Despite being grounded on doctor’s orders after a bout of ill health, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday took a virtual round-the-world trip to say a final farewell.
Using satellites and the Internet, she hooked into some of the world’s major television networks to answer questions from local anchors and audiences in what was billed as a “Global Townterview” by the State Department.
Clinton, who has travelled almost a million miles, apparently held 1,700 meetings with world leaders and suffered some 570 aeroplane meals, never moved from her seat in the Washington-based Newseum during the hour-long interview.
It was one of her last public events before she steps down on Friday after four years as America’s top diplomat and hands over to Senator John Kerry, who was confirmed as the next secretary of state by 94 votes to three on Tuesday.
Taking questions from every continent and cities from Beirut to Tokyo, London to New Delhi, and on to Bogota via Lagos, Clinton was quizzed on the burning issues of the day.