Most of you have probably watched this video or heard the news of how the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lost her temper when a misinterpreted question from a student was put to her. Well my thinking is the misinterpreted question was not offessive so Mrs Clinton should have not used excessive force to put the question out of the way. This hailed woman should have known where she was, this was Congo where millions are displaced and many have died so there were way too many situations to make her lose her cool than a little reference to her husband which was never there in the first place.
As the media plays this clip over and over, the really story of her country’s offorts to help Congo has been put in the shadow and it will not be easy to put it out there. The trip extend to Goma in eastern DRC, in fact it was the first for a US Sec of State. Having gone through the grilling days of the Democratic primaries, Clinton should have learnt a thing or two on how to handle the media especially the western media when it comes to questions related her husband.
The western media got their juicy story of the day for their audience instead of putting facts and images of what is on the ground in Congo. They linked the outburst to Bill Clinton snatching headlines in North Korea late last week when he secured the release of two US journalists, an act that many in the west saw as heroic. And the media were waiting to jump on any moment when Hillary would show her frustration at this competion for media attention and she granted them the chance. I don’t fault the media much, I simply think Clinton should have known better that if she lost her cool in the Congo, Congo would be the loser.
But going in details of what message she delivered, she promised real help for victims of sexual violence which is a great gesture but more effort is needed to end the war otherwise putting up a fund for victims when the war is still raging we will treating just symptoms.
This trip helped little to bring crimes going on in the Congo back to the international arena. The Secretary of State was the subject of the news instead of Congo. Congo victims remain mostly unheard.
Rosebell Kagumire 
Aha Rosebell ….
You were actually of the opinion that Clinton’s Africa visit was about more than herself and her country? Really?
Meanwhile, some fleeing from us without as much as a goodbye. We’re sulking.
Hey Sis, I never meant that but in the end what made more news in USA was the fact that she lost her temper. I am not saying she intended it but what everyone seemed to know about her Congo visit was that. I hardly saw any discussion on what plan he had laid out and how the US would help. Also didn’t see much on TV on how the Congo and other partners would be pressured to do their part better. So that’s why I think Congo issues were overshadowed by that little clip. As for disappearing, am guilty as charged so I will bring a Costa Rican goat as a fine. stop sulking.
Maybe the Clintons could invite the congolese student over to washington DC for a beer summit.
That would a great idea, I dont know which Congolese beer he would take.
Rosebell,
The phenomenon is variously referred to as the “CNN effect” or “parachute journalism” and it is so, so revolting. The onus is on us, using all available formats of media, to cover our continent. Nobody else will do a just job and the story you cite is a good example. Please make sure to include this text below in your course reading list for a good discussion on western media coverage of Africa:
= Carruthers, Susan L. 2000. The Media at War: Communication and Conflict in the Twentieth Century. New York: St. Martin’s Press =
A Beer summit organized by Heineken. They own the large companies in Rwanda, Burundi and Congo. They make sure there won’t be a revolution, everybody is to busy drinking and arguing in the local ganda’s.