WASHINGTON, April 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said one of America's biggest foreign policy challenges right now is to get its "own house" in order, according to a transcript released by the State Department on Thursday.
"That is something that I feel very strongly about," she said in the "Conversations on Diplomacy" moderated by American TV show host Charlie Rose.
She said the U.S. has to consolidate its "own economic and political position" in order to be able to continue to "influence events in the future."
"But it's also important to keep the American people feeling very positive about the direction of our own country because that influences what kind commitment a government can make," she added.
"Conversations on Diplomacy" is a series of discussions joined by current and former U.S. State Secretaries, who talk about current issues and reflect on U.S. foreign policy.
The U.S. is still struggling to find a solution to its mounting deficit and high unemployment rate. Both U.S. President Barack Obama and Clinton had warned before that no country can long maintain its geopolitical position if its economy is suffering.
