Susan Rice new Secretary of State?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by scottw

here's a question regarding Rice and Bengazi...noone seems to be sure why she was chosen to deliver the administration talking points on Bengazi as it's claimed she had little knowledge beyond what was written for her...is it possible that she was chosen specifically because she is black and a woman and any criticism could be easily dismissed as racist and sexist attacks?...as was and is being done....

That's my thinking too. Going on the Sunday morning talk shows and spreading cockamamie about an attack, is not something the ambassador to the UN usually does. So either it was to give the administration a reason to use the race card against anyone who dares to ask a question, or she is the only one who was willing to say it was because of the video, which everyone knew was false by that time.

It's very unlikely she'll be the next SecState. Even moderate Lindsay Graham (who voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor) sald after meeting with Rice, he was more disturbed than before he met her. And he's not anyone's idea of a right-wing attack dog.

[scottw]

great article on Rice this morning in the WSJ...

Bayefsky and Mukasey: The Susan Rice Troubles Beyond Benghazi - WSJ.com


points out that the president demanded of his and Rice's critics , U.S. leaders not "shoot first and aim later" but rather "make sure that the statements that you make are backed up by the facts."

but of course, he has a much lower standard for his supporters and appointees which is disturbingly common for this president on most issues...like...civility.....

"The president has said that Ms. Rice should not be criticized because she "had nothing to do with Benghazi" and so couldn't have known better when she gave her false account. According to Mr. Obama (and to her), she simply repeated talking points provided by an amorphous and anonymous "intelligence community."

But Ms. Rice did know at least a couple of things. She knew that she had nothing to do with Benghazi. She knew that after the attack the president insisted that U.S. leaders not "shoot first and aim later" but rather "make sure that the statements that you make are backed up by the facts." She knew that the video story line was questionable, as Sen. Dianne Feinstein (chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence) and administration officials had already suggested publicly that the attack was al Qaeda-related. And she knew that the president had a political interest in asserting that al Qaeda wasn't successfully attacking senior American officials but was instead "on the run," as he maintained on the campaign trail.

Senators might therefore ask Ms. Rice why she was put forward to speak about Benghazi, and what part her personal ambition might have played in her willingness to assume the role known during the Cold War as "useful idiot." "

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by scottw

her willingness to assume the role known during the Cold War as "useful idiot." "

There's no shortage of useful idiots in this administration.