. As for those 'love affair with Obama' comments ... grow up! If any President placed this country in the position GWB is leaving us in, that party's nominee would have a Mt Olympus hurdle to climb. Obama's a good man, a very intelligent man (remember Harvard ... one of this nation's best schools ... I know you think being average at Iowa State as Palin was for 1 1/2 years of attendance was better (no offense ISU!), and Obama will do well for this nation given the mess we are in ... WHEN HE ACTUALLY TAKES OFFICE. In other words babblers ... if you want credibility, let's talk in about 2.5 years after the President-Elect and his direction have had a chance to take us somewhere. Darn Babbling Bobs ....

Posted by: CharlesDaButler | Nov 30, 2008 1:26:42 PM

I think Lugar is right you cannot have ethics rules for general Americans and special complex deals for subverting ethics rules for some politicians. Very few will disagree that Bill Clinton was a better president than George Bush has been and that Bill Clinton is doing very well for himself and for some of his humanitarian causes but the complexities and the strict, but sometimes ambiguous ethics rules being enforced for government service have to be uniformly applied without exception and without precedence even for an ex president.

Posted by: gjkotw01 | Nov 30, 2008 1:38:30 PM

I am sick and tired of Obama and the Obama work shippers already. I can't wait for 2012.

Jindall 2012

Posted by: Enough | Nov 30, 2008 1:48:07 PM

The person who mentions that, if Clinton were President-Elect, there would be NO VETTING PROCESS of her conflicts of interest.
That person is absolutely correct and that is outrageous.
Anyone can run for President, but not everyone can have one of the two most visible and important Cabinet positions (Treasury and SOS) without being vetted.
Of course, there will be problems with vetting the Clintons.

Posted by: susan | Nov 30, 2008 2:15:10 PM

I'm sure this will provide a lot of cannon fodder for your Sunday get-together.

By the way, when do you think you'll get around to real and actual issues that matter to most of us instead of digging around in fluff and stuff that has no real bearing on the daily lives of those of us who are not lucky enough to live on your income level?

Posted by: jan | Nov 30, 2008 2:59:23 PM

Give me a break, the rupugnicant's still dont get it. Stop the bull and get to work. Nobody is buying your stupid fear mongering and old school dirty polotics. Go to bed an dlet the real people lead this country out of the mess you have all gotten us into in the past 8 years.

Most people get 15 minutes, you had 8 years, bye-bye

Posted by: chipo1965 | Nov 30, 2008 3:17:19 PM

Lo-o-o-s-e-r-s.

BO012

Posted by: 12_angry_men | Nov 30, 2008 3:30:42 PM

jimbo We could care less about what regurgated republican radio drival morons like you post. You and the rest of your type are now irrelevant. Get ready for the fairness doctrine and go to Faux news for other things to whine about.

Posted by: pieceof cake | Nov 30, 2008 4:05:16 PM

I think America is lucky to have Mr. Clinton to call upon for diplomatic assistance...he's well respected around the world as well as Mrs. Bush remaining to work on humanitarian aid in hot spots around the world, her credentials are impecible!

With representatives from former adiministrations, President Obama will create a needed and effective bipartisan team; a team we desperately need for our own security and the security of all other countries dedicated to world peace.

Posted by: Tangito | Nov 30, 2008 4:42:20 PM

To all the Republicans who voted for Bush 2 times and now complain about Obama, I say keep up the hate.

Hate, racism, and singlemindedness and eight years of GWB taking his hatched to the Constitution lost you the election.

Obama is a very intelligent kind man. He will make a fine President. Finally, I have my country back......but what a breathtaking mess to clean up.

Posted by: bye_bye_Righties | Nov 30, 2008 4:50:24 PM

Did anyone catch the name of the book "we should all go back and read" that was mentioned on the roundtable segment?

Posted by: katiplicity | Nov 30, 2008 6:11:21 PM

"I don't know how given all of our ethics standards now, anyone quite measures up to this who has such cosmic ties," Lugar said.

This statement jumped out at me; funny sh!t! A RepubTard speaking about "ethics"! lolololol

Has anybody bothered to let Bush/Cheney in on that little "standard"???

====================================
I am sick and tired of Obama and the Obama work shippers already. I can't wait for 2012.

Jindall 2012

Posted by: Enough | Nov 30, 2008 1:48:07 PM
----------------
Well, "Enough", I'm tired of UNEDUCATED RepubTards, suck as yourself, even being allowed to breathe!! What the hell is a "work shippers"???

Jindall in 2012?? HAHAHAHA
There is not ONE RepubTard who will beat President Obama in 2012. And in 2016...my guess is that Hillary will run again. The RepubTard Party is OVER!!! It's Indy's and Dem's from here on out.

A REAL Republican was in the running for this election, RON PAUL. But all of you FAKE RepubTards BLEW IT!! BIG TIME!!
Speaking as an Indy voter, I was backing Dr. Ron Paul. Then my choices were the INSANE John McShame with his pitbull in lipstick or an Harvard Educated man with a great vision for America's FUTURE. This was a NO BRAINER!!! HAIL TO THE CHIEF, PRESIDENT OBAMA!!


Posted by: MsRotten | Nov 30, 2008 11:41:58 PM

type-o "such* as yourself"

Posted by: MsRotten | Nov 30, 2008 11:44:14 PM

The names of the 208,000 donors to the Clinton Library will remain secret from the public. I fail to see how this is the transparency in government we were promised.

Obama was never the liberal that his detractors tried to make him out to be. His record has been staunchly right of center, and unfortunately the people get screwed again by politicians playing word games to portray themselves as what they are not.

Posted by: Jane C. | Dec 1, 2008 12:47:24 AM

If Lugar had bothered to listen and read he would know what Obama will have Bill Clintion do. A hint is repair the damage Bush/Cheney have done all over the World. Republicans reporters are either acting dumb or their just dumb. Obama has made his direct so clear a 5 year old could understand still reporters act like they never hear the information. Lugar and the rest of the loyal Bush followers need to get over the fact Obama won and McCain lost and nothing will change the history making 365 Electorial Votes. I know the kick back pay from the White House was good but the Crime Wave is over. Jan. 20th there's a new honest educated President who with the help of his Cabinet and the American people will restore our Country.

Posted by: Jackie Rawlings | Dec 1, 2008 3:09:12 AM

Post a comment