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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Hillary Clinton says ‘put me to work’ on Northern Ireland after she steps down - Amazing offer to American Ireland Fund by Secretary of State on Belfast visit

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Hillary Clinton says ‘put me to work’ on Northern Ireland after she steps down - Amazing offer to American Ireland Fund by Secretary of State on Belfast visit

Posted on Saturday, December 08, 2012 at 07:21 AM

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Hillary Clinton

Belfast; Well we now know at least one job Hillary Clinton would like to have after she leaves office.

Here is what she said to a room full of attendees at the American Ireland Fund luncheon in her honor held at the spectacular Titanic Quarter museum here.

“So my offer to you is, as I leave this current position and become a private citizen again, I want to continue working with you.

"I want to support you in what you are doing. And I hope that we’ll have a chance to really come to grips with some of the serious remaining problems that are still plaguing the fulfillment of our aspirations for the people of Northern Ireland.

“Of course I look forward to coming back and having some time just to relax and spend a few hours talking with friends and thinking about things besides public life.

“But I’m very serious about this offer and very serious to the Ireland Funds that I want to remain involved as a friend, an advocate, and a cheerleader for what you have already achieved.”

That last sentence is especially compelling. As far as I know, it is the first time that Hillary has specifically committed to doing work for any group, voluntary or otherwise after she quits office.

What an opportunity for the Ireland Funds to have the best known name in America pulling for their cause!

Hillary has made an offer the organization can hardly refuse however it plays out and what role she might have.

Chairman Loretta Brennan Glucksman and CEO Kieran McLoughlin have done a remarkable job positioning the Fund for the 21st Century but they hardly expected the ‘put me to work for you’ offer by one of America’s most prodigious fundraisers and famous people.

It was a remarkable end to a spectacular trip by Clinton to Ireland, one which I was delighted to tag along on.

Earlier I had witnessed a sad but touching moment when two of the great architects of the historic Good Friday agreement, David Trimble and John Hume met with Secretary Clinton in a private room.

John Hume is not well these days and wife Pat continues to play an heroic role in being by her husband’s side. David Trimble looks hale and hearty but his role in the Good Friday Agreement shortened his political career.

It was great to see their work acknowledged one last time by the Secretary of State.

Other heroes of the peace process were also present, the extraordinary Ian Paisley, still hale and hearty, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and of course the two Northern Ireland overlords, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness.

The great and the good turned out to say farewell to Mrs Clinton, but as both Robinson and McGuinness noted, there is every chance they will greet her soon again perhaps in a very different capacity.

Witnessing Hillary in Belfast one last time and listening to her impassioned words about the Irish peace process I have no doubt that her involvement was one of the touchstones of her political life.

It was a fortunate wind that blew the Clintons into Northern ireland on that November/December week in 1995 which seems so long ago now.

But all these years later the fire continues to burn and Hillary wants to continue to kindle the flames. It is an opportunity not to be missed I’d say.

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Tooreenagrena | Dec 08, 2012, 01:34 PM EST

'the extraordinary Ian Paisley' You are kidding, right Naill? Maybe the hobknobbing has gone to your head.

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pilib04 | Dec 08, 2012, 01:02 PM EST

Martin McGuinness on the Clintons and Ireland: "There are no truer friends to this island, to this peace process or even our prosperity."

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katieherk | Dec 08, 2012, 12:14 PM EST

It would be surprising but I would like to hope that Hilliary is honest (been known not to be in the past). If she can help, great but.... please don't encourage this lady to run for Prez of USofA. We cannot take another Clinton as head of our country. She would have to swear off the Muslim Brotherhood!!!!!!!

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cillowen | Dec 08, 2012, 12:12 PM EST

we're back to the ben casey ben casey mantra by repugs - it gets tiresome and lame. those lost will be on histories pages - not too shabby for being the heros they signed up to be. The rest of us won't rightly get a mention.

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whiteycat | Dec 08, 2012, 11:52 AM EST

I would think the ireland fund would rather have someone who is more straight forward and would be telling them the truth. Unlike hillary and her video at benghazi debacle.just sayin.

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EphraimKibbey | Dec 08, 2012, 11:39 AM EST

Those who REALLY care about peace in Ireland will welcome this outstretched hand of friendship and those who do not REALLY care about Ireland will bat it away for what ever selfish reasons they can envision. My folks taught me to GRACIOUSLY take help when it was offered.

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gobdawpaddy | Dec 08, 2012, 10:18 AM EST

The people of Ireland and those of us with a fondness and interest in the country, owe Secretary Clinton and her husband a lot of gratitude. Bill Clinton has absolutely nothing to gain from his continued interest in Ireland and I realize that some will argue that his wife is now seeking 'the Irish vote' in 2016, they should understand that the 'Irish' haven't voted 'en-bloc' since JFK ran in 1960. I don't believe that there is any ethnic group in the United States that votes 'en-bloc', with the possible exception of the 70% of Latinos who's vote president Obama recently received in the hope that he might address the immigration issue. The Clintons have demonstrated time and again, their sincere interest in Ireland.

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BippyBellito | Dec 08, 2012, 10:01 AM EST

Ireland doesn't need Hillary Clinton. Her lesbian interludes aside, it is her closeness with The Muslim Brotherhood and her intent on destroying Christianity and its principles have made her a person to closely watch. Trusting the Clintons have backfired on too many good people. Learn from History. Do Not Trust Hillary.

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handsome68 | Dec 08, 2012, 09:13 AM EST

Fail to understand why an American should be mixed up in Irish affairs. Let Ireland in its entirety take care of itself. And shouldn't Hillary Clinton be with her husband to take care of their mutual marital needs? "Charity begins at home", after all.

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donal1951 | Dec 08, 2012, 09:11 AM EST

I agree with Mr O'Dowd that Mrs Clinton's involvement with the ongoing peace process would be very helpful. I would add that in my own opinion, this would be especially true if she runs for, and becomes, president of the USA in 2016.

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