>> Stephen: THAT'S SO FASCINATING.
HEY, EVERYBODY, WE'RE BACK HERE WITH SECRETARY OF STATE, ANTONY
BLINKEN.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A WAR-- AND WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE
MUNITIONS THAT MIGHT GO OVER THERE AND THE TACTICAL AND
INTELLIGENCE HELP THE UNITED STATES MAY GIVE.
BUT THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS NOT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
IT'S NOT THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR.
RICHARD HOLBROOKE CALLED IT THE DEPARTMENT OF PEACE.
AND GENERAL MADIS SAID IF YOU DON'T STUNNED THE STATE
DEPARTMENT FULLY, THEN I NEED TO BUY MORE AMMUNITION.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Stephen: WHAT DO PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE MISSION OF
THE STATE DEPARTMENT?
>> YOU'VE GOT IT EXACTRY RIGHT.
OUR JOB IS TO TRY TO PREVENT WAR.
IF WE FAIL AT THAT, TO TRY TO MAKE PEACE.
AND IF WE FAIL AT THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DIPLOMACY IS DOING
EVERYTHING IT CAN WHEREVER NECESSARY, NOT JUST TO MAKE LIFE
BETTER FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, BUT ALSO TO MAKE LIFE
BETTER FOR OUR OWN PEOPLE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
EVERYTHING WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO TRY TO MAKE THE WORLD JUST A
LITTLE BIT SAFER, A LITTLE BIT MORE PROSPEROUS, A LITTLE BIT
HEALTHIER, A LITTLE BIT WISER, A LITTLE BIT MORE TOLERANT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT US.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S THE STATE OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT RIGHT
NOW?
WE ONLY HAVE A MINUTE HERE.
I'M CURIOUS.
IT WAS SORT OF FAMOUSLY REPORTED AS BEING DENUDED DURING THE
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, PEOPLE LEAVING WERE NOT BEING REPLACED.
THE HALLS WERE EMPTY.
IS THE STATE DEPARTMENT BEING RESTAFFED?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID EARLY ON, AS WE
STARTED TO MOVE AROUND THE WORLD AGAIN, AMERICA'S BACK.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS, THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS BACK.
WE HAVE OUR MEN AND WOMEN--
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, FEBRUARY AS WE'RE RELENTLESSLY FOCUSED,
RELENTLESSLY FOCUSED ON UKRAINE, AND ON HELPING THE UKRAINIAN
PEOPLE, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, TOO.
WE HAVE GOTTEN A TRUCE IN ETHI DON'T KNOWIA, SO HUMANITARIAN
AIDE CAN GET THROUGH.
WE GOT MORE THAN 500 MILLION COVID VACCINE SHOTS TO PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD, ON OUR WAY TO 1.2 BILLION SHOTS THAT THE
UNITED STATES IS GIVING AWAY FREE, NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
THAT'S THE WORK WE DO.
HERE'S THE THING, STEPHEN, IF THE UNITED STATES IS NOT
ENGAGED, IF WE'RE NOT TRYING TO LEAD, ONE OF TWO THINGS-- EITHER
SOMEONE ELSE, MAYBE IT'S CHINA, AND THAT MIGHT NOT GO FORWARD IN
A WAY THAT REFLECTS OUR INTEREST AND OUR VALUES.
OR NO ONE IS?
AND THAT LEAVES A VACUUM FILLED BY BAD THINGS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE ENGAGE AND WE LEAD AND
WE'RE LEADING WITH DIPLOMACY.
THAT'S WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID HE WANTED.
THAT'S WHY THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS FRONT AND CENTER.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
WE'RE LEADING WITH DIPLOMACY, WE'RE LEADING WITH AMERICA AND
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER AROUND THE
WORLD.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AS IMPORTANT AS THAT WORK IS THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, I THINK
YOU'LL BEST BE REMEMBERED AS THE LEAD GUITARIST FOR THE BAND "ABE
BLINKEN."
THIS IS AN ACTUAL PHOTO.
WE DID NOT MOCK THIS UP.
TELL ME-- TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BAND.
WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF IT?
AND WHERE ARE YOU GUYS GIGGING NEXT?
>> STEPHEN, I LONG WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN, AS A KID, AS A
TEENAGER, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
AND I SEE SOME REAL MUSICIANS OVER THERE.
( APPLAUSE )
INGREDIENT.
>> Stephen: YES.
>> TALENT.
BUT IT'S-- IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT THREAD IN MY LIFE.
SO I'VE BEEN IN A BUNCH OF BANDS, IN QUOTATION MARKS"
COALITION OF THE WILLING.
>> Stephen: OH, SURE.
>> AMONG OTHERS.
BIG LUNCH.
>> Stephen: DON'T KNOW THAT ONE.
THAT'S ON ME.
>> BECAUSE WE KIND OF MAKE YOU FEEL THE WAY YOU DO AFTER YOU'VE
HAD A BIG LUNCH.
A LITTLE BIT DROWSY.
>> Stephen: LOGGY, LOGGY DANCE BAND.
>> AT LEAST WHAT I FOUND IN MY EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST AUDIENCE
WE HAVE TENDS TO BE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN WHO HAVEN'T DEVELOPED
CRITICAL FACULTIES.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: JUST IN CASE THERE ARE ANY OF THEM WATCHING RIGHT
NOW, AS WE GO OUT, WOULD YOU-- WOULD YOU CARE-- DO YOU GUYS
HAVE A GUITAR THAT THE SECRETARY MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE?
( APPLAUSE )
MUCH.
ANTONY BLINKEN, EVERYBODY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH A PERFORMANCE BY TWICE.
PLEASE, SIR.
WON'T YOU PLEASE.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪