Tony --

If you're lucky enough to get to marry your best friend, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Michelle amazes me every day, and in the years we've been together, nothing inspires me more than watching her be a mom to our two girls.

Each of us has amazing women in our lives who give us strength and encouragement, and no matter what we do on Mother's Day, it never seems like enough.

This year, I wanted to try something a little different. I know Michelle treasures every single person who is part of this movement we've built, so I'm hoping each of you will sign my card to her today. It'll mean a lot to her.

Will you join me in wishing Michelle a happy Mother's Day?

http://my.barackobama.com/Mothers-Day

Thanks, and happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there.

Barack

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I know I’ve asked you this before, but if you have another 30 seconds, I have something else for you to watch.

You know as well as I do that our military veterans deserve the very best healthcare available. But for years, when our courageous fighting men and women returned home to Nevada, they had trouble finding what they needed. I heard their stories, and fought to get Nevada a new veterans’ hospital.

Our campaign is out with a new ad telling this story to the people of Nevada. It illustrates the importance of providing quality healthcare to our military men and women -- and it’s a message that is too often overlooked in a campaign year like this.

I want to make sure that as many people as possible see this ad. Take a moment to watch our newest ad. And if you can, consider pitching in to help us keep the ad on the air.

As the daughter of a World War II veteran, I know how hard the transition home can be. Now, Nevada veterans will have a place to turn to for the care they have earned with years of dedicated service to our nation. And hundreds of Nevadans -- from construction workers to registered nurses -- are getting new jobs.

I think everyone should see this ad, and understand just a little better why we need to fight for our military veterans as fiercely as they have fought for us.

Click here to take a look, and consider contributing to help us make sure people continue to see this important ad.

Thank you for your support.

Shelley

Today, I was asked a direct question and gave a direct answer:

I believe that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.

I hope you'll take a moment to watch the conversation, consider it, and weigh in yourself on behalf of marriage equality:

http://my.barackobama.com/Marriage

I've always believed that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally. I was reluctant to use the term marriage because of the very powerful traditions it evokes. And I thought civil union laws that conferred legal rights upon gay and lesbian couples were a solution.

But over the course of several years I've talked to friends and family about this. I've thought about members of my staff in long-term, committed, same-sex relationships who are raising kids together. Through our efforts to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, I've gotten to know some of the gay and lesbian troops who are serving our country with honor and distinction.

What I've come to realize is that for loving, same-sex couples, the denial of marriage equality means that, in their eyes and the eyes of their children, they are still considered less than full citizens.

Even at my own dinner table, when I look at Sasha and Malia, who have friends whose parents are same-sex couples, I know it wouldn't dawn on them that their friends' parents should be treated differently.

So I decided it was time to affirm my personal belief that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.

I respect the beliefs of others, and the right of religious institutions to act in accordance with their own doctrines. But I believe that in the eyes of the law, all Americans should be treated equally. And where states enact same-sex marriage, no federal act should invalidate them.

If you agree, you can stand up with me here.

Thank you,

Barack

Over the last year, Nevada has added back more than 10,000 of the jobs our state lost during the recession.

While that's an important milestone on our path to building a vibrant, innovative and sustainable economy for our state, Governor Sandoval continues to make getting Nevada working again his top priority.

At the Keystone Corporation's annual lunch, Governor Sandoval reminded business and political leaders that Nevada must be far more competitive than other states to attract new jobs and business. His speech at the lunch discussed the importance of Nevada's friendly low-tax rates and limited regulation business climate, and reiterated the need to keep up the momentum:

"Nevada is finally on the move and we cannot jeopardize that momentum ... Together we will get Nevada working again."
-Governor Sandoval

Another way the Governor continues getting Nevada moving is continually encouraging Nevadans to take pride in their own state and get involved in the "Discover Your Nevada" campaign. See what Nevadans chose as our state's top treasures by clicking here.

In The News
•Students Walk And Bike To Local Schools As Part Of Nevada Moves Day
KTVN
•Sandoval Addresses National Hispanic Group
Associated Press
•Gov. Sandoval: Nevada Needs To Be More Competitive To Attract More Jobs
Las Vegas Review-Journal
•Sandoval Endorses ... Again
Las Vegas Review-Journal
•Governor To Make Nevada 'Most Business-Friendly State'
Job Creators Alliance
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Thanks to you, we’ve shown that our grassroots network is strong and steady -- and I’m grateful for all of your support. But we still have a long way to go, and we can’t afford to let up now.

As you probably know by now, Karl Rove’s group, Crossroads GPS, went up on Nevada television with an attack ad against me last month, distorting my record in an effort to distract from our work for middle class families.

We all knew this would happen -- and this ad will not be the last by a long shot. Special interest groups have virtually inexhaustible resources from undisclosed donors, and they can spend as much as they want to try and buy this Senate seat.

Help us show Karl Rove that Nevada is NOT for sale. We need to organize to counter these attacks whenever they come. Click here to contribute to our Nevada Fights Back Fund today.

I want to spend the next 6 months talking about what Rove won’t -- the issues that matter to the middle class.

Rove and his allies are still trying to end Medicare as we know it. My opponent wants to replace it with a voucher system -- and leave our seniors to purchase expensive private insurance plans instead of getting the benefits they’ve earned through a lifetime of hard work.

Nevada is facing serious challenges as our economy continues to recover. These are the issues I want to discuss in 2012 -- but if we can’t keep up with the special interest spending, we’ll be buried in so much mud we won’t be able to see daylight.

I want to fight for you in the Senate -- but I need your help. Click here to contribute today, and help me show the right wing that Nevada always fights back.

Let’s keep our Nevada Fights Back Fund going strong.

Thanks for your support.

Shelley

By BRIAN MAHONEY | The Associated Press – 4 hours ago

NEW YORK (AP) Amare Stoudemire raised his hands in the air, one covered in padding, as streamers fell from the ceiling above him.

Finally, New York could celebrate an NBA playoff victory again.

Carmelo Anthony scored 41 points, Stoudemire had 20 points and 10 rebounds in his return from a cut hand, and the Knicks snapped an NBA-record, 13-game postseason losing streak by beating the Miami Heat 89-87 Sunday in Game 4 of their first-round series.

''I think it's the first of many,'' said Stoudemire, his left arm back in a sling to keep his hand elevated. ''Tonight was a great win for us, for our fans to finally get over that hump of those consecutive games that we lost, I guess the Knicks, lost over those years in the playoffs.''

Anthony made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 54.5 seconds left as the Knicks overcame another serious injury to win a playoff game for the first time since beating Toronto on April 29, 2001, in Game 3 of a best-of-five series. Baron Davis dislocated his right kneecap in the third quarter, just as the Knicks were making the run that got them back into the game after a dismal first half.

''I'm just glad that we came together after that, kept our composure, kept on fighting and won the basketball game,'' Anthony said.

LeBron James scored 27 for the Heat, who will try to close it out in Game 5 at home on Wednesday. Dwyane Wade had 22, but missed a 3-pointer on the last possession that would have given Miami a lengthy rest before starting the second round.

''We'd love to take the week (off) but it's not in the cards for us to do that in this round,'' Wade said. ''You know, we'll adjust. We play Wednesday in Miami at 7 o'clock. We'll be ready to play and give our fans another exciting game.''

Wade's errant shot set off a loud celebration from Knicks fans whose team was on the verge of getting swept for the second straight year, and third straight time dating to 2004. It didn't look as if the elusive postseason victory would come in this series, after the Knicks had been blown out by 20 points per game in the first three games.

But they got a huge lift from Stoudemire, playing with padding over his hand just six days after he punched a fire extinguisher case after a Game 2 loss in Miami. And they got a sensational effort from Anthony, who shot 15 of 29 and was one point shy of his playoff career best after he made only 34.4 percent of his shots in the first three games.

''We stepped up to the challenge,'' Anthony said.

Now here comes another: The Knicks need a solution at point guard after Davis was carted off on a stretcher with his severe knee injury. Jeremy Lin is close to returning from knee surgery, but Iman Shumpert was lost with a torn knee ligament in Game 1.

A day after the Dallas team that beat them in the finals was swept by Oklahoma City, the Heat failed in their attempt for their first sweep since beating Washington in the 2005 Eastern Conference semifinals.

The series was on pace to be one of the most lopsided in NBA history through three games, but this one was within four points the entire fourth quarter, the crowd at Madison Square Garden growing louder with every play that moved the Knicks closer to their first playoff win in 11 years.

Mike Bibby's 3-pointer with 1:23 left snapped an 81-all tie, but the Heat called timeout and ran a play that freed James for a wide-open 3 that tied it again seven seconds later. On the Knicks' next possession, Anthony came far beyond the arc to receive the ball after JR Smith picked up his dribble, then dribbled forward and pulled up for a 3 that made it 87-84 with 54.5 to play.

The Heat turned it over on their next possession when Chris Bosh's pass sailed into the backcourt, and Anthony was fouled by Shane Battier attempting a 3-pointer. He made only one foul shot, and the Heat cut it to one again when James converted a three-point play while drawing Tyson Chandler's sixth foul.

Stoudemire made a free throw with 14 seconds left to make it 89-87, and Wade lost control of the ball driving into the middle on Miami's last possession. He regained it and dribbled to the corner for a 3-pointer that was off.

''I had a lane and then I kind of lost the ball. When I lost it, I knew that they'd recover by then so it made me dribble it out,'' Wade said. ''We got the switch and I got a little step on Amare and I was about to go to my shot. I was about to go to my shot but I kind of fumbled the ball a little bit. I thought I got a good look. I thought it was going in. But it came up a little short.''

Stoudemire had surgery Wednesday to repair a muscle in his left hand and the Knicks had listed him as doubtful for Sunday, but he was back on the court during practice Friday and cleared to play in Game 4.

He was back in his usual spot as the last player introduced during starting lineups, getting a loud reception, and he quickly picked the Knicks up after their sluggish start.

''He's a good player. He's a great player honestly, and he gave them the spark that they needed,'' James said.

The Heat jumped to an 8-1 lead, holding the Knicks without a basket for almost four minutes to start the game. Then Stoudemire had three baskets in a 12-2 spurt to give the Knicks the lead, and they were up 20-18 after one following two free throws by Anthony with 7.3 seconds left.

The game then turned into a foul-fest, with 23 called in the second period. The Heat shot 19 free throws, making 14, while the Knicks were 8 of 9. Stoudemire and Chandler both went to the bench with their third fouls, but the Heat failed to pull away even after forcing the Knicks to miss their first six shots of the period while opening a 10-point lead.

Both teams shot 33 percent in the quarter, played at a glacial pace while the teams paraded to the free-throw line. Miami led 44-38 at halftime.

Miami led 51-40 before the Knicks' offense finally got going. Stoudemire made a jumper and converted a three-point play, Anthony made a layup, and Smith stole the ball and made a 3-pointer for a quick 10-0 run.

James missed and the ball was batted up ahead to Davis, who drove in with a chance to give the Knicks the lead. But his leg buckled near the foul line and he crumbled to the court, called for a travel. Concerned teammates quickly waved for help, and Davis was wheeled off the court.

But New York regrouped and surged into the lead, going up by six late in the period before taking a 64-61 advantage to the fourth. After making only 13 baskets in the first half, the Knicks shot 10 of 20 in the third, getting 11 points from Anthony.

NOTES: Heat reserve C Eddy Curry (flu) was not with Miami for the game. ... There was a musical tribute during a second-quarter timeout for Adam ''MCA'' Yauch of the Beastie Boys, who died Friday of cancer.

---

wbti.wordpress.com/.../a-history-of-business-in-missions-ad-500-100...

17 hours ago ? AD 500-1000. In the Middle Ages, Celtic missionary monks from Ireland trained their converts in handicraft and in languages. They taught them ...

Michelle and I are getting ready to go on stage for the first big rally of 2012.

We know not everyone can be there, but we still want you to be part of it.

If you can, please tune in to the livestream here:

http://my.barackobama.com/Watch-Live

Start time's 12:45 p.m. Eastern.

Thanks,

Barack

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More than 1.9 million people like you power this campaign. If you can, please donate today.

05/04/2012 11:16 AM EDT

Remarks at the Strategic and Economic Dialogue U.S. Press Conference

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner

JW Marriott

Beijing, China

May 4, 2012

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MS. NULAND: Thank you all for joining us this evening. As you know, the two Secretaries made statements a little bit earlier with their Chinese counterparts. So we’ll have four questions this evening – two from each side. And our first question goes to AP, Matt Lee, please.

QUESTION: Thank you. Okay. Madam Secretary, it won’t surprise you, I think, to get the questions that you’re about to get from me, which all have to do with the elephant in the room that’s been dogging us --

SECRETARY CLINTON: The elephant that has been dogging us. That’s good – a good start, Matt. (Laughter.)

QUESTION: Dogging us for the last week. So here it goes: What are the current status of the negotiations with the Chinese over the fate of Mr. Chen? How did the Chinese officials that you spoke to, the senior leadership, respond to your appeals on his behalf? Are you confident that they will allow him to leave the country to go to the States with his family so that he can study? And how do you respond to critics at home and elsewhere who say that the Administration has really bungled this? Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well first, let me start by saying that from the beginning, all of our efforts with Mr. Chen have been guided by his choices and our values. And I’m pleased that today our ambassador has spoken with him again, our Embassy staff and our doctor had a chance to meet with him, and he confirms that he and his family now want to go to the United States so he can pursue his studies.

In that regard, we are also encouraged by the official statement issued today by the Chinese Government confirming that he can apply to travel abroad for this purpose. Over the course of the day, progress has been made to help him have the future that he wants, and we will be staying in touch with him as this process moves forward.

But let me also add, this is not just about well-known activists. It’s about the human rights and aspirations of more than a billion people here in China and billions more around the world. And it’s about the future of this great nation and all nations. We will continue engaging with the Chinese Government at the highest levels in putting these concerns at the heart of our diplomacy.

So I think we have been very clear and very committed to honoring both his choices and our values.

MS. NULAND: Next question goes to Lu Quoi (inaudible) from Xinhua, please.

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) This is a question from Xinhua News Agency. What do you think that China and the U.S. will do to build a new relationship between big countries, as China proposed? Some scholars hold that the U.S. want to contend China as it shifts its strategic focus eastward in the high profile. What do you think of such a statement?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Sir, do you want me to start?

Well, I think that, as President Obama and I have said many times, and as we repeated again over the last two days, the United States welcomes a strong, prosperous, and successful China. We want to see China not only deliver economic prosperity for its large population, but also play a key role in world affairs. And our countries and our peoples gain far more from cooperation then from competition, so we are committed to pursuing a positive, cooperative, comprehensive relationship.

And I want to underscore the importance of events like this 4th Annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue. We use it to maximize mutual understanding and areas of cooperation while also speaking frankly to one another about those areas about which we have disagreements. Now, given all that we are doing together bilaterally, regionally, and globally, we need this kind of open, regular mechanism for strengthening our partnership and managing those areas where there are tensions and differences.

I said something earlier today that I would repeat for you, because together the United States and China are trying to do something
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Dear Tony,

I’d like to ask you to take 60 seconds to watch something.

It’s a new ad my campaign is releasing today that tells the story of a Marine named Justin Bailey. Justin served with great honor and courage in Iraq -- but when he came home to Nevada, he didn’t get the care he needed. Our veterans’ healthcare system failed him -- and it tragically cost him his life.

I heard Justin’s story from his heartbroken parents -- and decided to take action. Together we fought to dramatically improve mental health care for all our nation’s veterans.

I’m so proud of Justin’s service, and his family. I’m proud that we could find a way to honor it while helping veterans like him who might otherwise fall through the cracks. And I’m proud of this ad.

Please take a moment to watch it -- and then make sure your friends on Facebook and Twitter see it as well.

Representing our state isn’t about fancy speeches or ideological fights. It’s about listening to the stories of people who need help -- and doing the hard work necessary to make a difference.

That’s why my campaign is running this ad.

Click here to see Justin's story. Then make sure your friends on Facebook and Twitter see it, too.

Thank you for your support.

Shelley

Paid for by Berkley for Senate

Contributions or gifts to Berkley for Senate are not tax deductible

This email was sent to: tojulei@yahoo.com
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Alumni Flash: What's New Benefit of the Month
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ALUMNI FLASH: WHAT'S NEW
NEWS
Pepperdine Associate Dean recognized at Global HR Excellence Awards
Gary Mangiofico, Associate Dean of Fully Employed and Executive Programs and Practitioner Faculty of Organizational Theory and Management, was awarded the Strategic Leadership Award from the World HRD Congress at the Global HR Excellence Awards in Mumbai.

"Go and Do"
"Ever find yourself asking that question? Of course you do – we all do. Well have I got a challenge for you – one that might just change your life! I dare you to go out into the world, witness the raw edges of humanity and then do something about what you see." The author, Jay Milbrandt (MBA '07, JD '08) is an attorney and serves as the Director of the Global Justice Program and Associate Director of the Nootbaar Institute for Law, Religion, and Ethics at Pepperdine University School of Law.

"American BeheMouth"
Check out this new book written by Pepperdine alumnus, Jason Covington ('91). “American BeheMouth” is a timely literary work that depicts American moral equivalencies and excesses. For fishermen, baseball fans, book lovers, sports enthusiasts, and economists alike, the novella is highly entertaining and insightful.

Celebrate Pepperdine's 75th Anniversary with a Celebration Pack
Gather with classmates, friends, and colleagues for a tailgate, dinner party, service project, reunion, or your own unique event. Fill out an online form to request your celebration pack today!

EVENTS
The Third Annual Pepperdine University Healthcare Forum
in partnership with RAND Corporation
Thursday, May 10, 2012: 6 - 9 p.m.
RAND Corporation - Santa Monica, CA
This event will bring together executives from across industries to explore the potential of healthcare to succeed in achieving better patient outcomes, service affordability, and corporate profitability via integrated information technology.

School of Law 7th Annual Golf Tournament
Monday, May 14, 2012 - 11 a.m.
All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Pepperdine School of Law's Global Justice Program.. The competition will be a scramble format.

The Journey to the Middle Market:
A Perspective from Private Equity and Banking Deal Makers
Thursday, May 31, 2012: 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Professor John Paglia, creator of the acclaimed Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project, presents the latest findings of his 2012 report. Panelists will discuss various trends in the middle market Private Equity marketplace; including sourcing, financing, deal flow, competition, and which verticals are seeing the most growth and exits.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BENEFIT OF THE MONTH
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It’s all about the numbers.

From the top of the ticket to the bottom, Democrats across America are relying on numbers to get this country back on track.

President Obama needs 270 Electoral Votes to be re-elected.

Democrats in the House of Representatives need 25 seats to take back the Majority.

Republicans in the Senate are only 4 seats away from taking control out of our hands.

In the last year and a half, this Congress, led by John Boehner, Eric Cantor and Paul Ryan, has declared war.

They have declared war on the middle class, war on women’s rights, and a war on the values that you and I hold dear.

But in spite of all these numbers, there is hope and promise in this coming election year.

Your contribution of $10, $25, $50, or more today will make the difference as we build up for yet another fight for our future.

If we win just 25 Congressional races nationwide, Democrats will take back the majority in the House. With a majority we can continue the fight for values such as protecting Social Security, ensuring women’s reproductive rights, and creating new jobs and a sound economic policy.

Thank you,

Dina

In a few days, I'll be hitting the trail for my last campaign.

Everything we've accomplished in the past three years -- and our chance to do so much more -- is on the line.

What we do today will be a measure of whether or not we're ready to fight for it.

Donate $3 or whatever you can before tonight's fundraising deadline.

By pitching in before midnight, you'll automatically be in the running to join me and George Clooney at his place on May 10th.

It's not often I can get away from work, so I look forward to spending a fun evening in L.A. with a couple supporters like you.

In the meantime, let's close out this deadline strong:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Midnight-Deadline

Thanks,

Barack

But it only takes Karl Rove thirty seconds to completely distort my record in his new attack ad.

I know it?s the weekend and you?re probably busy, but I?m only asking you to take a moment of your time to help me fight back for Nevada.

In response to Rove?s smears, I want to raise an additional $20,000 for our Nevada Fights Back Fund by midnight Monday. Click here to contribute $5 or $10 right now.

We have $14,128 to go to reach our goal, and only 2 days to do it. I hope you?ll take a minute out of your day and help me in my fight.

Thank you for your support, and have a great weekend.

Shelley

Show Details

Tony --

We're up against a critical fundraising deadline this coming Monday, and we need your help.

We know you're working hard for this campaign, but we also want you to have some fun -- and that's where George Clooney comes in.

If you chip in between now and Monday, you'll be automatically entered for the chance to join Barack at George Clooney's house on May 10th.

Don't miss out -- make a donation of $3 or whatever you can:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Barack-and-George

Thanks, and good luck,

Michelle

This week, after finishing our work on legislation to strengthen and modernize the U.S. Postal Service, the Senate also passed the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA significantly expanded the federal government’s commitment to eliminating domestic violence by funding efforts to prosecute abusers, assist victims, educate the public, and prevent sexual and relationship violence. Since its passage in 1994, VAWA has proved to be an invaluable tool in fighting domestic violence and has reduced the annual incidence of domestic violence by more than 50 percent. Despite the progress we have made, much work remains to be done to protect the men, women, and children affected.

Three women die in this country every day at the hands of abusive partners. And for every victim who is killed, there are nine more who narrowly escape death. It would be unacceptable to step back from our national commitment to stop violence and abuse now.

VAWA was unanimously reauthorized by the Senate in 2000 and 2005. This effort should be – and traditionally has been – above partisanship. In passing this legislation, the Senate sent a clear and bipartisan message that this country does not tolerate domestic violence of any kind.

Another critical piece of legislation the Senate will soon consider is the Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act of 2012. Unless Congress acts, the interest rate on federally-subsidized student loans is set to double this summer, saddling 7.4 million students, more than 26,000 in Nevada, with an additional $1,000 in interest per year. The Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act will prevent the increase by extending the current rate of 3.4% for another year. This bill is fully paid for and will not add to the deficit.

With middle-class families and students struggling to afford the rising costs of higher education, we cannot afford to put college out of reach for more promising young people. Unfortunately, many of my Republican colleagues have signaled they would rather cut taxes for the richest Americans than invest in the next generation of American workers. I hope Republicans in the Senate will hear this message, and join Democrats in protecting the more than 7 million students across the country that would be affected by this increase in student loan interest rates.

Thank you for taking the time to read this email. For more information on my work in the Senate or to contact me, please visit my website, reid.senate.gov or connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.

My best wishes to you,

HARRY REID
U.S. Senator for Nevada

Just wanted to make sure you saw Jessica?s email this morning.

Karl Rove?s group, Crossroads GPS, just launched a TV campaign in Nevada attacking me.

They don?t like it when candidates stand up for the middle class and hold their special interest pals accountable, so they?ll spend millions this year to distort and smear my record.

Now is the time to make sure we have the resources to overcome their undisclosed, unlimited Citizens United cash with people power!

Help us raise an additional $20,000 into our Nevada Fights Back Fund before the Monday deadline by contributing what you can today.

Thank you so much!

Shelley

04/26/2012 12:55 PM EDT

Remarks at the Global Impact Economy Forum

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Loy Henderson Auditorium

Washington, DC

April 26, 2012

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Thank you. Oh, thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you, all. Thank you. That was perfect timing, bottoms up. I loved hearing that as I walked in. Thanks to Kris Balderston, his staff in our office of the Global Partnership Initiatives, and everyone here who has helped to plan this forum providing us a lot of great advice and counsel.

I’m also delighted to welcome Sir Richard Branson. Thank you so much for being here. I love the fact that he is such a strong proponent for business as unusual. And I’m excited he’s here because many, many, many years ago, I wanted to be an astronaut, and I think he may be my last chance to live out – (laughter) – that particular dream.

You’re here because you know that we have an opportunity with the convergence of the recognition on the part of government, the private sector, civil society, that we can be so much more effective working together than working at cross-purposes. And for me, this is a great moment to look at where we stand in the world in the pursuit of economic growth and prosperity that is broadly inclusive and sustainable. You know the statistics as well as anyone: One out of three people in the world today living on less than $2 a day; the challenges we face from finite resources, climate change, and other environmental degradation; looking at how people themselves are being empowered from the bottom up in large measure because of the phenomenon of social media. And it’s not only happening somewhere out there, it’s happening everywhere.

And the fact is, these trend lines, apart from the headlines that we all spend most of our time looking at, are profoundly important to foreign policy and national security of all of our countries, because governments everywhere, including most particularly our own, are grappling with what challenges like these mean for our citizens. We believe expanding economic opportunity is fundamental to achieving our own national interest. We want more prosperous societies. We want to see people moving into the middle class. We want to see that creativity and entrepreneurial spirit fostering growth. And we have been working within the Obama Administration to bring our various institutions together to try to put forth that as a focus for us.

So the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Commerce, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, many other of our own institutions working together with international and multilateral institutions are trying to crack the code on removing the obstacles that limit growth. But we have to be more intentional about it. And that’s part of what this forum is meant to both represent, but far more importantly, help us achieve.

And we recognize that so called official development assistance is no longer the leading edge indicator or tool that it used to be. In the 1960s, official development assistance represented about 70 percent of capital flows into developing nations. Today that number is about 13 percent. Where does the rest come from? Well, you know it comes from the private sector, comes from increased trade revenues, it comes from the flow of remittances, and any number of other non-governmental sources. So we’ve made it a goal of this Administration to do more to engage with and coordinate with the private sector, non-profits, philanthropists, diasporas, and anyone else who has value to add.

We know we need partnerships and innovative alliances, which is why one of the first things I did at the State Department was to set up this Office of Global Partnerships. We needed to tear down the silos that prevented us from working creatively and smartly ...
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Great to hear from you, I hope you've been well! Can you give me more information on this event, such as, what is the nature of the event, what is the topic that you want me to address, how much time will I have, who is in the audience (so I know what they want to hear about), etc.?

As you know, judges are bound by the rules of judicial ethics which limit what we can talk about publicly. We can't talk about politics, or other controversial topics, or anything that may involve a pending court case. I need to make sure the topic is appropriate before I can let you know whether I can participate.

Thanks!

Jerry Tao

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From: Tony Lei [mailto:tojulei@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 9:20 PM
To: Tao, Jerome
Cc: tojulei
Subject: Honorary Speaker

041612-1959
Dear District Judge Jerry Tao,
President Len Wei of Joint Chinese University Alumni Association Of Las Vegas (JCUAALV) and Dr. Tony Tung-tien Lei President of Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI) cordially invite you as Honorary Speaker to attend the following event and dinner celebratio:

Date --May 13, 2012
Mother Day's celebration
Event --2:00-5:00 p.m.
Dinner --7:00 p.m.

Address --River of Life Christian Church
5120 Spring Mountin Road
Las Vegas, NV 89146

President Len Wei (Tel.)702-750-8948
lenwei@yahoo.com
6586 W. Diablo Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89118

Dr. Tony Tung-tien Lei
President
Washington Business and Technology Institute (WBTI)
(Tel.)702-750-1127
tojulei@yahoo.com
http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti
search "U.S. Senator Harry Reid and Dr. Tony T. Lei wbti" by Google.com

Thank you very much for your generous promiss to attend our Mother Day's celebration as Honorary Speaker!

RE: Mother Day's celebration ---Re: Honorary Speaker

Show Details

I would be happy to attend.

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From: Tony Lei [mailto:tojulei@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 5:47 PM
To: Tao, Jerome
Cc: tojulei
Subject: Mother Day's celebration ---Re: Honorary Speaker

Dear Jerome,

Thank you very much. It's our pleasure to know that you need to understand more about our event. The celebration will be for mother's day. We shall ...
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04/24/2012 05:13 PM EDT

Remarks With Australian Foreign Minister Robert Carr After Their Meeting

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

April 24, 2012

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon, everyone. It is certainly a great pleasure for me to welcome Foreign Minister Carr here to Washington. It is always an incredibly important discussion between ourselves and our Australian friends and allies, and we’ve had a chance to cover a broad range of issues that we have a continuing consultation over. Before I mention those, however, I want to say a few words about Syria and the events of the past few days.
On Saturday, as you know, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to increase tenfold the number of monitors sent to Syria under Kofi Annan’s plan. The onus is now on the regime to meet all of its commitments under that plan, including allowing the UN monitors to fully deploy and move throughout the country without restrictions. Unfortunately, the Assad regime has broken its commitments time and again, so even as we work to help deploy the monitors, we are preparing additional steps in case the violence continues or the monitors are prevented from doing their work.

Yesterday, President Obama announced a powerful new class of sanctions on individuals and companies in Syria, as well as in Iran, that use communications technologies to commit human rights abuses. Both of these steps send a clear signal that the international community will continue to pressure Assad and his regime as long as they insist on slaughtering their own people and denying a political transition.

With respect to today’s meeting with Minister Carr and myself, it represents what is one of the world’s strongest and most productive alliances. For more than 60 years, our relationship has been and remains vital, not only in the Asia-Pacific region but around the world. So it is fitting that we discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. We discussed the steps we are taking together to strengthen our military alliance, which helps underwrite security and stability in the Asia-Pacific.

As Prime Minister Obama and – as President Obama and Prime Minister Gillard announced last year, U.S. Marines will begin rotating through Darwin for joint training and exercises. In fact, the first contingent of 200 Marines arrived earlier this month, and I thanked the minister for the very warm welcome they received. We expect that these exercises will eventually expand to include other friends and partners in the region, which will strengthen our efforts to fight piracy and provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief through the Asia-Pacific.

We also discussed the ongoing transition in Afghanistan. Australian troops have fought bravely alongside NATO and Afghan forces. Thirty-two Australian soldiers have lost their lives, and on the eve of Anzac Day we honor their memory.

Now while none of us are blind to the real challenges that remain before us, we know we are making tangible progress. Al-Qaida’s leadership is decimated. We have opened the door for Afghan reconciliation, the Afghan people are taking responsibility for their own security, and we continue to meet our milestones for this transition agreed to by our leaders in Lisbon two years ago. But NATO and its partners cannot and will not Afghanistan after 2014. Our ongoing support will be essential to preserving and building on the gains we’ve made thus far.

So to that end, representatives from the United States and Afghanistan have initialed a draft Strategic Partnership Agreement moving us closer to the completion of this process. While there is still some work to be done before our presidents will be able to sign the agreement – including consultations with the Congress – there should be no doubt that the United States will remain a steadfast, long-term partner to the Afghan people as they continue rebuilding their country and fighting violent extremism.
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