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If Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) wants to be considered the last moderate Republican standing, she's going to have to drop this outrageous campaign against Susan Rice. Consider this latest complaint (via Kevin Drum).
Collins told reporters she was "troubled" that Rice had "decided to play what was essentially a political role at the height of a contentious presidential election campaign" by appearing on five political talk shows to present the administration's position.
So, let me get this straight. The week of a terrorist attack against a U.S. consulate, the Obama administration dispatched a U.S. ambassador with foreign policy experience to the Sunday shows to update the public and the media on what transpired, based on the best available information. This, according to Susan Collins, is "troubling" because it made Rice "political."
Is there something in the water in the Republican cloakroom?
Administration officials go on Sunday shows all the time, this has been the case for decades, and I can't recall any policymaker from either party ever complaining about the practice before. Indeed, Collins' whining is arguably dumber than John McCain's -- McCain complains about what Rice said on the Sunday shows; Collins is complaining that Rice agreed to appear on the Sunday shows in the first place.
Funny, in 2004, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice appeared on a Sunday show shortly before a presidential election and repeated campaign talking points, praising George W. Bush as "a strong leader" after a debate performance. A few months later, Rice was nominated as Secretary of State, drawing praise from Susan Collins. If she found it "troubling" that Rice was being "political," Collins forgot to mention it.
Indeed, the Rice-to-Rice comparison is especially problematic for Collins, because it makes her indictment yesterday seem that much more ridiculous.
Yesterday, the Maine Republican complained, for example, that Susan Rice, in her capacity as the assistant secretary of state for African affairs during the Clinton administration, failed to appreciate the "threat assessment" surrounding two U.S. embassies attacked by al Qaeda in 1998.
Zach Roth's response rings true.
[A] far more devastating terrorist attack occurred three years later, when a different Rice, Condoleezza, served as National Security Adviser to President Bush. Indeed, in August 2001, Bush and Condoleezza Rice received a CIA memo headlined: "Bin Laden Determined To Strike In U.S." If ever a government official "had to be aware of the general threat assessment," it was Condoleezza Rice then.
Collins didn't think so, though. It's easy to "go back now and pick out a clue here and a tidbit there ... but we have to keep in mind the environment," Collins said when the memo surfaced in 2004. "We have to keep in mind the volume of reporting that the president and his advisers are dealing with each and every day."
The following year, Collins voted to confirm Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State, praising her "professional experience and personal integrity."
Condoleezza Rice failed to take the al Qaeda threat seriously before 9/11, made demonstrably false claims about Iraq before the launch of a disastrous war, and routinely played the role of a partisan activist, despite serving in an NSA role that has traditionally been non-partisan. Susan Collins wasn't troubled by any of this when she voted to make Rice the Secretary of State.
Susan Rice appeared on a Sunday show and repeated the best available information about an attack on a U.S. consulate. Susan Rice is so "troubled" by this, she's going along with a coordinated-but-stupid smear campaign.
The farce continues.
Postscript: Just to clarify something, the current Secretary of State was a politician (senator and presidential candidate). John Kerry is a politician (senator and presidential candidate). For Collins to argue that Rice's "political" qualities make her a poor choice for the State Department is pure nonsense.
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We are making a big deal about the loss of four lives in Benghazi. How about the thousands who have died in Afghanistan? No hue and cry about that? just business as usual? you need to be a high level government employee to be mourned?
When the spring thaws come in a few months, who are the repukes going to blame for Sacramento getting washed off the map?
Will it be gad, or do they just pull a name out of a hat somewhere?
Well since the GOP has such a beef with Ms Rice, I suggest we nominate:
Al Gore for Secretary of State
Would that light up the GOP or what? I'll bet that if that name was floated we would see Ms Rice suddenly become the GOP favorite.
Idea from the Daily Beast Michael Tomasky:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/29/six-nominees-to-succeed-hillary-clinton-as-secretary-of-state.html
Republican have absolutely no shame. They are so blatantly dishonest and conniving that even a four year old can see through their scams.
The GOP won't be happy until we relitigate the entire lies surrounding the invasion of Iraq.....
then they will try to blame the distraction on the dems!
Collins saying"Rice should have told the POTUS NO" is laughable!!!! Collins should have said no when she voted to cut the funding for embassy security!!!
Rice did the only responsible thing not to divulge classified information. McCain get over it-you are picking the wrong war-again!
I sent the following note to Senator Collins thru her Senate office email with this article attached:
I am not a resident of Maine, but the Senator's recent actions regarding a POTENTIAL nomination of UN Ambassador Susan Rice affects the whole country, so I ask that the following article be taken under consideration. Please note that there are written and video records readily available which reveal that Senator Collins has had very different stances on nominees which makes her current comments appear hypocritical at best.
It should be noted there's an error in the following paragraph from near the end of the article. I have added bracketed correction below:
Susan Rice appeared on a Sunday show and repeated the best available information about an attack on a U.S. consulate. Susan Rice [Collins] is so "troubled" by this, she's going along with a coordinated-but-stupid smear campaign.
Susan Collins has outlived her usefulness as a senator. She'd do well in social services or perhaps sitting behind a DMV window.
BTW.. absolutely adore you, Ms Maddow, and hope you'll stay on at MSNBC!
Loved Rachel's show last night. The connect the dots in regards to the John Kerry spin is great. And, it seems to be more than just "a thought"...
Ambassador Rice... should get the position.
I have loved Karen Finney's responses in regards to all of this. I think she said... "Do they really want to go there!?"
Grasping for straws 101. These lunatics are failing the class.
I have a need to investigate all of the Middle East so-called intelligence for the past 12 years. With emphasis on the WMD reports used by the Bush Administration to lead America into the Iraq War.
These reports were championed by Condoleeza Rice, Dick Chaney, Gen. Powell, Bolton, Wolfowitz and all of their henchman, costing the lives of thousands of Young American Troops.
These reports were either very wrong, or outright ficticious lies. If they were just wrong then i hope none of these people still have their jobs. If they are based on trumped up lies, the people should be on their way to jail. These reports were also always cited by McCaine and Lindsey at their news interviews calling for action.
Time to retire, ya think?
I would like to know when I can share the today's show. The portion about the absolute stupidity in the Republican rhetoric on Secretary of State. I think my friends should see it. How soon are shows posted after they are aired?
Just watching Wednesday night's show via Internet, and hey! I'm not crazy! Rachel's devious mind works exactly like mine: for a week now I've been thinking the made-up row over Susan Rice was for the purpose of getting John Kerry out of Scott Brown's way. Aha, I'm not alone.
A Rice By Any Other Name
So, the last president had for secretary of state an African-American woman with the surname "Rice" and a long, unusual first name. The current president may nominate for secretary of state an African-American woman with the surname "Rice" and a short, common first name. Both are smart, competent women with distinguished careers of service. But John McCain and the Republican Congress have vowed to block the confirmation of the second Rice. This cannot be about the phony "scandal" over Benghazi - that is just way too thin. What, then? It must be her first name! My advice to Susan Rice is to change her first name to "Gorgonzola" and see if that helps.
Perhaps President Obama could designate Susan Rice as Acting Sec of State pending confirmation. Then if no up or down vote on her confirmation, the President never offer another name. dockster
I think he should activate all appointments that have been held for 4 years while they are recessed for Christmas!!! They need a reminder of who won and what it means...