The only meaningful complaint raised by Republicans against Susan Rice is that she shared the collective judgment on the Benghazi attack on Sunday shows. It gives new meaning to the phrase "blame the messenger" -- Rice didn't write the CIA talking points, she simply told the public what they said, just as she was asked to do.
And yet, the Republican campaign against her appears to be intensifying. The latest criticism comes by way of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who, next year, will ostensibly be the Senate's only GOP moderate.
Rice paid Collins a courtesy visit this morning, and the Maine Republican later told reporters that Rice served as assistant secretary of state for African affairs when al Qaeda attacked American embassies in Kenya and Somalia: "What troubles me so much is the Benghazi attack in many ways echoes the attacks on those embassies in 1998, when Susan Rice was head of the African region for our State Department."
This is pretty twisted -- to suggest the assistant secretary of state for African affairs is responsible for security decisions at every U.S. diplomatic outpost in an enormous continent is absurd, even by the standards of congressional Republicans -- but as the smear campaign against Rice unfolds, it's also quickly becoming the norm.
Collins added that Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) "would be an excellent appointment and would be easily confirmed by his colleagues," thus boosting the Republican Party's partisan goals of shrinking the Democratic caucus.
In the meantime, GOP antics are making Democrats getting angrier by the day.
Democrats, though, tell NBC they're ready and willing to fight for Rice and believe they could overcome those holds. Anyone who thinks that John McCain, Ayotte, and Graham's caustic reaction to their meeting with Rice yesterday gives Democrats any pause on Rice's nomination, should think again, according to a Democratic Senate aide.
"People are happy to fight for her," the aide said, adding, "This is getting people's back up. The general sense of the mood is this is ridiculous. She's obviously qualified." The aide also questioned whether Republicans besides McCain, Graham, and Ayotte would think this is a "smart fight to pick" given Rice's qualifications and that this would mean a "high-profile fight with a qualified African-American woman." As to the threat of holds from Ayotte and Graham, the aide said that if Rice is nominated and presents well at her confirmation hearing, there's a "good chance cooler heads prevail" and there would be more than enough votes to confirm her.
Leave a Comment:
It appears that the Republicans are upset, believing that Rice "lied" about Benghazi. Really??? Republicans concern about "lying?" Have they ever listened when Boehner's lips are moving?
Even folks at fox seem to be pivoting away from the lunatic's edge on this issue.
You nailed it last night...the Senate seat..it all makes sense now
It's the Senate seat they want. Though John Kerry would be a fine Sec. of State, we need him in the Senate. We don't need Scott Brown back helping the GOP obstruct the country's economic recovery, or taking away hard fought women's rights,or stopping the advancement of immigration reform or giving away what's left of the country to the wealthiest Americans. I hope POTUS sticks to his guns and nominates Rice for the job.
I remember the attack in 1998, President Clinton BEGGED the GOP Congress to appropriate funds to beef up security all over the world, instead, they were too busy impeaching him. Screw you Senators McCain Ayotte Graham and Collins, you can have my respect back when you earn it back, until then, I will treat you like the lying hypocritical scum that you are.
P.S. Even if Kerry ends up as SOS, Scott Brown still cannot win again in Massachusetts.
I wrote my Senator, Kelly Ayotte last night and told her how embarrassed New Hampshire is of her.
Sen Ayotte closed down a beloved physician in my state whose sole practice was treating addicts, and getting them back. Addicts must not matter at all, because since he LOST HIS LICENSE - directly due to her career ambitions - at least one dozen people have died from non-treatment. SHAMEFUL. How do these people sleep at night?
Now I expect fundraising letters from every imaginable Democrat and complete ignoring from Republicans, especially including my Senator.
That's very sad. I don't know her from Adam, but she is getting a pretty lousy reputation so far.
But nice to see NH has all those women elected. But Ayotte does't seem like a good fit for NH. She is playing partisan politics.
Horrible to see some actual help for addiction and help for byproducts of addiction being tossed away like that.
I concur. You were right about the GOP wanting Senator Kerry's seat so they can put Scott Brown back in office and be closer to taking over the Senate. I hope POTUS pushes with a Rice nomination.
How cool, Rachel proposes this theory of the Republicans wanting to take Senator Kerry's senate seat and then *poof* we see the "OK, watch for this to start happening", actually happening. Way to prove a theory!
Can the GOP be ANY MORE OBVIOUS at this point. I'd like to see Jon Huntsman nominated for SOS. China is going to be a huge player going forward and he was a terrific point man until he decided to run for prez.
If the President nominates Susan Rice for SoS then he should nominate Jon Huntsman for UN ambassador and watch right wing heads explode.
See my post in #34. I think that if he was available (IE not running in 2016), I'd love to see Huntsman as SOS.
So the idea is to make fools of yourself in public, not change any of your policies only how you phrase them, and expect to win elections?
Okay! I support the GOP in that model going forward!
Just goes to show that you can have a degree from Stanford and be a Rhodes Scholar but you can be as dumb as a petrified log. If this woman had a brain in her head she should have used it. She is a robot who can't think for herself. She didn't have to say what she said especially since she admits it was not true and that she had evidence otherwise. We don't need anymore academic dummies leading this country! All she is doing is digging her hole deeper and deeper. I bet she has to be driven home each night because she can't find her way through the NY streets. This will make a better movie than Dumb and Dumber...
Just goes to show, you have no idea of what you're talking about.
Your non-intelligence is showing, runningfast. The repubs are doing this for the senate seat for Brown. Ms. Rice was not in control of any of this. STOP listening to faux. It makes you appear to be an idiot.
Wait, wait: Bill Clinton, Secretary of State and Hillary Supreme Court Judge! Hold on! Slap, Slap!
Yes, the Republicans are attempting to derail President Obama's possible appointment of Ambassador Susan Rice, but for numerous reasons including opening up John Kerry's Senate seat for incumbent, soon to be former, Senator Scott Brown. It's true that Brown has a definite advantage going into a special election (campaign machine and funding already in place), but it's still speculation that Obama would appoint Kerry. But worth more consideration is that the Republicans are desperate to wound Obama politically at the start of his second term and will use anything at their disposal to achieve a "lame duck" presidency.
If I were writing the scenario for a screenplay, I would have Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, step in and say she's not stepping down given the GOP concerns over Benghazi.
If not Rice, who besides Kerry might qualify? Or is there a Kennedy available to run for Kerry's senate seat?
Susan Rice will be confirmed as Secretary of State if President Obama selects her. The GOP is in its death spiral right now. A nominee like Susan Rice can not be held up by the political huffing and puffing going on in the GOP in the Senate. Ambassador Rice did nothing wrong. She did her job on the Sunday talk show circuit. She delivered the talking points approved of by the intelligence community. She is not at liberty to say anything other than what the intelligence community told her to say because they are the approving authority about national security matters and policies towards the protection of classified information during a crisis.
The political posturing going on right now amongst GOP Senators is just that political posturing that is hollow. No real substantive reason exists for the GOP to be opposed for Susan Rice's possible appointment and confirmation as Secretary of State. The GOP right now is a very weak position. The GOP has already infuriated black voters, Hispanic voters, and most independent female voters. Most voters under the age of 35 support President Obama. The GOP can not afford the spectacle of a nasty confirmation fight over the Rice nomination. If the GOP looks like a bunch of nasty bullies in besmirching and trying to destroy a eminently qualified black women for Secretary of State they will only alienate younger voters even more. Young people are sick and tired of discrimination against minorities including gays by older older white people. If the GOP wants to commit political suicide let the fight over Susan Rice's confirmation begin. President Obama can deliver a stake through the heart of the GOP for a generation if this fight begins over Susan Rice. These nasty actions could mean Democratic majorities for a generation because the young people are really alienated from the hatred, fear monger, race baiting, and anti-women bullying of the GOP. It is political suicide for the GOP to oppose Susan Rice for Secretary of State and thoughtful Republicans know this as the truth.
That's great! The Republicans actually believe that they're on some kind of a reality T.V. show. And Trump is their host. Drama, drama, drama. They need to have their heads examined, if they think their actually going to see the 99% get ripped off again, not a chance. It's time for them to cry and to beg for help, are you kidding me?
A number of people can see thru this repub scam. They want Mr.Kerry's seat, so denigrating Ms.Rice is the plan. Only a fool, can't se this, and only a fool, doesn't know it was not her call. She didn't control the security, the talking points, or what was classified or not. These repubs are still duplicitous and low-life in deeds.
Well, i have an issue with conflict of interest with Susan Rice's holdings in the Canadian Oil investments and XL-Keystone pipeline. Maybe we should just get a WIN WIN replacement for John Kerry in Mass.
Please read and further investigate this from MotherJones. Note, the PDF link to holdings of Susan Rice does not work so I can't research more at this time.
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/11/obamas-secretary-state-financial-stake-keystone
Susan Rice is damaged goods... And republicans want John Kerry to be nominated for Secretary of State so they can try and GAIN another republican senate seat. It's all politics people, I hope president Obama does NOT nominate John Kerry and instead comes out of LEFT FIELD with the nomination of CHUCK HAGEL for the position of Secretary of State.. Republicans would be hard pressed to stop the nomination of a Chuck Hagel... An early ally of Barack Obama.. And I believe an excellent pick...
Susan Rice has a reputation within the United Nations of being abrasive, she rubs other diplomats the wrong way... I dont believe she would make an excellent Secretary of State like a Hillary Clinton , or a Bill Clinton for that matter..
Republicans are also digging into her past, something having to do with the Embassy bombings in africa and ambassadors requesting more security and being denied..
Go with Chuck Hagel Mr. president...
Let me get this straight. This whole thing about Susan Rice started with the guy who to this day defends to the death his choice of Sarah Palin being one step away from the presidency of the United States.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? Rhodes Scholar v. Sarah Vain and Small
Susan Collins was with McCain and Graham in Tripoli in 2009 meeting with Colonel Qadafi. So 3 of the 4 who are complaining the most were just shaking Qadafi's hands, if custom permitted Sen. Collins to actually shake his hand, just two years before Pres. Obama was instrumental in his undoing. The other, Sen. Ayotte, wasn't in the senate yet. So all of the senators that want Susan Rice's head on a block who were in the senate before 2010 were shaking the hands of the dictator with U.S. blood on his hands whose head Obama put on a block...That is the issue.
I have a different take on what's behind the Republican's attack on Susan Rice. John McCain and Flimsy Graham couldn't care less about Ms. Rice or the events that occurred in Lybia. The fact of the matter is that Flimsy is facing a tough re-election battle in 2014. His base, consisting of conservative white racists are not happy with him. If there is one thing that these folks hate is a black guy in a dominant, powerful position (Obama). By appearing to stand up to the black guy, Flimsy Graham gets browny points with his racist base. Joe Wilson did the same thing in his tough re-election battle when he said "you lie" in the State of the Union address. McCain owes Flimsy a big favor because Flimsy tried his best to get McCain elected in 2008. This is just a cynical attempt to get Flimsy another term at the expense of Ms. Rice. But the fact is if Obama wants Susan Rice to be the next Secretary of State, he will nominate her and these few republicans will pretend to be outraged and in the end, she will be confirmed easily and Flimsy Graham will be well on his way to another term as the senior senator from South Carolina.
Sen. Susan Collins will next implicate Susan Rice in planning the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Next week "Che" Guevara dated Rice.
Beatty