Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

signal status listen live donate
listen live donate signal status
listen live donate signal status
  • News
    • topics
    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • genres
    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic
    • Daily Playlist
  • Programs + Podcasts
    • news
    • Morning Edition
    • All Things Considered
    • Marketplace
    • Insight With Vicki Gonzalez
    • music
    • Acid Jazz
    • At the Opera
    • Classical Music
    • Connections
    • Excellence in Jazz
    • Hey, Listen!
    • K-ZAP on CapRadio
    • Mick Martin's Blues Party
    • Programs A-Z
    • Podcast Directory
  • Schedules
    • News
    • Music
    • ClassicalStream
    • JazzStream
    • Weekly Schedule
    • Daily Playlist
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • CapRadio Garden
    • CapRadio Reads
    • Ticket Giveaways
  • Support
    • Evergreen Gift
    • One-Time Gift
    • Corporate Support
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Gift
    • Legacy Gift
    • Endowment Gift
    • Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • e‑Newsletter
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Close Menu

CapRadio Reads

 

Hosted By Donna Apidone

Feed your curiosity and explore fresh perspectives with CapRadio Reads—our online, on-air and on demand resource for discovering your next great read.

  • All
  • Radio
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe
    • Apple Podcasts
    • Podcast RSS
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Former Secretary Of State Madeleine Albright Shares Her Perspective On International Politics With CapRadio’s Donna Apidone

Friday, May 29, 2020 | Sacramento, CA
Courtesy
 

Courtesy

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright left the State Department in 2000, but she still thinks about news stories in the context of the decisions she would make. 

As part of the press tour for her recent memoir, “Hell and Other Destinations,” Albright talked with CapRadio's Donna Apidone about her life, her career and the United States’ place on the international stage. The conversation was part of an event hosted by the Sacramento Public Library on May 13. 

Here are highlights from their discussion, which you can also watch at the bottom of the page.

Interview Highlights

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: I have to say, and I find this very painful, I think the behavior of the United States generally internationally at this moment is embarrassing and counter-productive.

Donna Apidone: Why?

Because we want everything our way. Compromise is not a four-letter word, and not everything has to be a zero-sum game, and I think there needs to be some respect. … It is not a sign of weakness to cooperate.

You made a statement in this book: “A rule of thumb is that the economy and national security are two issues that matter most.” Now we have those two issues plus a virus. If you were still in office as Secretary of State, how would you recommend this be handled?

Well, I do think the definition of national security is flexible in many ways, and it goes toward economic situations and some of the other aspects like a way of life and climate. I do think that we are seeing that health is a national security issue. And what is interesting is that in the past, at the U.N., the Security Council has in fact taken up issues to do with health, such as AIDS or ebola, And so, as the Secretary General is trying to find some overall uniform way to approach it, the U.S. is not helping, I think, with the way we are dealing with it.

The title, though, “Hell and Other Destinations,” sounds a bit angry.

Mostly, I write about things that happen to me, and one of the things I found when I first started out, some of the women would say, “Why don’t you stay at home with your children, and why are you going to school and not in the carpool line, and besides, my Hollandaise sauce is much better than yours,” and I thought to myself, “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.” And it’s something. I think it’s the most famous thing I ever said. It ended up on a Starbucks cup.

Isn’t that interesting? With all you’ve done in your life, making it to a Starbucks cup is what people remember.

You never know.

You have written that when you look at current events, you tend to put yourself in that place of Secretary of State and say, “What would I do if I were Secretary of State now.” Because I work for an NPR affiliate, I would like to ask you to comment on Secretary Pompeo’s treatment of NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly.

Well, let me just say putting that a little bit into context. You get to know the press very well. It’s a very funny relationship, actually, because on the airplane you talk and have a nice time, and get to know each other, and then you get off the plane, and all of a sudden the journalists start asking you hard questions because that’s their job, and you all go out to dinner anyway. I think, however, what Pompeo has been doing is following what the president does which is to insult the press, and make them feel like it’s an imposition or it’s fake or it’s something that is not an essential part of a democracy, that is to have a free press that is able to ask a question and be able to get answers.

Watch Madeleine Albright in conversation with Donna Apidone:

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

AP Photo/File

Citing a Mental Health Crisis Among Young People, California Lawmakers Target Social Media

August 2, 2022

Sacramento Police Department

Sacramento police shoot unhoused man in River District, body camera video shows

August 2, 2022

Courtesy of the MLK Freedom Center

Black and Latino students find their voice through civics education in Sacramento

August 8, 2022

Most Viewed

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

North Sacramento residents push back on affordable housing, say city ‘dumping’ homelessness solutions in neighborhood

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

New variants, wastewater data, long COVID: What Sacramento region experts are watching

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

A California man’s ‘painful and terrifying’ road to a monkeypox diagnosis

North Sacramento residents push back on affordable housing, say city ‘dumping’ homelessness solutions in neighborhood

Northern California wildfires: Where to find updates on air quality, evacuations, and official information

Abortion is still legal in California. Here are answers to questions about access in the state.

New variants, wastewater data, long COVID: What Sacramento region experts are watching

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    • (916) 278-8900
    • Toll-free (877) 480-5900
    • Email Us
    • Submit a News Tip
  • Contact Us

  • About Us

    • Contact Us / Feedback
    • Coverage
    • Directions
    • Careers & Internships
    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Press
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile App
    • On Air Schedules
    • Smart Speakers
    • Playlist
    • Podcasts
    • RSS
  • Connect With Us

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2022, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.