International FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014

Hillary book sales top 100,000 in first week

NEW YORK: Hillary Rodham Clinton’s “Hard Choices” sold more than 100,000 copies during its opening week, its publisher told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “We’re elated,” said Simon & Schuster’s president and publisher, Jonathan Karp, who declined to offer a more specific sales figure. “This book is on a trajectory to be the best-selling nonfiction book of the year.” “Hard Choices” sold well enough to earn the covet- ed No. 1 spot on the nonfiction hardcover list of The New York Times that comes out June 29. But its debut was also far slower than that for her previous memoir, “Living History,” which sold around 600,000 copies dur- ing its first week. One likely difference: “Living History,” published in 2003, included her first extended com- ments on the affair between President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Anticipation for “Hard Choices,” which covers her four years as secretary of state, focused more on whether it would include any hints that she was running for president. “Hard CAMBRIDGE: HiIlary Rodham Clinton holds a copy of her new book “Hard Choices,” at the start of a Choices,” which also included little about her con- book signing at Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, Mass. — AP tentious primary campaign against Barack Obama in 2008, ends with Clinton saying she is still undecided Bush. Both of Clinton’s memoirs have received mixed tions. Since 2003, the Borders superstore chain has about seeking the presidency again. reviews, although that has not discouraged her most shut down and Barnes & Noble has been cutting back Karp noted another possible reason that first-week devoted fans. Some have been so anxious to see its physical presence. E-books, virtually nonexistent in sales were stronger for “Living History”: It was a mem- Clinton at one of her bookstore appearances that they 2003, now account for about 30 percent of the market, oir by a former first lady as opposed to a book about have camped out on sidewalks the night before. and often much higher for fiction. Blockbuster novels being secretary of state. “First lady memoirs are Compared with “Living History,” the new book came such as John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars” still sell always immense and immediate best-sellers,” said out in a far more difficult environment for nonfiction millions of copies, a level of success increasingly rare Karp, who cited books by Barbara Bush and by Laura releases, which still sell primarily through paper edi- for nonfiction.—AP Religious conservatives to judge top Republicans GOP White House hopefuls oppose abortion rights

WASHINGTON: Some of the Republican Party’s most ambi- riage, Republican officials across the political spectrum con- tious leaders are courting religious conservatives as evangeli- cede that evangelical voters continue to play a critical role in cal officials claim new momentum in their fight for the GOP’s Republican politics. soul. The Faith and Freedom Coalition, led by former “You can ignore them, but you do so at our own peril,” Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, launched its annual said Republican operative Hogan Gidley, who has worked for conference yesterday with appearances by Florida Sen Santorum and Huckabee in the past. In the 2012 general Marco Rubio and Texas Sen Ted Cruz. Almost every other election, exit polls showed that white evangelicals and born- top-tier prospective presidential hopeful is on the agenda for again Christians made up 26 percent of the electorate and the three-day gathering in Washington. overwhelmingly backed Mitt Romney over President Barack “This is the most conservative, the most pro-life and the Obama, 78 percent to 21 percent. And evangelical voters are most pro-family stable of candidates we’ve ever had,” Reed expected to make up a greater portion of this November’s WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama meets with Congressional leader- told The Associated Press in an interview. “Not only do you midterm elections, in which Democrats are fighting to pro- ship including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (second right), Senate not have someone running who’s socially moderate to liber- tect their Senate majority. —AP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (left), House Speaker John Boehner (second al that we can see so far, but you have a lot of people who left), and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (right), in the Oval Office of the are going to run who are actually champions on these White House. — AFP issues.” Ghost of Iraq haunts The speaking program includes a pair of social conserva- Obama’s tough options on Iraq tive favorites, former Pennsylvania Sen Rick Santorum and Condoleezza Rice former Arkansas Gov Mike Huckabee, a Baptist pastor. Both WASHINGTON: President Barack Air strikes are former presidential candidates weighing 2016 cam- portrait unveiling Obama is mulling a sheaf of rather Obama “has asked his national paigns. But religious conservatives like Reed note that most problematic options as he faces security team to prepare a range of GOP White House hopefuls considered more mainstream WASHINGTON: Iraq was the ghost in the room demands in Washington and Iraq to other options that could help support oppose gay marriage and abortion rights, including funding check the brazen advance of Sunni Iraqi security forces,” Hayden said. So Wednesday as Condoleezza Rice returned to the State for Planned Parenthood, among other social conservative Department to reflect on her time as the top US diplo- extremist militants. what could those options be? A fall- priorities. That group includes New Jersey Gov Chris Christie, back option is US strikes, either from mat saying history would be the judge. Rice, who was who is scheduled to deliver his first major address to evan- the national security advisor and secretary of state Troops on the ground manned aircraft or unmanned drones. gelical voters Friday, along with Wisconsin Rep Paul Ryan The message from the White House Such a tactic could still pack an explo- under president George W Bush, did not once mention and a libertarian favorite, Kentucky Sen Rand Paul, who per- the renewed crisis in the country that US troops invad- is “no chance.” Obama, who brought sive punch against Islamic State of sonally opposes gay marriage and abortion rights but sug- troops home from Iraq, is not about to Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters but ed in 2003 on the orders of the Bush administration. gests that the GOP focus less on divisive social issues as it Nor did current Secretary of State John Kerry, who send them back. Withdrawing from avoid the kind of risk to US personnel tries to broaden its appeal after a disappointing 2012 elec- quagmires in the Middle East is so cen- that “boots on the ground” would called instead for greater bipartisanship as he wel- tion season. comed Rice for the unveiling of her portrait to be hung tral to the DNA of the administration entail. On Wednesday, Iraq made just Among the early 2016 favorites, only former Florida Gov that to reverse course would repudiate such a request and Obama is also fac- alongside those of legends of American diplomacy Jeb Bush is not on the agenda, although he addressed the such as Ben Franklin and George Washington. Neither the last five-and-a-half years. “The ing demands to unleash American same group last year. He cited a scheduling conflict. President was very clear that we will not planes over Iraq from hawks in did the staunch Democrat Kerry seem to blanche at Organizers expect more than 1,000 evangelical leaders to be sending US troops back into combat Congress. With little in the way of the list of invited guests, which read almost like a attend the conference and hope to mobilize religious con- in Iraq,” said National Security Council hostile ground fire or anti-aircraft fire who’s-who of the past Republican administration and servative voters ahead of the upcoming midterm elections spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden. Obama expected over Iraq, F-18 fighter jets included Rice’s deputy John Negroponte, former and the 2016 presidential contest, which is expected to is on solid political ground. There is no could fly from a US aircraft carrier, the homeland security advisor Fran Townsend and former begin in earnest early next year. While polls suggest that public appetite to re-wage a war in George H.W. Bush, deployed to the national security advisor Brent Scowcroft.—AFP social conservatives are losing their fight against gay mar- which nearly 4,500 Americans died. Gulf.—AFP