ABC News' Kirit Radia reports:
At a press conference in Liberia today Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked to explain why she lost her temper earlier on this week when a Congolese student asked her what her husband thought of a Chinese trade deal with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
She effectively ignored the query today, when asked what was going through her mind during the incident, and whether she had any regrets. Instead, Secretary Clinton chose to answer only the first part of the question asking her to reflect on her whirlwind 7 countries in 11 days tour of Africa that concludes tomorrow in the island nation of Cape Verde.
"I've had a great time on this trip, I opened this newspaper and I think it looks like she's having a great time and from my perspective the most important part of this trip are the relationships that we have built, the commitments that we have discussed, the problems that we have honestly explored," Clinton answered, "We have not shied away from raising the difficult problems that exist and stand in the way of the people of Africa realizing their potential."
A portion of her response can be seen HERE.
On Monday the male student asked Secretary Clinton, through a translator, what "Mr. Clinton" thought of the deal.
"You want me to tell you what my husband thinks?" Clinton replied, clearly irked by the thought of being her husband Bill's spokeswoman.
"My husband is not secretary of state, I am," she replied. "If you want my opinion I will tell you my opinion. I am not going to be channeling my husband."
Clinton aides initially said the question had been mistranslated, but later suggested that the student misspoke. He and Clinton chatted after the event and the State Department says there were no hard feelings on either side.
Either way, the notion of Secretary Clinton's deference to her husband clearly touched a nerve with America's top diplomat. Last week ago the former President stole his wife's thunder when he appeared in North Korea to rescue two American journalists detained there. His trip came just as Secretary Clinton embarked her Africa trip, one she hoped would shine light on the plight of the continent.
The State Department on Tuesday tried to put her remarks into context.
"An abiding theme that she has in her trip to Africa is empowering women. As the question was posed to her, it was posed in a way that said, 'I want to get the views of two men, but not you, the secretary of state.' And I think it obviously -- she reacted to that," spokesman PJ Crowley said.
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