‘She served with distinction’: World reacts to death of Madeleine Albright
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By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Madeleine Albright was a woman who “lived out the American dream and helped others realize it,” former President George W. Bush said Wednesday after learning of the death of the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state.
Leaders in the U.S. and worldwide weighed in on the passing of Albright, 84, who died from cancer, her family told The Associated Press.
She was nominated by former President Bill Clinton as the first female secretary of state on Dec. 5, 1996. She was confirmed by the Senate in a 99-0 vote on Jan. 22, 1997, and was sworn in the following day, according to her official State Department biography. Clinton also appointed Albright as ambassador to the U.N. in 1993, a position she held until she was appointed as secretary of state.
“Few leaders have been so perfectly suited for the times in which they served,” Clinton said in a statement, adding that in her role as secretary of state, “she was a passionate force for freedom, democracy and human rights.”
Bush, in a statement, said that Albright, who once criticized him for using the “shock of force” instead of diplomacy, “served with distinction as a foreign-born foreign minister who understood firsthand the importance of free societies for peace in our world.
“I respect her love of country and public service.”
Albin Kurti, the prime minister of Kosovo, called Albright a “remarkable woman with uncompromising moral.”
She was “a partner with all who pursued peace, freedom and democracy,” Kurti said of Albright, who was born in Czechoslovakia and moved to the U.S. in 1948 after a Communist coup. “We will miss you, Madam Secretary.”
Albright and her family also fled Czechoslovakia in 1939 after Nazi troops invaded the country, The New York Times reported.
“She knew how to live under a cloud of uncertainty,” Clinton told CNN.
In addition to her service in the State Department and the U.N., Albright served as a counselor to President Jimmy Carter and was a foreign policy adviser to three presidential candidates: former Sen. Walter Mondale of Minnesota in 1984, Gov. Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts in 1988 and Clinton in 1992, according to the newspaper.
Albright was also the foreign policy adviser to Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman to run for vice president, in 1984.
The Biden administration praised Albright through State Department spokesperson Ned Price, who said, “The impact she has had on this building is felt every single day in just about every single corridor.”
Through the years Senior Portarit from Wesley College of Madeleine Albright (Photo by Brooks Kraft LLC/Sygma via Getty Images) (Brooks Kraft/Sygma via Getty Images)
Through the years Georgetown Univ. professor Madeleine K. Albright, foreign policy advisor to presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis, working in her office. (Photo by Diana Walker/Getty Images) (Diana Walker/Getty Images)
Through the years Madeleine K. Albright before the Senate Foreign. Relations Committee during her confirmation hearing to be U.S. Representative to UN, she is holding Copy of UN Charter, Washington, D.C., USA, R. Michael Jenkins, January 23, 1993. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Circa Images/Universal History Archive/Univer)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 17: Picture dated 17 April 95 shows US Secretary of State Warren Christopher yawning while US Ambassador Madeleine Albright talks during opening statements at the United Nations Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. US President Bill Clinton has named Madeleine Albright as his new secretary of state. (Photo credit should read BOB STRONG/AFP via Getty Images) (BOB STRONG/AFP via Getty Images)
Through the years 287483 09: New Secretary of State Madeline K. Albright speaks during a press conference announcing President Clinton's second-term Cabinet members December 5, 1996 in Washington, DC. Laden with political and historical significance, the President's new national security team contains among them a republican as Secretary of Defense and the first female Secretary of State. (Photo by Stephen Jaffe/Liaison) (Stephen Jaffe/Getty Images)
Through the years U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, shaking hands with the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, prior to holding talks aimed at restarting the Middle East peace process. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Through the years U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, with (from left) the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister David Levy and Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai after a three hour meeting discussing the Middle East peace talks. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Through the years AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 01: The United States Secretary of State, The Honourable Madeleine Albright, Hongi's (traditional Maori greeting) with Ngati Whatua's (people of the land) Eriapa Uruamo during her welcome to New Zealand at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on Saturday, August 1, 1998. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) (Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Through the years Meeting between United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Kim Jong-il, in October 2000, North Korea. (Photo by API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) (API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 29: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discusses her pin collection at the Museum of Arts and Design, where it is currently on display, on September 29, 2009 in New York City. The exhibition coincides with the release of her new book, Read My Pins, where Albright discusses how she used jewelry as a diplomatic weapon during her time in politics. The exhibition, Read My Pins: The Madeline Albright Collection, features over 200 of her pins and some of the stories behind them. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 19: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R) and her daughter Alice Albright arrive at the White House for a state dinner Jan. 19, 2011 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are hosting resident Hu Jintao for a state dinner during his visit to the United States. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images) (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright sits on a panel hosted by the Clinton Foundation to recognize 15-year anniversary of the Dayton accords February 9, 2011 in New York City. Hosted by former U.S President Bill Clinton, the afternoon panel discussed the making of the accords and the ramifications they had on current history. The Dayton accords brought to an end the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina which claimed an estimated 100,000 lives. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: Ladan Mohamed (L) of Alexandria, Virginia, who was originally from Somalia, hugs former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R) as she was presented with her naturalization certificate during a naturalization ceremony at Department of Interior September 23, 2011 in Washington, DC. About 50 new immigrants from 29 countries participated in the ceremony to become new U.S. citizens. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Barack Obama during an East Room event May 29, 2012 at the White House in Washington, DC. The Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, is presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: Honoree and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright peforms at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Drums Competition and Gala Concert at The Kennedy Center on September 23, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz) (Paul Morigi)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 24: Canadian Parliament Liberal Party member Justin Trudeau (L) and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright participate in a panel discussion during a conference commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Center for American Progress in the Astor Ballroom of the St. Regis Hotel October 24, 2013 in Washington, DC. Co-founded by former Clinton Administration Chief of Staff John Podesta, the liberal public policy research and advocacy organization is a think tank that rivals conservative policy groups, such as the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 06: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright attends the Annual Freedom Award Benefit hosted by the International Rescue Committee at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel on November 6, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for International Rescue Committee) (Mike Coppola)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 03: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (L) shows her broach to fellow former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the ceremonial groundbreaking of the future U.S. Diplomacy Center at the State Department's Harry S. Truman Building September 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. When completed, the Diplomacy Center will be a museum and education center that will 'demonstrate the ways in which diplomacy matters now and has mattered throughout American history.' (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 29: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R), former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz (C) and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (L) testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee January 29, 2015 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony from Kissinger, Schultz and Albright on the topic of global challenges and U.S. national security strategy. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Through the years CONCORD, NH - FEBRUARY 06: (L-R) Demoncratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) participate in a get out the vote organizing event at Rundlett Middle School on February 6, 2016 in Concord, New Hampshire. With less than one week to go before the New Hampshire primaries, Hillary Clinton continues to campaign throughout the state. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Through the years ARLINGTON, VA - JUNE 30: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter applauds after presenting former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, on June 30, 2016 at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images) (Allison Shelley/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 20: Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group; Chairman of the Board, National Democratic Institute Hon. Madeleine Albright speaks at the 2016 Concordia Summit - Day 2 at Grand Hyatt New York on September 20, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit) (Paul Morigi)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 21: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R) testifies before a House Armed Services Committee hearing as former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley looks on in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on March 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. Former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright testified before the House Armed Services Committee about America's role in the world. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 02: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright appears at American Visionary: John F. Kennedy's Life and Times debut gala at Smithsonian American Art Museum on May 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images for WS Productions) (Larry French)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 1: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrives at the Washington National Cathedral for the funeral service for the late Senator John McCain, September 1, 2018 in Washington, DC. Former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush are set to deliver eulogies for McCain in front of the 2,500 invited guests. McCain will be buried on Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Through the years MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 14: Former secretary of the state of the US Madeleine K. Albright attends the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) on February 14, 2020 in Munich, Germany. The annual conference brings together global political, security and business leaders to discuss pressing issues, which this year include climate change, the US commitment to NATO and the spread of disinformation campaigns. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images) (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)