It's always a shame when a smear campaign works. Today, Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration for Secretary of State, and President Obama issued a statement acknowledging that he's accepted her decision.
"For two decades, Susan has proven to be an extraordinarily capable, patriotic, and passionate public servant. As my Ambassador to the United Nations, she plays an indispensable role in advancing America's interests. Already, she has secured international support for sanctions against Iran and North Korea, worked to protect the people of Libya, helped achieve an independent South Sudan, stood up for Israel's security and legitimacy, and served as an advocate for UN reform and the human rights of all people.
"I am grateful that Susan will continue to serve as our Ambassador at the United Nations and a key member of my cabinet and national security team, carrying her work forward on all of these and other issues. I have every confidence that Susan has limitless capability to serve our country now and in the years to come, and know that I will continue to rely on her as an advisor and friend. While I deeply regret the unfair and misleading attacks on Susan Rice in recent weeks, her decision demonstrates the strength of her character, and an admirable commitment to rise above the politics of the moment to put our national interests first. The American people can be proud to have a public servant of her caliber and character representing our country."
In a letter to the president, Rice explained, "If nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly -- to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities... That trade-off is simply not worth it to our country."
Remember, the Republican offensive -- led by Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins, Bob Corker, and Kelly Ayotte -- was based on literally nothing. There was no evidence of wrongdoing, no evidence of incompetence, and no evidence of professional misjudgments. Rice appeared on some Sunday shows, shared the collective judgment of the intelligence community about an attack that had transpired five days prior, and some of those preliminary details were mistaken -- not because she was irresponsible with the facts, but because the initial information was incomplete.
For that, Republicans decided to tear her down, basically because they could and because they felt like it. Her GOP detractors treated Rice as a partisan pawn to be eliminated, in the hopes of embarrassing the White House. The real embarrassment is the baseless smear campaign that's unfolded over the last month -- and the fact that it ultimately worked as planned.
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Unbelievable. McCain and his two cohorts are traitors of the worst kind.
No blanking way should McCain be allowed on the committee in the Senate that would approve future nominees for Secretary of State. Harry, listen up, please.
Unfortunately, Reid is only in control of Democratic committee assignments. Mitch MocConnell put McCain on Foreign Affairs, most likely so he could cause as much trouble and difficulty as possible, since that is all the Senile Old Southern White People's Party is about.
Why reward idiots?
Now the idiots are not idiots, they are winners.
Rewarded for spreading lies and misinformation.
Why don't they just appoint Glen Beck to the job?
The Republicans want Scott Brown back, and they'll do anything to win. And the Dems will give it to them. :-(
And show your Republican friends this:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-november-28-2012/legends-of-the-fault
Exactly, Pat P11111. Why reward them, indeed.
You know what the real embarrassment is? The real embarrassment is that Obama allowed Republicans to succeed. Again. The man can not and will not stand up to them. Frickin' maddening.
In this story Susan Rice is a patriot who lives and breathes country first, John McCain and every other Republican involved in this baseless slander are a disgrace and everyone in the media who never once turned their guns on the Republican’s slander despite all the facts available are equally disgraceful. Given all the Republicans have done over the last few years I'm not at all surprised that they would stoop to this level. I’m not surprised, but continually disappointed by the Beltway press being so concerned with false fairness that they completely missed the point that they were never being fair to Susan Rice. They continued to blast questions directed at accusing the administration of misleading the American public for political reasons and never once questioned Republicans for their obvious misleading of the American people by so thoroughly attacking Susan Rice for purely political reasons.
What is 'unbelievable' in this is that Barack Obama, our Capitulator-in-Chief, has caved in, yet again, to the GOP witch hunters. Principles only matter if you stick to them when it's inconvenient to do so. Instead, Obama is playing right into the hands of John McCain and Mitch McChinless. Once again, the GOP minority in the Senate is running the show! Any bets on how fast they confirm John Kerry so he can vacate his Senate sit? Any bets on Scott Brown getting appointed to it?
So kelly ayotte has chosen to marry her political fortunes to geezers mccain and graham. just her way of letting the BIG MONEY GUYS know that she is on her back and ready to deal. how laughable to hear this feckless cipher complain about her misgivings over a public servant who outclasses her in every possible way. ayotte makes me sick.
mccain's vietnam cell mates said he recieved special favors from the cong .
Because he broke and informed. By his own admission.
Dave...
Highly unlikely... Deval Patrick, the current Governor of Massachusetts, is a black Democrat... He is far more likely to be incensed about the Republican mistreatment of Susan Rice than you are...
The Republicans figure that, as a former Senator who just ran a race for his seat, Brown already has the machinery and momentum in place for vying for Kerry's seat than any Democrat, especially since any Democrat opponent would literally be starting to run for the special election from a dead stop...
Know the best way to counter that problem? Run a Massachusetts Democrat who is well known already, has a big following and likely to tear through the false facade of Scott Brown...
My suggestion? Caroline Kennedy...
Have Governor Patrick appoint her to Kerry's empty seat pro tem, and she would be building up her credibility and machinery while running in the special election.. Brown wouldn't have a chance...
David . . . Caroline's not a Massachusetts Democrat. I believe that she's currently a resident of New York. (And yes, I know that Senators don't have to live in a state to represent it ... but it's still a pretty good idea to have one that lives in MA as the Dem nominee.)
The Democrats would be well advised to encourage Rep. Edward Markey to run. He probably has a high enough profile and the resources to win an election against Scott Brown, even with the tens of millions the financial industry will spend to get Brown elected.
I've also heard the name Rachel Maddow bandied about?
Sandy...
Only in Scott Brown's wildest imagination.. It would be a huge gift to Brown... Not only would he raise huge amounts of money from donors, Brown would use her for target practice... An openly gay, liberal woman? Fearmongering would have a holiday!
mpguy...
Caroline Kennedy may not currently be a resident of Massachusetts, but she was born there, and her father was one of its most famous Senators, Presidents and political martyrs... She would trounce Brown harder than her uncle Ted beat Romney...
mpguy...
I just read Markey's bio, and although I find his record admirable, two things give me pause...
After winning 16 elections to office and being in the House for 32 years, Markey's become a very big fish in a pond filled with guppies... At 66, I'm not sure he'd care for the loss in seniority a move to the Senate would entail...
After Ted Kennedy's death, his name was one brought up as a possible replacement... Rather than rising to the challenge, he endorsed Representative Michael Capuano, instead, rather than face Brown, which ended up with Brown in the Senate...
mpguy...
One more thing going for Caroline... Although she does live in New York City, Kennedy owns her mother's 375-acre (1.52 km2) estate known as Red Gate Farm in Aquinnah (formerly Gay Head) on the island of Martha's Vineyard. The New York Daily News estimated Kennedy's net worth in 2008 at over $100 million...
I'd LOVE to see Caroline run and trounce Brown. I hope she does. She would be great at being Senator, like her Uncle Teddy.
McCain, Graham, Ayotte, Collins and the rest of the smear terrorists should rot in hell for what they did! Vote those heartless, two-faced bitches out of office.
That Sucks ! As she is Very Qualified for the position ! Re-Consider it , Susan !
Unfortunately, her reasoning is right. The sad thing is, this sets up a situation where these scum can now dictate who will be nominated for Secretary of State. What might be best would be for Hillary to remain, and to stick her thumb in their eye between now and 2014.
Much Respect to her and her decision , she has the entire country in mind for her decision ! These gopissers will stop at nothing to screw up America ! Sad for America and Americans , Very Sad ! The ONLY Reason that mccain is alive today is because they found out that his daddy was an admiral in the navy !
What is so scary about this, is that there is a gradual shift in power happening right under our noses. We think we've "won" because of Obama's re-election, when behind the scenes, sociopathic politicians are working to undermine and harm others at the state levels too. I also have a feeling that a deal on the fiscal cliff has already been made or is close and Obama and Boehner and their "secret" talks will cause harm to those who have already suffered and paid so much.
Austerity, lack of conscience, harm to others. It will never stop until we can really see it and do something about it. We tend to believe what we hear, rather than look deeper and act on what we really know. The sociopaths will win, because they have no conscience, no empathy and no compassion. They will attempt to (and already have in many states), strip rights from American's shove people further into poverty, and create smear campaigns against those with conscience who would love to stop what is happening, but are overwhelmed by sociopathic power and influence. What an absolute outrage all of this and all we do is sit on our hands and let it happen...people need to wake up..
Gratifying to see Andrea Mitchell come to Rice's defense.
Whatever honor McCain's military service brought him, has been tarnished by his petty, vindictive, juvenile actions. Retire, John, you've embarrassed yourself and Arizona enough.
What really happened was irrelevant to Republicans... The chance to blame Democrats is all that’s important.
McConnell: It’s Obama’s fault.
Boehner: It’s Obama’s fault.
Cantor: It’s Obama’s fault.
Limbaugh: It’s Obama’s fault.
Ryan: It’s Obama’s fault.
Hannity: It’s Obama’s fault.
McCain: It’s Rice’s fault.
Graham: It’s Rice’s fault.
Ayotte: Psst...Lindsey... whose fault?
Graham: Rice. it’s Rice’s fault.
Bachmann: It’s Condoleezza’s fault.
McCain: Oh my Go... It’s Susan.
Bachmann: Who?
McCain: Susan... Rice.
Bachann: Who’s she?
Boehner: SUSAN RICE!
Bachmann: For Secretary of State Rice?
McConnell: NoNo... We want Kerry for that.
Boehner: Oh for... WOMEN!
Ayotte: Did you call me, John?
Ambassador Rice made the right move. At least in the UN she doesn't have to deal with these imbeciles.
At least someone is concerned about spending Americas money {Susan Rice and President Obama} = these gopissers are the ones that want spend Americas money to no avail and then turn around and complain about spending ! Nothing New from these Gomers on the Wigged-out side !
Butt , Oh , Thats Rite , Its OK If THEY [gopissers] want to do it ! I Almost Forgot !
MS...
Check out my post at #1.11...
Obama's secret plan to ensure an easy nomination process for John Kerry has worked perfectly!!!
While Kerry has the chops for it, if nominated (though Hilary has set a high bar, in my opinion), I think this has been a Republican plan to get Scott Brown another run for Senate - this time would be a 6-year term he'd pursue. Sad to say it looks like it's working. Though I don't know who else the White House is considering.
If John Kerry becomes Secretary of State, his position in the Senate will go to a Republican. This is a chess game, and that move would play into their hands. Leave Kerry where he is for right now, and put John McCain in the position just to get him out of the way for the next four years. Better yet, let's send john baner to Lybia!!
Actually, aside from the substitution specifically of Kerry, I think Mike might be on to something here. President Obama has earned a reputation in my mind as an adept player of "11-dimensional chess" (or at least 3-dimensional) while his opponents are still playing checkers (or maybe "tick-tack Dough"?).
I have little doubt that the Rape-Public-CON intent involved Kerry - they aren't exactly "masters of subtlety". But I think we can be less certain that President Obama's intent always involved Ambassador Rice - she was never actually nominated, after all - the idea was just "floated" in the press. Meanwhile, the spotlight has remained relentlessly on some Rape-Public-CON buffoons unfairly disparaging a woman and a minority long after the elections had ended. Hmmm... anyone checked the Rape-Public-CON poll numbers lately? :D
It's possible that he just correctly anticipated how they would behave... and gave them the opportunity. "Proceed, Senators..." It is interesting to note that almost from the moment that reports began to surface that the Ambassador was even being considered, those Rape-Public-CON Senators were all over her like... well, White on Rice (heheh... see what I did there?).
The trouble with ignorance is that it picks up confidence as it goes along.
- Arnold H. Glasow
;-)
M-in-M , perhaps reverse psychology really does work very well on sociopaths [gopissers] !
I think you got that backwards, this was the plan cook-up by the repubs. on a number of levels..
1. revenge 2. political power 3. detract, obstruct, and block any policies or nominee... And its time for the democrats in the senate to start acting like they are a majority and in control and stop letting a minority of old white southern bitter men run the upper chamber...
I haven't seen ANY evidence of that. I have seen apologists for his caves try to spin them as multi-level chess. They weren't masterful chess moves - they were just caves.
@KWR-- Scott Brown just LOST his chance at a 6-year term. If Kerry is confirmed as SOS, Governor Patrick will appoint someone, and then there will be a special election to fill the seat. Kerry is up for re-election in 2014. So the special election is to fill the seat until that date.
It would be slightly hilarious for Brown to win another Special Election, serve less than 2 years, and then be defeated again in 2014. But there is no reason to believe that he will win. Massachusetts is a BLUE state, and Brown just lost as the incumbent. He has name recognition, but that cuts both ways.
Don't give up she may be back if the Senate manages to get any of the reforms through
"The real embarrassment is..."
Sens. McCain, Graham, Ayotte & Corker who know absolutely N-O-T-H-I-N-G except how to throw tantrums! And the fact that they are sitting in Congress makes me really wonder how dumbed down and simple Americans have become by voting these people into public office!!
I'm sorry that Ms. Rice has had to endure this nonsense from these nonsensical people!
what a sad little man you are - emphasis on little
I think you meant to say Condi, you're confusing the two Rice's. I know they both are black and all. And they do favor each other, but they don't look that much alike.
Thanks, 49, for the further demonstration of what ignorant scum you ignorant scum are. Go back to fornicating your sheep, it's what you're good at.
This never happened
No Calvin, I definitely didn't mean Condi - she belongs in the Hague on the charges of treason and lying to take this nation into war under false pretenses - her bosses also need to be there with her!
I was being respectful to Ms. Susan Rice....
Forty-niner, sometimes in the interest of national security, publicity of underlying facts are kept from the media-not to lie to the people of the U.S., but knowing that our media is also viewed by our enemies throughout the planet. SMART PEOPLE KNOW THIS!! Susan Rice did her job, she did it admirably, and she should not be persecuted by the likes of those republicans whose characters, as men are questionable, and as representatives of Americans is tantamount to millionaires' puppets.
McCAIN .... Has allways had this thing about him that say's .... Dont trust this guy . and to be a Senator in Arizona , and to be Republican too...
fortynine point4...
Mmmmm... unusual to see someone use their IQ instead of a name.
She discredited herself by spouting the party line, then by not retracting her statements after the truth came out.
You don't know what you are talking about, Tom.
The questions should go to the Republican favorite ...David Petraus (that's the wrong spelling, I know.)
What party line? What truth? You really have no idea what you're talking about.
John McCain thinks Sarah is bright.
Tom, you've got your Rice mixed up. Condi Rice did exactly that, and not only did McCain and Graham *not* say "boo" about it, they praised her to the hilt for it.
What party line? As of right now we have never received any information that suggests that in any way, shape, or form did Rice lie or misrepresent information to the American public.
If you were other bloggers I would be sympathetic to confusion about this issue. However Tom I have addressed this with you time after time. You even admitted to me that you were lying about your position on the Benghazi issue and you've even admitted to misrepresenting the facts. And yet you still continue to present the same information and line you presented one very other post that has been thoroughly debunked by your own admission.
Again I plead that we please return to the realm of sanity and away from the right wing conspiracy circle. Please.
Citations, please?
What exactly is the "party line" and where and when did Amb. Rice not tell the truth?
Actually, Tom, the truth has yet to be revealed. All we know now is that she spoke the Talking points given to her by the CIA. Thanks to the republican persecutors, our enemies now know that we have more vulnerability than we tried to portray. Great Goin, McCain gang!! Why not send Al-Quaeda an engraved invitation!!
Tom is clueless. Whether its willful or not, enough said.
Party line? What ARE you talking about -- these were talking points provided by the Vaunted Intelligence Agencies...you know, the ones the Cheney/Bush maneuvered around until they got what they wanted? Not so much any more - they just say it as it is.
Funny, how it is ok for Peter King and his ilk to trip over himself to the nearest microphone -- and Issa releasing names of those in the middle east HELPING America -- and that is no big deal
But READING THE FREAKING talking points is High Treason.
[anyone ever watch the Sunday shows consecutively? Republicans spout talking points and buzz words like parrots -- but then...that is ok, right?
gag
Isn't it the job of Sec. of State to follow the diplomacy examples set forth by our President?
This was blatantly political, but not in the case of Susan Rice, per se.
She got the talking points that were publicly allowable to explain what happened. This happened in Libya, where we assisted the rebels out Ghadaffi.
The CIA was the organization involved with intelligence that was put forth.
I honestly cannot see how the event in Libya could have any negative effect on Presidential election.
McCain and Graham are just trying to score points to hurt the President. One out of spite, perhaps, the other to score votes from the RW in S.C. voters.
It's a shame they smeared this brilliant woman and I hope she has another valuable position. She is smart and loyal.
When is loyalty viewed as a bad thing for diplomats? It just seems like the RW are still pining for non diplomacy swaggering and saber rattling.
So sad, they have this need to drown the government in the tub, so war, war, war, no diplomacy. This is not what WTP want. Just ask about Afghanistan war, then you have to ask if any appetite for other wars can remain?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/support-for-war-in-afghanistan-poll_n_1502205.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/world/asia/support-for-afghan-war-falls-in-us-poll-finds.html?_r=0
Cartoon: Please advise me when I have admitted to lying or misrepresenting my position. All she needed to say at the time was facts are still being reviewed, and we will announce when we knew. The whole bogus thing was the spin about the video, started by the Pres
Rice did state that the situation was still being investigated and that more information would come forward. To the best of her knowledge at the time this was an out of control protest that contained extremist elements. Nothing that she has stated has ever been proven wrong. You openly agreed last time we had this exchange that there was no proof that there was a lie, but instead stated that you just wish they had handled the circumstance differently. The same lie you told last time is the exact same lie you told this time and are admitting to lying about AGAIN. Sheesh.
This is a shame. I understand why she would not want to put herself or the President in a difficult situation -- but absolutely DISLIKE that it is even remotely responsive to the unfounded, feet-stomping, disgraceful actions of the McCain/Graham cabal.
It, sadly for our democracy, indicates that it doesn't matter if one lies - just do it loudly and often enough - and it will have an impact. McCain/Graham et al have proven that they are not interested in truth & justice, and are not patriots!
McCain/Graham's inability to apply critical thinking/listening skills to the complexity of the situation does not equate to Rice not telling the truth. Both of them routinely go onto the Sunday talk shows and lie to the American people!
Prove it.
fortyninepoint4 -- Again, just because you say it, repeat it and say it again ... doesn't make it so.
There was nothing for Rice to lie about! Absolutely nothing. No reason for her to do so.
As the subsequent "investigation" has determined the course of events, in general, were reported, based upon the information at that time -- and information that was possible for general consumption. She was using compiled information from other sources -- that was un-classified.
McCain/Graham cabal cannot wrap their brains around things like discretion, appropriate behavior, complexity...
This was nothing more than post-election temper tantrum and abuse of position and power by McCain/Graham cabal. The 2012 equivalent of a witch hunt ...
Well, I hope McCain is proud of himself. There was no reason to attack Susan Rice.
Worse, they'll use her withdrawal to give Benghazi some vaguely reasoned credibility.
What a shame.......I hope McCain, Graham and ESPECIALLY that tnuc Susan Collins are happy.
Collins even went so far as to elude that Susan Rice was responsible for the embassy bombings in Africa in the 90's..........which she certainly was not, not even close.
After their party were so negligent as to be asleep at the switch and have the disaster of 9/11 and then lied the country into war with Iraq......and through it all Condoleezza Rice went from advisor to ambassador......they aren't just hypocrites, they have completely lost their way.
They do not deserve the officies they hold.
Martha, I agree with you completely. they were not only asleep at the helm when 9/11 happened, they were forewarned and did nothing to stop it! They have yet to find WMDs in Iraq, and we still have not questioned the publicity statements from that era.
How sad that a well qualified, highly intelligent woman should withdraw from consideration! I have to say I don't blame her, though. The highly inflammatory and obstructionist Republicans in Congress are taking this country apart bit by bit, and I know for sure, because I live in Michigan.
Can we get her to move to Massachusetts and run for Kerry's seat? I mean, it worked for Warren after they did the same to her!
Two words... Caroline Kennedy...
See my post #1.11...
That is why I hate Republicans, they lie and will cheat and do anything to trash people even when they are not true. Too bad we can't impeach the lot of them for being pin-heads.
Where are the black helicopters and blue-helmeted troops, not to mention the Romans and the lions, when we really need them to deal with these scum?
And another petty victory is handed to the Republicans...
This is a shame, but I don't blame her. I can see why it's becoming increasingly difficult to recruit talented people into public service. Who needs to be subject to baseless attacks by shameless political grandstanders who no longer care for what's good for the country?
Didn't Graham say he WOULD play the game and push the country over the cliff if they didn't get what they wanted? Remember Rachel's wall next to her desk? "GIVE US WHAT WE WANT OR AMERICA GETS IT" in big newspaper cut out letters.
That's the GOP! Hold the country hostage on a tantrum. And to think that same Graham believes America is the bastion of democracy and should be a model for the world.
Hostage taking the country and its people is a model?
sort of ambivalent on this one as the word around the UN (where i work) is that she wasn't the greatest of diplomats. and her financial ties to Keystone and other polluters were fairly repugnant.
certainly not cheering that a smear knocked down her candidacy but maybe there's a silver lining out there. and i am not referring to a Secretary Kerry.
She'll be staying on at the UN, won't she?
McCain is having a nice stiff drink right now and toasting to the monster smiling back at him in the mirror. Bravo, he finally won over Obama. That was and is what this was all about. McCain being a very small and shallow man and showing us all how much he distest women far smarter and better than he could ever hope to be. What-ever hero status McCain once had has been lost to history and he made a conscience effort to do that to himself. McCain is nothing more than a troll of a little man living off the laurel leaves of his long lost youth. McCain is an awful person. Ask him what he has done for the Native Americans of his state? Nothing.
The real sad part about all of this is that it gives credence to McCain. Now he can come out and say see I was right all along otherwise why would she have resigned. Now the next time there is a high profile nomination to make they can just manufacture another "scandal" and get that person to step down too.
Personally that is a debate that I wanted to occur. I wanted the likes of McCain and Graham etal to prove their accusations in a public forum. I wanted the Rice to defend herself with the truth. If we give up before the fight even begins, then the terrorists win.
Rice's financial ties to Keystone was kind of the kiss of death for me. Not that she isn't an able public servant. She'll be great at anything she turns her hand to, just so long as it doesn't involve Keystone.
True. I also believe more than half of Congress with ties to Keystone should be disqualified from holding office or having anything to do with a vote when it comes to Keystone.
She's heavily invested in other oil companies as well. How can you be vocal about climate change like she is and invested in oil companies?
John McCain=Weapons of mass distruction and Sarah Palin. Enough said.
Maybe not quite enough... you left his membership in the Keating 5 off that list.
Remember the S&L Bailout? John McCain Hopes You Don't
The trouble with ignorance is that it picks up confidence as it goes along.
- Arnold H. Glasow
;-)
This is so unfair --- why do the Republicans get to pick our next Secretary of State??? How many times do we have to remind them that they LOST the election. President Obama, like his predecessors should be able to pick anyone he wants for the office!!!
You forget the advice and consent of the Senate role.
Simple, deny John Kerry and deny the repubs that coveted seat and offer it to John Kerry's wife. All for nought, scorched earth, back atcha baby.
I am full of love but the horrible Republicans are truly making me hate them and their sneaky, underhanded ways. They have unpopular, old fashioned views...they cant win fair and square so they cheat the American people every possible way. AND THEY CALL THEMSELVES AMERICANS. The worst kind of politicians.
Last I heard it was 47%, but then we deal in facts here.
VERY DISAPPOINTING. Somebody please remind me who won the election.
Rupert Murdoch and his scum won. More lies to SELL to the ill informed who need to be told what to think