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During her tenure in the Bush/Cheney administration, Condoleezza Rice established an ignominious record. She struggled badly as a national security adviser; she had a habit of saying things that weren't true; and Rice helped oversee the foreign policy of an administration burdened by a series of international failures. Outside of her duties, she's also taken on the role of an aggressive partisan activist, including becoming a surrogate for a failed presidential candidate.
Now, Rice has a different kind of gig in politics.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has joined CBS News as a contributor -- just in time for inauguration coverage.
Rice, who served as secretary of state during President George W. Bush's second term, made her debut on the network's "Face the Nation" program Sunday and will be included in inauguration coverage on Monday.
CBS News Chairman Jeff Fager and president David Rhodes made the announcement Sunday, saying Rice "will use her insight and vast experience to explore issues facing America at home and abroad."
For now, let's put aside Rice's flawed record, which doesn't appear to lend itself to quality political analysis at a leading national news organization. Instead, let's note just how many members of the Bush/Cheney team transitioned to media roles after the Republican administration ended four years ago.
It's been tough to keep up with all of them, but the list of Bush/Cheney alumni getting hired by news outlets is getting pretty long.
In addition to Rice, we see Dana Perino (Fox News), Michael Gerson (Washington Post), Marc Thiessen (Washington Post), Mary Matalin (CNN), Sara Taylor (MSNBC), Tony Snow (CNN), Frances Fragos Townsend (CNN), Nicole Wallace (CBS News), Dan Bartlett (CBS News), Jeff Ballabon (CBS News), Tony Fratto (CNBC), Jimmy Orr (Los Angeles Times), Andrew Malcolm (Los Angeles Times), Juan Carlos Zarate (CBS News), and of course Karl Rove (Fox News, Newsweek, and the Wall Street Journal).
First, that's an awful lot of folks from a failed administration getting media jobs, ostensibly taking roles to help the public better understand current events.
Second, for everyone who believes the media was overtly hostile to the Bush/Cheney team, can this list be Exhibit A to the contrary?
Update: I should clarify that while those Bush/Cheney officials were hired by media outlets, not all of them are still with those news organizations.
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Are there no background checks needed to work in the media?
Of course not, that would require all the Democrats to confess they worked in Washington too. I believe the media is still 90% Democrat, yes?
What is it? I scares you so that an intelligent black woman isn't a lemming, or I mean, democrat. That "R" behind her name automatically makes her not worthy? Pitiful..
This woman was a cheerleader for big oil, and I imagine that is still who she represents. I remember the oil tanker that was named for her, do you? She screwed up royally on 9/11, and she was a cheerleader for a war in Iraq, promoting false information regarding Saddam Hussein and his 'aluminum tubes.' And then there was her sensitive comment on how the horrendous destruction of the Indonesian tsunami was an 'opportunity' -- I guess new contracts for big companies like Bechtel and Halliburton.
She is intelligent, but her IQ is in the service of evil.
"She is intelligent, but her IQ is in the service of evil."
That's why those on the right like her.
CBS is a "well respected national news organization"??? You coulda fooled me!
Hey Florida Girl - your fellow wives in Stepford want you back home.
Steve Benen is a racist.
Typical fact-free Baggerbabble.
That is standard crap from the left. If someone doesn't agree with Dear Ruler, they are racist. It is a two way street Entropy
Except you make up fake outrages against the president based on his skin color. Really try getting some word comprehension skills before you try using words you can't define.
Every day on this site we see examples of what is wrong with what passes for "public discourse" in the US. Malicious people are routinely allowed to come here and spread malicious misinformation. Furthermore, they are allowed to do so very aggressively and yet they are seldom penalized for doing so. They know this, and yet they routinely play the victim card when someone to the left of Attila the Hun call them on their transgressions. What these people are doing can in no legitimate way be considered a "point of view" or "differing opinion". I'm sure they derive a great deal of perverse pleasure from knowing that self-respecting non-conservatives are excluded from right-wing sites while those on the right are routinely allowed to spread malicious misinformation on non-conservative sites. It is not good enough to spread your breadcrumb liberalisms as long as you allow those on the right to use the site for malign purposes.
Oh please, Get a grip guys Please point out one thing I've posted on this site that maligns the president based on skin color. I don't care if he's purple. I don't agree with his policies. or his back allie ways of governing. Just don't use double standards.
Right-wing axiom: When in doubt, whine.
Right another concern troll that ignores the history of the GOP for 50 years of failure but now wants to whine and cry about the economy 50 years to late and the wrong president as well. Double standards is what the GOP voter does best. As you prove with every racist whiny post you make. Really that you try to play the racism card is rather telling as you are clueless on what the racist card is. Oh btw, Obama has enacted republican policies not democratic policies so we get you lying as well.
"...his back allie (sic) ways of governing."
please elucidate.
Your last post said it all, your problem is you don't comprehend the word racist, we know this by your belief that anything said about a black person makes the person saying it racist. Racist's have a bad habit of not comprehending the word racist and use the word wrongly as you are doing.
whom...,
Oh they comprehend it...but they deliberately misuse it.
Inspector...
It's not like Steve hates intelligent women (Hillary Clinton or Rachel, for example)... He doesn't hate blacks (the Obamas or Melissa Harris-Perry, for example)...
He just has a bias against right-wing, talking-point-spouting, fear-and-war-mongering fools... Or, have you conveniently forgotten, "We don't want the next 'smoking gun' to be a mushroom cloud!"...
I see the first post by Insp. on this thread has name calling- racist, so ultimate trolling example.
I ignore you for that. But calling out a racist first, then acting offended about other people saying it is the clincher.
David M
The point I'm making is that liberal writers have a big problem. If any person on the right has anything bad to say about anyone of color they play the race card. I don't care if you're magenta, if your policies are wrong they are just wrong. My first post was a jab at that.
Maybe it's because those that can't, "pundit?"
That would certainly explain a helluva lot.
Exactly! Just like the Maddow Brotherhood.
No, not really.
All those liars from the disastrous administration and party with so little to offer except lies and distortions. I think our news media has died and isn't coming back.
"Rice "will use her insight and vast experience to explore issues facing America at home and abroad."
Who wrote that- George Orwell?
With the Executive Branch and Senate in Democratic hands, and the House being run as though toddlers have taken over the childcare center, what else is there for GOP hacks to do?
It is not as though the bulk of these guys have either interest or talent for the private sector, education, or humanitarian works. Who in their right mind would hire Karl Rove with the expectation of productive work?
I'm sure the right wing is all giddy about having a Pro-Choice republican pundit on TV telling everyone how insane they are..
What was CBS thinking? I won't watch CBS anymore...oh wait...I don't watch CBS now...
Coincidentally, Mr. Pierce had this to say today:
Nothing succeeds like failure in Washington.
Especially if you are in a Republican administration in national security.
CBS has again lowered its standards. I remember when it was a respected leader in news coverage. Ugh!
The media business was invented so that "C" students could get good jobs - the "C" students in this case are the managers at media companies. Those are usually sales guys that reach their point of incompetence fairly quickly. Remember when CBS hired Jimmy the Greek to be a commentator on NFL? Or they put Pat Sajack on late night TV? Rice's PHD doesn't seem to have made her any smarter or more truthful - she still thinks we don't know she lied for Bush Cheney . . .
So there are evidently no flaws with the current Sec. of State or the current administration ?
Nope, not a single one. Any more questions...
What is the motivation of CBS? It seems the mainstream media, which is losing relevance so rapidly their heads are spinning, want to try to take back control of the 'characterization' of our president, democrats, et al., and counter the effects of the direct democracy of the internet and even newscasters like MSNBC. I see the headlines today regarding how Obama "won't be able to," "broke his promises," "nothing groundbreaking in his presidency," blah blah blah. Only Paul Krugman came right out and said that to the contrary, this has been a transformational presidency and promises to continue being so.
NO doubt it pays better than Ideologue Liar impersonating competent Secretary of State!
Go girl!.. ... ..
A tsunami of blowhards, just what we need.
CBS has been plugging republican politicians - reagan, e.g. - in their Tuesday night dramas recently. Those programs appeal to oldsters and the network must think all seniors are TP types.