Condoleezza Rice appears to have a reputation for relative high-mindedness, especially when compared to her colleagues in the Bush administration. But before she addresses the Republican National Convention tonight, I'd remind the political world that Rice is a far more aggressive partisan than is generally appreciated.
It went largely overlooked at the time, but in 2004, Rice was the first National Security Advisor in memory to hit the campaign trail, giving Republican stump speeches in battleground states, despite serving in an office that's supposed to be nonpartisan (especially during two wars). More recently, Rice "electrified" Republicans with a "surprisingly partisan"speech at an exclusive Romney fundraiser. BuzzFeed reported, "One surrogate said he was surprised by the red meat rhetoric employed by Rice."
But while Rice is ostensibly hoping to give Romney some credibility on foreign policy -- one of his more dramatic weaknesses -- she hasn't quite honed her talking points yet, as was evident on CBS this morning.
What I found most interesting about this is that Rice seemed to have no idea what to say about President Obama's foreign policy record. The best she could come up with was some vague attack on the president's policy in Syria, which more or less echoed the same things Obama himself has said.
It's also worth noting that Rice was a strong supporter of the New START treaty -- a policy Romney condemned (but failed miserably to understand). So what is it about Romney's vision that Rice likes? She hasn't said, but it appears to have something to do with the "R" after his name.
As for why Rice still feels comfortable claiming credibility on international affairs after the spectacular failures of the Bush/Cheney administration in the areas of foreign policy, national security, and diplomacy, your guess is as good as mine.
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As for why Rice still feels comfortable claiming credibility on international affairs after the spectacular failures of the Bush/Cheney administration in the areas of foreign policy, national security, and diplomacy, your guess is as good as mine.
Steve nailed it here. Going further, I still wonder whether, had the Geneva Conventions been enforced, Rice should have been tried and convicted of war crimes.
What war crimes? Disagree with the Iraq war, as I did, but no one committed war crimes. Some stupid behavior by troops, but no crimes. Please stop trying to go back to the past to justify the present. The present in war is Afghanistan - Obama's surge. How's that going?
"Mika's dad" was one of the most incompetent National Security Advisors in the history of the modern geopolitical world. Serving a president that was equally confused and overwhelmed by his position....sound like anyone we know? Enforcing the Geneva Convention....tell that to the family of Dan Pearl....You people have no idea as to the threat to this country by extremists that want nothing more than to detroy our way of life. This country deserves better than what we have... Ms Maddow could it be you are jealous of successful women....
What war crimes?
For the purposes of this Convention, torture means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity...No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat or war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture...An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture.
http://www.hrweb.org/legal/cat.html
@RCS34:
Bush: "Truly not concerned about bin Laden"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PGmnz5Ow-o
Obama: Osama bin Laden Dead
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ellnd3M8-ow
-- and you may not have noticed, but Dr. Maddow is herself a very successful woman!
"and you may not have noticed, but Dr. Maddow is herself a very successful woman!"
Yes, but she commits the unforgivable sin (to those on the right) of not being Ideologically sound.
Tom,
You are advocating for Robme/Ryan who will destroy medicare, a program you depend on. You really have no point to make.
RCS34:
"You people have no idea as to the threat to this country by extremists that want nothing more than to detroy our way of life. This country deserves better than what we have..."
Wow. You know, the last time I heard that old conservative bit, it was "they hate us for our freedoms." That propaganda line is pretty much debunked today, so save it. Maybe you could admit that "those people" might just want us out of their country.
Like... out of all these countries:
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Antigua
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Congo
Costa Rica
Cote D’Ivoire
Cuba (Guantanamo)
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Diego Garcia
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Guatemala
Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Mali
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Somalia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Helena
Sudan
Suriname
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Compare Ms.Rice to President Carter's National Security Advisor."Mika's Dad" thoroughly schools Morning Joe on the intricacies of foreign policy every time he appears on their show. He also writes books that are read by others toiling in that arcane and rarified universe. I suspect that he and Hillary speak often.
Oh, hell! -Just compare her to Colin Powell. . .
But, she returned to a real job, unlike other opinionators who can't find anyone to hire them
Sorry, but I do not consider teaching at the college level to be very heavy lifting for Ms. Rice. Opinionate in the classroom or opinionate on TV--two of the easier careers.
Follow the convention of self-serving politicians. "What's in it for meee?"
I can't wait for the Dem convention in Charlotte. A right to work state with no union construction workers. A state that voted against gay marriage. And, all those humble Dems that propose everything for everyone without any cost, or the rich will pay. Understand these are conventions geared to spike the base.
I can't wait for the Dem convention, too. Dems should be proud of successfully having worked with the Prez to turn around the economy, create millions of jobs, pass historic, constitutional healthcare reform, and to have worked to bring about an end to Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell -- for starters.
Ms Rice changed the question about putting troops in Syria to 'boots on the ground' in Syria. Takes the humanity out of our military's sacrifices. I was wrong about her possibly agonizing about the 50.000 plus casualties in the bogus Iraq war.
Kudos to Charlie Rose and Nora O'Donnell for not letting Rice get away with simply playing the "Rinse and Repeat" wordgame. And why does Rice have any credibility left whatsoever? Had to laugh when she insisted that a "President Romneyshambles" would set clear policy - is that supposed to be a joke? Because is certainly is.
Rice had no idea what to say about President Obama's foreign policy record because in GOP/Condi-speak, foreign policy means "Invade and/or otherwise create a power vacuum in highly volatile tribal locales to pilfer natural resources and/or generate revenue for KBR/Halliburton".
Ms. Rice is one of just a few people of color at the RNC Convention ( and in the Republican Party overall ) who are letting themselves be used as tokens illustrating the ' Big Tent ' that the Republican party supposedly operates within. How very pathetic.
Pointing to a Big Tent over the Republican party is like pointing to the Emperor's New Cloths . . . absolutely imaginary and BOGUS !
Nonsense! The republican party is a 'big tent' party. It is so big that there is room for reich wing social issues wackjobs, reich wing economic issues wackjobs, and even further reich wing wackjobs.
LOL ! You may have something there Sad Old Veteran !
Their tent is full of the trillions of American tax dollars their billionaire puppet masters have STOLEN !
Their tent is full of the criminal legal paperwork regarding many, many of their member's CRIMES !
Their tent is full of the lies they tell their own party members and full of all their CRAP !
Their tent is full of the spines they leave on the floor because they are so GUTLESS !
ETC
ETC
ETC
Given the racial tone of the Romney campaign, I imagine Rice's job will be to make the most racially-charge attacks with a black face, playing the role of Malkin earned her stripes by pushing Japanese internment denial.
"As for why Rice still feels comfortable claiming credibility on..."
Anything that happened during W.'s debacle Presidency - I have NO IDEA! Frankly, I'm sorry that the whole mis-adminstration escaped being tried at the Hague for war crimes/crimes against humanity!
If you ever listened to anything she promoted in the Dubya administration, you'd know she was as full of it as the rest of them. She's promoting Willard because it would be another administration of lies like Dubya.
These Republicans, extremists of hatred, and the extreme wealthy talk about making tough decisions, when they are actually not. It takes a real serious look at things and knowing the plight of people than doing things that really do help those people, not put people in misery, despair, and death. The only thing these blind Republicans, extremists of hatred, and the extreme wealthy are doing is serving their own selfish personal gain and have not even yet helped anybody, except their own self interests. They sit there and talk about charity, when in reality would put everybody else into poverty as they gained their power, control and wealth. How much charity do you think people will be able to give when everybody is placed into poverty, misery, despair, and death, except the rich? No, these blind Republicans, extremists of hatred, and the extreme wealthy are only looking to take the easy path without any thought in their actions, except how much power, control, and wealth they can obtain.
I think you wallow too much in self pity. Creating a class war solves nothing. Understanding what has changed fundamentally in this country and the world does. Pitting the wealthy against others will not resolve our debt, deficit or employment problems.
If those on the right keep sneering about "class warfare", they are likely to get some of the real thing eventually. Here is what it is like:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9738680&mesg_id=9738953
Tom, I suspect your comment was mere trolling, but FWIW - there already is a "class war". It was begun more than 30 years ago with the so-called "Reagan Revolution" (the name self-selected by those who "fought" it).
That war has been waged ever since, and the result? Among other obvious things, the economic decimation of what was once known as the American "middle class", the greatest disparity of both wealth and income in this country since the "Gilded Age" and the least opportunity for educational/social/economic advancement in any modern advanced industrial economy (i.e., what was, once upon a time, referred to as the "American Dream").
For those of us in the 99%, having been deliberately disadvantaged and dispossessed by design for decades, it is long overdue that we should begin to fight back!
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
Romney is celebrating the failed Bush agenda by using Condi Rice in such a way. Mitt Romney and the other raging neo-con hawks have miscalculated. Their aggressive rhetoric on foreign policy and relentless bashing of the president's record underestimates the support Obama has on foreign policy and the complete disgust among the public with any talk of more neo-con military adventures that will hit America hard in the pocketbook and with the lives of our soldiers. We do not need war with Iran. This agenda is out of touch with both reality and the sentiment of most voters. -- principled progressive
Condoleeza Rice lied to the American people about Iraq's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons (remember the aluminum tubes?). Because of her actions, thousands of American soldiers died and tens of thousands were seriously injured. I don't know how she can look a single military family member in the eye after that.
" I don't know how she can look a single military family member in the eye after that."
It's easy when you have no conscience.
And Obama's current National Security Advisor Tom Donilon was a campaign veteran and former lobbyist (Oh, I thought lobbyist weren't going to have a role in the administration) who's only client from 99-05 Fannie Mae...I say Ms. Rice stacks up pretty good.
Oh look, the false equivalence king is back...isn't that special!
Tonight RNC - Condescending Rice, Preachy Hickabee and that VP pick who spent entire life on government dole...
I, for one, will make sure history shows Bush was the worst President ever. Oh oh, here we go again, George W. Bush, war profiteers, big oil, right?
I know it’s a stretch… but for arguments sake lets say Americans can conveniently forget about the 7000+ dead, 30,000+ wounded US soldiers and only GOD knows how many Iraqis and Afghanis. Forget that Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rove took the good will of the world after 9/11 and turned it to HATE and mistrust.
How these chicken hawks sent our troops into battle WITHOUT PROPER ARMOR or any clear cut plan beyond George W. declaring “Mission Accomplished”. Never mind military strategists didn’t think it was a good idea to get rid of the ONE dictator (Saddam Hussein) in the Middle East that had an IRON BOOT on the throat of fanatical Islam. Remember… the terrorist, Osama bin Lunatic, degenerates that caused 9/11?
Forget IRAN? Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rove and Morning Joe can have victory in Iraq when they can stroll through Iraq WITHOUT an armored division and air support to keep them from harm… y’know like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has done several times since the USA got rid of Saddam.
FORGET the TRILLIONS of dollars wasted in Iraq or the 20 BILLION dollars missing or the 175,000 weapons misplaced or all the arms dealers and WAR profiteers that milked our national treasury. FORGET about all the Constitutional VIOLATIONS, domestic spying, bold lying, Justice Dept. bias, Walter Reed, Abu Ghraib, soldiers getting electrocuted in showers due to shoddy military contractor work…
YEAaaaaa… once again, imagine we live in a country where almost half the population is dumber than a tree full of monkeys. These citizens are so damn ignorant they allowed some of the worst criminals in history bend them over and #*~/ them in the *** for 8 years. Even worse these numbskulls LIKED IT so much they want MORE!
MORE of the waste, fraud, abuse, lies, incompetence, scandal, fear mongering, sexual deviancy, corruption, off-shore tax evasion, media consolidation, arms dealing, reckless economics, deregulation, war profiteering, Bush/Paulson corporate welfare, Constitutional violations and a Corporate Crime Wave of EPIC proportions.
IF THE READER CAN POSSIBLY FORGET ALL THAT… then the WORST thing the Bush Administration DID was NOT raise taxes to pay for the WARS, tax cuts for the rich and Medicare Part iDiot. You want to hear about Fiscal Irresponsibility GRANDE?
Instead, Bush/Cheney borrowed from COMMUNIST China and Saudi Arabia (at outrageous interest rates) AND put OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN under the thumb of MASSIVE FOREIGN DEBT!
If there’s ANYONE out there who can explain away Bush/Cheney Administration CRIMES please reply because I’m NOT GETTING IT! Funny how we never heard any complaints from the so-called Tea Party crowd while Bush/Cheney were spending our national wealth like a crack HO with a credit card. I am somebody who fights back against the true enemies of FREEDOM cyberbitchslap.blogspot.com
©2012 by SPQR
Of course, that's not setting the bar very high - most of them made pond-scum look high-minded. Kindasleezy has to have been the worst National Security Advisor in our nation's history (suitably enough for the worst Presidency). I still have to suppress the urge to puke when I think about her testifying after
9-11, and saying, with a straight face and a "gee-golly" tone of voice, that no one could have possibly foreseen that anyone would use civilian jets as weapons, when only months before 9-11 happened she had attended an international security conference, in Italy, IIRC, which entire conference had to be relocated because of a reported threat of... wait for it... terrorists using civilian jets as weapons! Yeah, who could possibly have foreseen... after that? I mean, other than anyone with at least two connected cranial neurons, anyway. And she was a crappy SOS, too!
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
The documentary movie "9/11 Press for Truth". At the very least no one should have died in Tower II.
Wow. She was amazingly unprepared. Just goes to show, what happens when news journalist ask straightforward and to-the-point questions. Maybe Rice thought this was just going to be a cpl of softball questions lobbed at her for good PR.
Condoleeza Rice's comment "You might not be able to control your circumstances but you could control your response to your circumstances" is totally absurd. Modern science shows us that children who have been abused, neglected, malnourished, and who are victims of multigenerational poverty are oftentimes unable to control their responses to their circumstances. Our prisons are overflowing with these "children". When someone has the audacity to say that ANYONE, regardless of circumstance, can just pull themselves up by their bootstraps and carry on, especially in the economic downturn we are currently experiencing for even the most privileged in our society, and everyone at the GOP convention applauds... it makes me think about finding another place to live where people recognize the difference between privilege and depravity and work together to build a community where everyone has equal access to social support and opportunity. Anyone who thinks a place like this doesn't exist, should think again.
The GOP is living in the Stone Age.
WTC under Bush
Osama Ben Laden dead under Obama
attacks under Obama 0
I think Obama has some idea that there are bad people out there.
A republican talking about foreign policy and defense is like a catholic bishop talking about child abuse - they are just not credible!