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Clinton: "I wouldn't know a Twitter from a tweeter" & Iran Protests US Meddling

June 17, 2009 5:54 PM

Kiritblogpic ABC News' Kirit Radia reports: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is fighting for Iranians' right to tweet, but by her own admission she knows little about how the micro blogging site works.

"I wouldn't know a Twitter from a tweeter," she conceded this afternoon at a press conference with her Israeli counterpart.

Despite her acknowledged novice, Clinton recognized that the website has played a role in allowing Iranians to bypass official filters and organize against what many in the Islamic Republic regard as a fraudulent election last Friday in which hardline incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defeated relatively-reformist challenger Mir Hossain Mousavi.

"The United States believes passionately and strongly in the basic principle of free expression," Clinton told reporters today.

"And it is the case that one of the means of expression, the use of Twitter, is a very important one, not only to the Iranian people but now increasingly to people around the world, and most particularly young people," she added. "I think keeping that line of communications open and enabling people to share information, particularly at a time when there was not many other sources of information, is an important expression of the right to speak out and to be able to organize that we value."

Earlier this week, a State Department official asked that Twitter delay scheduled of the site for maintenance because it would shutdown the service during daylight hours in Iran at the height of the political fervor there.

Though the Obama administration initially denied it reached out to Twitter, it admitted doing so today.

The act drew the ire of Iran's government, which accused the US today of meddling in Iran's affairs. The Swiss ambassador to Tehran, who represents US interests in the country in the absence of an American embassy, was called into the Iranian Foreign Ministry to hear a formal complaint. Other countries' ambassadors were also called as Iranian authorities blamed the unrest on foreign media inciting the masses.

The US immediately rejected the accusations.

"It's hard to see that this, you know, can be construed as interference. In fact, Twitter is a tool that allows all Iranians to communicate. It isn't about just one group or another. In fact, you know, there are reports, I think, in the media that the government itself, you know, uses Twitter," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs PJ Crowley told reporters today.

More broadly, the US has walked a fine line trying not to be seen as siding with one side or the other, despite public clashes with President Ahmadinejad in the past, while also demanding accountability in the election.

"The people of Iran deserve the right to have their voices heard and their votes counted. The outcome of any election should reflect the will of the people. And it is for the Iranians to determine how they resolve this internal protest concerning the outcome of the recent election, but it is a fundamental value that the United States holds with respect to free and fair and credible elections," Clinton said today.

June 17, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (12)

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But, your 77 year old father doesn't have a lot to do at his age. She does. Get over it.

Posted by: NoraExplora | Aug 16, 2009 11:43:01 PM

"The people of Iran deserve the right to have their voices heard and their votes counted. The outcome of any election should reflect the will of the people..."

Wow, Hillary Clinton sounds presidential.

Posted by: Really | Jun 18, 2009 9:43:57 AM

Our Secretary of State doesn't comprehend the primary way in which news is now being disseminated? She has no comprehension of the entity which completely humiliated a major cable broadcaster this past Sunday? How comforting.

Posted by: Thank God for Karma | Jun 17, 2009 11:04:58 PM

"Too bad Obama didn't listen to the GOP and really interfere in their politics so that this argument could actually grow legs and the government use it to consolidate support."

Stop with this idiotic statement. Go read Reagans speech on the uprising in Poland. THATS is what the conservatives are looking for. A president who stands for freedom, liberty, and the will of the people. Not a popcorn eating fence sitter. You don't have to pick sides to exert the influence of change in Iran, and encourage free press, free speech, and free, open and fair elections. Exactly what Clinton said in the last paragraph in this post. She said it way better than Obama has in 3 days.

Posted by: KR | Jun 17, 2009 11:02:33 PM

""The people of Iran deserve the right to have their voices heard and their votes counted. The outcome of any election should reflect the will of the people. And it is for the Iranians to determine how they resolve this internal protest concerning the outcome of the recent election, but it is a fundamental value that the United States holds with respect to free and fair and credible elections," Clinton said today."

Wow, Clinton just upstaged the President with a clear message. This is what he should have said from the beginning. It's a bit more encouraging to the Iranians than tap dancing we've heard from Obama in the last few days.

Posted by: KR | Jun 17, 2009 10:57:10 PM

shame-on-you.."The Right needs to be quite?" Ummm NO! Checks and Balances...

Posted by: Parallex View | Jun 17, 2009 10:55:20 PM

But McCain was criticized for supposedly not being tech savy yet he twitters on a regular basis.

Posted by: Boxcar | Jun 17, 2009 10:04:26 PM

Too bad Obama didn't listen to the GOP and really interfere in their politics so that this argument could actually grow legs and the government use it to consolidate support. The right needs to just be quiet. On most issues they have no ideas. On the issues where they do put ideas forward those ideas are wrong. Generally though, they are just trying to ruin this country so they have something to campaign on in 2010. It's pathetic, but the American people are now aware of their scare tactics and disruptive tendencies.

Posted by: shame | Jun 17, 2009 7:15:45 PM

"The GOP has used twitter"

Really? Who knew?

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Jun 17, 2009 7:08:02 PM

I'm glad the State Dept. reached out to Twitter to have them postpone their site updates/maintenance. I'm not really sure how that can be construed as meddling in Iran's internal affairs...

Posted by: Stacy | Jun 17, 2009 6:24:42 PM

"Not exactly awe-inspiring there Sec. Clinton. My 77 year old father knows what it is. Hey policy wonks, please try to keep up. Thanks"

So knowing policy is bad.

Being aware of twitter is good.

The GOP has used twitter to speed up the process of inserting their foot in their mouth.

Posted by: Ryan C | Jun 17, 2009 6:15:17 PM

quote:

"I wouldn't know a Twitter from a tweeter," she conceded this afternoon at a press conference with her Israeli counterpart.

Not exactly awe-inspiring there Sec. Clinton. My 77 year old father knows what it is. Hey policy wonks, please try to keep up. Thanks.

Posted by: noradora | Jun 17, 2009 6:12:40 PM

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