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Marc Ambinder

Marc Ambinder - Marc Ambinder is the White House correspondent for National Journal and a contributing editor at The Atlantic. More

Marc Ambinder is the White House correspondent for National Journal. He previously served as the politics editor, and is now a contributing editor, for The Atlantic, where he curated the influential Politics channel on TheAtlantic.com and contributed to the magazine. He was also a chief political consultant to CBS News. Earlier, at NJ's Hotline, Ambinder was the founding editor of "Hotline On Call," a pathbreaking political news blog. He also worked as a producer and reporter for the ABC News Political Unit and was one of the founders of ABC's "The Note." Born in New York City, raised in Central Florida, Ambinder is a 2001 graduate of Harvard and lives in Washington, D.C.

Quick-Read Highlights Of The Speech

By Marc Ambinder
Jun 4 2009, 6:17 AM ET Comment

1. Separated into seven parts; sprinkles Muslim phrases ("assalaamu alaykum") throughout speech; quotes "Holy Koran" three times; defends Israel, condemns anti-Semitism; condemns settlements; devotes section to women's rights;

2. First addresses "violent extremism" in Muslim world; says America will defend itself "sovereignty of nations and the rule of law." Says that Palestinians must abandon violence. "Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed."

3. Says "No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons." Says Iran should have access to civilian nuclear technology.

4. Says that America shouldn't impose its version of democracy on the world but that

do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.


5. Talks about Muslims in America; freedom of worship and mosques;  says "we cannot disguise hostility towards any religion behind the pretense of liberalism."

6. Says, of women's rights:

Our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons, and our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity - men and women - to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.




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Marc Ambinder
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