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Friday, Dec 4, 2009 6:45 PM UTC

It’s Hillary Clinton Mad Libs!

What did the secretary of State say at a recent event? It's anybody's guess

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Topics: Hillary Rodham Clinton, War Room,

It’s nice of the State Department to provide the public with transcripts of all the public remarks made by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It’d be even better if the transcripts gave any idea of what Clinton actually said.

That wasn’t the case with one that State released earlier this week, of comments Clinton made at the Amsterdam News Educational Fund’s 100th Anniversary Gala. And the result ended up — unintentionally, no doubt — being pretty funny.

Since the time when an alert reader sent me the transcript a couple days ago, someone at State evidently had the good sense to pull it down from the department’s Web site. But through the magic of LexisNexis and Google’s cache, it lives on. Here it is, unedited and in full:

Nick, thank you so much. Thank you (inaudible) to Michelle (ph) and everyone who could be gathered at this wonderful event. (Inaudible) I’m just happy to (inaudible). (Applause.) Being with so many friends, with so many people, (inaudible) so grateful. And this is why I am so grateful. I am delighted to have you with us (inaudible) in celebrating the Amsterdam News and helping it to raise money for digitizing its records. This is one of the great archives (inaudible). (Applause.)

(Inaudible) here as well. Susan and Bill Tataum, (inaudible) all these wonderful (inaudible) and in their home, visiting Bill (inaudible) and speak with him. And like everyone here tonight who (inaudible), I was a recipient of all the (inaudible) and I feel better for it. I also know (inaudible).

(Inaudible) one of the most thoughtful, provocative, (inaudible) experiences that I ever had. (Inaudible) and I will always remember Bill’s (inaudible) and energy (inaudible). I also want to just say I think I (inaudible) with a lot of my friends (inaudible) and especially (inaudible). (Applause.)

(Inaudible) be there for you when (inaudible) that you so well deserve because (inaudible). (Applause.) (Inaudible) to raise money for a worthy cause and it’s a night of (inaudible) of American history. (Inaudible) and it’s especially exciting to be here to celebrate the 100th anniversary. Now, recently in Russia where journalists are harassed and (inaudible), in China where bloggers and internet (inaudible) face evermore (inaudible) censorship. And I’ve met with writers who’ve been (inaudible). They (inaudible) sit up and take notice and change their ways forever. (Inaudible) proud.

Thanks (inaudible). (Applause.)

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon. More Alex Koppelman.

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