Without budging much from my earlier assertion that Barack Obama’s speech on race earlier in the month was one of the most important on the subject in our history, I am nevertheless aware of certain ironic quirks of fate that thrust him, of all people, into this position. I wrote here that a white man looking into a shaving mirror sees a face, but that a black man sees a black face. But it’s not just that black “everyman,” is it? Obama had been running as a “post-racial” candidate, but few of us in race conscious America could look at him and not be instantly aware that he was black. How much did we remark upon the race of Rudi Giulliani, or Fred Thompson, John Edwards or Christopher Dodd?
Not much, I suspect. They belong to the “default” race in national political campaigns.
The ironies continue: The rumbling from the legacy civil rights leadership as Obama’s campaigned kicked off was that the upstart was somehow inauthentically or insufficiently black. Raised in Hawaii’s diverse ethnic stew and overseas, the son of a mother “privileged” by her white race and black man who, as a Kenyan, had never endured the humiliations of American-style racism, the Harvard law graduate’s experience was considered by some to be unrepresentative of the African-American experience.
But there is someone of national stature equipped to speak to that experience. Someone I’d like to hear from. Someone who grew up in the bleak racial landscape of the Old South, born in Birmingham to proud but decidedly middle class parents, and raised in nearby Titusville. Someone who missed school because of bomb threats. Someone who lost friends to bombs – right here, in America:
I remember the bombing of that Sunday School at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963. I did not see it happen, but I heard it happen, and I felt it happen, just a few blocks away at my father
I’m in. Heck, I wanted her in the presidential race, but one step at a time…
Yep, only thing wrong with that poster is the ‘Vice’.
works fine by me.
As disgusterated as I am with McCain to the point of bolting the party in November, I’d vote for a Condi ticket.
She’s the one for John. Mitt would make a great Treasury Secretary..
Manual- Big of ya…
b2
Jeez Lex, why not just put Black Is Beautiful on your header and be done with it.
Talk is cheap, what people do is what counts. MLK walked the walk, even with his faults. Barack Hussein Obama has not, and lord don’t let his wife open up or you will see what the Obama family is really like.
And I’m sorry, but what has Condi done that would make a conservative want to vote for her?
I would vote for her. But I am not impressed on how she has managed that herd of cats at the State Department.
She inherited a real mess.
YGBFSM! Condi for VP?
She sucks! She’s done a horrible job at DoS and not much better as the NSA Advisor. What makes you think she’d do a better job as VP? Because she’s black?
Gimme a break.
Well who would you propose to strengthen and balance McCain’s ticket in a campaign against either Obama or Clinton (or both, who knows)? If you think it’s important to help heal the racial divide in this country – and I do – what would you prefer, a guy from Hawaii who talks about change, or someone who has actually faced racism and moved beyond it?
I happen to think a great deal more of Secretary Rice than I do of the DoS bureaucracy. She’s not a politician per se but this year, I think that works in her favor. She’s sharp, knows the important issues and players and has a way of softening rough edges. Which, they’re going to need some of that.
Condi? A classy chick.
There are many things I admire about Secretary of State Rice. She didn’t act like a politician when she told the leader of Sudan to take a hike a couple of years ago.
The past couple of years, I’ve become disenchanted with both Rice and President Bush. Lately, there’s been an inconsistent theme on terrorism.
When Bush was first elected and refused to meet with Arafat, I was so glad he didn’t make a terrorist and murderer into a respected figure. And President Bush’s message on terrorism has been consistent until the last year or so.
I believed him when he said that terrorists would have no place to hide and that those who support them would be held responsible.
But the closer he comes to the end of his Presidency, the more he seems to be following in the path of other past presidents who wanted their legacy to be peace between Israel and the Palestinians. And his mouthpiece is Secretary of State Rice.
I cannot reconcile the rhetoric coming out now with the zero tolerance for terrorism that had previously marked his Presidency.
Rice is intelligent. And she certainly has more experience than Hillary Clinton and Obama.
I just don’t like what she has been saying in press conferences when she visits with Olmert and Abbas. Abbas, to me, just has a prettier suit than Arafat. He just held the money bags while terrorists murdered Israeli athletes in Munich.
After 9-11, President Bush got the message loud and clear that terrorists have to be hit hard. The terrorists that live amongst the Palestinians haven’t been seeing that message lately.
Thus far, measures to boost Abbas stature has led to Hamas gaining more popularity in the West Bank.
For the life of me, I just don’t understand why everyone is so ga ga over Condi Rice. She’s been a poor SECSTATE in a lot of ways, as national security adviser she was a part of a crucial misdirection of American foreign policy and she has never held elected office. If McCain were to put either her or Lieberman on the ticket I think it will lose as many votes as it would gain. And it would show that McCain was no different than the Dems in terms of doing a thing out of tokenism.
Don’t take my word for it though, take that of people a lot more knowledgable on the subject.
If I had to pick a VP for McCain, it would probably be Romney.
If I had to pick a person to talk to this country about blacks (sorry, no PC “African American”) it would probably be Daniel Patrick Moynihan (were he still with us) or Bill Cosby.
Both Moynihan and Cosby provided what I thought were honest, direct and factual arguments about what the primary “black” problems were. Obviously both had different experiences and knowledge of the problems, though both were excoriated for daring to be so bold.
Skippy,
I think that Condi is a lot smarter than she gets credit for. Part of the problem at State right now is the institutionalized leftism that is a big part of that department. As national security advisor I think she did a pretty good job.
The main reason I would support her though is that I believe that she would be the post racial candidate that Obama claimed to be… but failed to be (as proven by his relationship with Wright).
Jim C
Hmmm… not having checked recently, I’m still working with the concept that what we need to do first is… WIN the election. For those of us who are conservative, that means we must defeat either HRC or BHO. What is the best way to do that?
Condi as VP would carry much more than she could ever cost. She would provide continuity on the world scene without being hampered by the left leaning, ascot wearing DoS. Her answer to the “National Conversation on Race” would be one of deep meaning, personal experience and have a real impact! She could become a viable antidote to either candidate from the liberal side.
Call me a pragmatist, but wouldn’t this be the BEST way to win conservative leadership in an election year that was heretofore “written off”?
“Keep your eye on the prize”, young man and woman. “Keep your eye on the PRIZE.”
An American friend recently asked me who I would vote for. I saved but never answered that email … I think because the answer was something like “None of the above”.
I like Condi though. Not that anyone here really cares, but I could vote for someone like her. And hey, it looks like she’s already tight with Peter Mackay. We would have it made in the shade!
Mmmm… I’m not so sure. My problem is I can’t think of anyone that fits the billet I envision, but that doesn’t mean much since I’m not so good with the Whos Who of politics.
I think McCain needs someone younger, hip, and politically astute.
I love her! I especially like how diplomatic she is! She is a very impressive woman!
I’ve never been a huge Condi fan, but ne’er a hater either. She hasn’t done much is how I see it. So, if you’re first rule is “do no harm”, I think she’s a winner. But, she’s not a dynamic leader like I think is needed (and not just for the “w” in November).
She’s also got the added honour for me of reminding of The.Worst.Forrestal.Ever. So bad, it took TWO days. Okay, well on day one we were all seated and waiting and she called and said she had to canx. Day two: wear SDBs to afternoon classes and be seated in Alumni NLT 1530. Two.hours.of.agony. Just soooo boring. Even the Poli Sci majors were sleeping (some had brought pillows, which the Dant didn’t think too highly of, if’n I remember correctly). Then the football team tossed her a football as a speaker gift and she bobbled it awkwardly (John Kerry style) and was sorta stupefied.
So yeah. . .not a huge fan, but being from the Nutmeg State originally, I can say ANYONE is better than Lieberman.
Condoleeza Rice is that bright girl you knew in school who got all straight A’s because she could parrot the teacher’s line perfectly. She continued to do so through college and onwards, and has been as aptly rewarded as any teacher’s pet ever has. Her complete inability to generate an original thought has left her blind and groping. Her skill was Sovietology. In the 1970s she mastered the conventional wisdom on the Soviets. She hasn’t learned a thing since.
Like McCain, there’s plenty to respect in her achievements of thirty years ago, but there’s truckloads to be desired in what she’s done, and left undone, over the past eight years.
I understand she has also mastered the piano. That’s not something one can with with mere rote memorization or as a teacher’s pet. There’s serious intelligence in that woman, serious drive and ambition to master whatever is put before her.
My wife agrees, pointing out that Condie is still single as well.
I’m not quite sure how I should take that drive-by comment from her. Proof I married a smart one as well? Perhaps I’ll let it go at that.
– Max
There is a great quote about Condi Rice that was printed in FP Magazine last year:
“Across the political spectrum, many of Rice’s former bosses now question whether she ever identified with them at all. Rice’s central philosophy is power—not realist or idealist or Marxist, but personal power. She does what she has to in order to achieve it in whatever situation she finds herself, and, throughout her career, some would argue, opportunistically conformed to her mentors’ opinions in order to rise. “She did this with me and …. she’s doing it with Bush now,” says Gilbert. “I don’t think she doesn’t believe [what she espouses], but she believes what is in her interest and what advances her.” It’s a modus operandi that has worked for Rice for almost all of her nearly 30-year career in academia and government. Don’t be surprised if some time after Bush leaves office, Rice makes another strategic about-face.”
It is a topsy turvy universe when Condi Rice is considered a good SECSTATE and Colin Powell is not. To try to lay the blame for the mess at State soley on the bureaucracy and none at her feet just is not correct. She is the Captain of that ship-if its going the wrong way, she gets the blame.
IMO there isn’t as much a racial divide in this country as some would believe. If the Sharpton’s and Jackson’s could be taken out of the equation, thinghs would be a lot better for everyone. Especially Blacks. Sharpton and Jackso’s livelihood depend on the racial strife that they perpetuate, but that’s another thread.
As far as who would be a good running-mate for Maverick, it ain’t Condi and it ain’t Colin Powell. Too bad we aren’t able to consider a better candidate for President. Maverick is a mediocre VP candidate, at best.
God help us all…
Skippy,
So, Condi goes for the power position… Isn’t that usually where the decisions get made? In other words; if she wants to be an agent of change she’s got to be in a position of power. So, it’s not surprising to me that she would do what she can to put herself in a position to influence things. That’s the mature of the Washington DC beast to an extent.
As far as issues at State; you’re correct… a portion of that blame does rest at her feet. And, I’m not all that happy with the way things have gone with them. But, I think you’ve got to admit she’s fighting an uphill battle when she has to ORDER people to go to Iraq to do their jobs.
So, yeah, she wants to be an agent of change, and in a position to influence things (I’m guessing here, and maybe assigning motives to her that aren’t necessarily true. But, they seem the most likely). But, one person can only do so much.
Regards,
Jim C
The reporters also drool that SecState Rice is “fluent” in Russian. Ask a Russian speaker about that. There are many, many musicians who can read and play the notes, but don’t create an ounce of music. I lump the “mastery of the piano” in with her alleged Russian fluency.
She’s got personal drive, certainly, and she serves a clueless boss, but truthfully, she wasn’t ready for prime time 8 years ago, and she still isn’t. Let her go back to her boards of directors and her sinecured endowments, and let’s find someone better suited to the tasks at hand.
And for State, I still can’t think of a better man than Alan Keyes to give Foggy Bottom the pile of C4 up its backside that it needs. Keyes, baby!
Skippy,
FP Magazine? Boss bashing under the psuedo-cover of psycho-babble. What a crock..
You simply don’t like her because she is a woman, a powerful woman…now please, because I said that, don’t go into your predictable I love powerful women speech…. You are a non-partisan moman basher though- from Michelle Malkin to Billary Clinton to Condi Rice…How about Margaret Thatcher?
Zane,
She is what she is. Accomplished.
When you’re accomplished you take a lot of crap because of envy…
I’ll cut through all the BS and write down why she would be ideal for McCain:
- Both reasons Lex said above x 10
- She’s smarter than McCain (he is after all 5th from the bottom and an attack pilot. LOL)
- She will finally be in an administration that might get to practice diplomacy on a different playing field.
- She is Quality
How well she plays the piano or whether she speaks Rooskie- fluently- is all fluff. BTW, I once saw her on CSPAN where she let out a pretty convincing flurry of it- o’course I only know how to order beer in a dozen languages. Alos- JimC is right- running State is worst than herding cats- call ‘em lefty polecats! Ask Colin Powell.
b2
B2,
It has nothing to do with her gender-which I know you will never believe-but its true. It is simply that she is a bad Secretary of State. If you look at her record of accomplishments-its not that great.
Go back and look at some of the things that Colin Powell tried to accomplish. It was his idea for example to bring in retired military people at mid level foreign service positions. That program died as soon as he left. I know because I did an Oral Assesment at that time and was told it had died.( I passed the exam, but was only on the standby list for later hires.).
As far as the State Department people-well color me biased. When my sister was killed in a plane crash in Panama ( my other sister-not the one who passed away last month) it was a State Department consular officer who helped us navigate Panama’s Byzantine regulations and was there for us 24/7 to answer questions, field money issues and cajole Panamanians. All this talk of how lefty the State department is ignores real professionals like that guy who do the job they signed up for with style and grace.
The issue with Iraq is not that folks are not professional-it is that they do wish to be put in a position where they are destined to fail. Furthermore-much of what they have to do rests on security-which surge or not-still does not exist in that country. I understand why folks don’t want to go-do a poll of Navy people and find out if a majority want to go IA. The answer is the same, a resounding no! That’s the real truth-not what RADM Masso is putting out.
You mention three women worthy of scorn: Michelle Malkin, Hillary and Condi Rice. Tell me why I should like them when there is nothing about them to like?
Wow, never in my life have we had a perferct candidate for any elelcted office, and we never will. My guy fell out of the republican race early on, I wouldn’t vote for either Clinton or Obama since I believe Clinton to be a thug and Obama to be completely unrealistsic.
Even if the perfect candidate for president ran and won, your job (our job) as an American citizen would never be done. It’s our responsibility to see that, regardless who is elected, they keep this old gal America on the right path. That takes participation in the political process. That means you have to write and speak with your represenatives and write and speak to the media outlets.
Running the country is not just the business of politicians. We have a hand in it too.
Sometimes I think people believe that if they could have the perfect candidated for office they could elect that person and then forget their personal responsibility to the country to stay involved.
If Rice didn’t do as good a job as you think she should have, then what did YOU do to let her know that? If you didn’t do anything then the responsibility of her failure as a public figure is yours as well.
That goes goes for every politician and public figure. If you do not participate in the shaping of American by being heard, then you are guilty of doing a poor job as well.
Your responsibility doesn’t stop after you vote.
Skippy,
Cmon, I knew that “shot” would bring out the straight Skippy.
re- “I understand why folks don’t want to go-do a poll of Navy people and find out if a majority want to go IA. The answer is the same, a resounding no..”
Is this Skippy as Sherlock Holmes? Ask any Soldier or Marine, they’ll say the same. They go because it’s called “Duty”.
You’re right on this. Not all State employees are ‘lefty polecats’ as I characterized ‘em. ..just enough to make ‘em seem untrustworthy and partisan- like Valerie and Joe Plame. What George Shultz took over and set oncourse and Sec Baker polished, was all set asunder at State under that famous “lap-top misplacer”..Maddy Albright. That element persists. Thank G for hardworking consular foreign service officers like that person you encountered after tragedy struck your family in Panama, both for you and any American that needs help in a foreign country.
Where’s that FSO that hangs around hereabouts and often links to Lex. Perhaps he can give us a different perspective from inside.
Yooo-FSO!
I gotta tell ya though, Condi would be a homerun for McCain and make a dyno-ite VP, even after the election!
b2
It will be an interesting season.
One of the comments made above about involvment was a crucial point. Call, write, email your reps and congressional leaders.
Pulling the lever once every four years hardly counts as being involved in the political process. Or, we get what we deserve.
B2,
On this we will have to disagree. However I think you put too much of a burden on the people who are working in the State Department. (Correct me if I am wrong but Valerie Plame worked in another executive agency, the CIA, did she not?). Also duty for a civilian employee of the government is different than that for a military person and we would be well advised to remember that.
You want a good running mate for McCain? Pick one of the good state govenor’s out there. You want a good SECSTATE? Richard Armitage-who left state rather than be a part of the shoddy way his boss, Colin Powell had been treated by the current occupant of 1600 PA ave.
And as you probably guess, I subscribe to Foreign Policy magazine and I like it. Shall I give you a gift subscription? I’ll even send you a Websters so you can figure out all the big words
They do have pictures too……..
Skippy-san
As I recall, Richard Armitage was part of the backbiting and bull $H!(& fed to the congressional committee reviewing how funds were being spent in Fallujah in 2004. He lied then and helped put Bremer in the “damned if you do and damned if you don’t” position he was in regarding the situation in Fallujah.
Now, don’t take my comment to mean that I support Bremer, I haven’t addressed that here. I’m just saying the Armitage, unlike Colin Powell, probably deserved the ill treatment he received.
b2,
Agreed, she’s got some accomplishments, most of them thirty years old. Agreed on the fluff, too, which is why I was trying to push it off the table. She’s no worse than any of the other prospective nominees, I just think her track record at NSC and State don’t add up to much. Anyone who can say “Islam is a religion of peace” is either a) on the Saudi dole, b) lying to me, c) an idiot (lying to himself), or d) resting on their laurels and not learning that the world has changed since they took their sinecures thirty years ago. Rice says it all the time with a straight face, and I think d) is the correct answer for her.
Like I said, there’s a lot to be impressed with in Rice’s past, but the past 8 years have proven she hasn’t caught up to the current fight. Someone is needed who give rudder to McCain, not blow hot air in his sails. Look elsewhere for the VP nom.
Skippy,
You’re right, partially, Joe Plame (not his real last name-for effect..) was at State and that was the whole point I was making. Git it now?…
Ahh, you nominate Armitage the Large Rat, eh? That figures…What Ms. West said.
BTW, I passed the FSO test for political officer and was invited to NYC for an interview in early 70′s. Most likely because having all those preppie Princeton grads in the room rubbed off… Couldn’t attend because I was 2/3 ‘rds the way through AOCS (thank you Lord). Sorry to hear you weren’t selected. Maybe they saw your blog and thought you couldn’t deal with 1/2 the worlds population! Not that I am an expert, either. And finally, I used to read that mag when you were in H.S. and before..not that THAT qualifies me for anything. I do like pics though, and video more, but I’m stuck with dial up and I’ve learned not to double click on any of your links at skippy-san.com!
I could use a Websters though, preferably new, so’s I could be familiar with all them big new words you use!
b2
B2, Recognizing that you have a problem… is the first step towards resolving it to your ultimate benefit… accepting S-San’s most magnanimous offer is that first step…. well done … et excelsior. Best
Wasn’t Armitage the leak in the Plame thing? Not that it really mattered. Plame wasn’t a covert agent, and therefore no law was broken in terms of “outing” her to the press.
Just sayin that I’m not sure I would hold Armitage up as an example of State Department quality.
Jim C
Snake,
That proffered advice isn’t going to be billable. Why did ya do it?
I’m trying. My kids reading “The Elements of Style” by Strunk & White..I shouldn’t have used those cliff notes 35 years ago,eh? O’course what I scratch out here I ain’t creating for anyones posterity, or should I say posterior? nyuk
b2
B2,
I was not blogging then. I actually did get picked up six months later, but was not in a position to go then. Besides-thanks to the death of the mid-level program it would have meant a serious pay cut. Alimony is not going to pay itself you know!
I don’t know where you get the idea that I can’t deal with women. I deal with them just fine-like other things in life it is just role playing. As a student of the arts I am well versed in that.
RE: Armitage-I had not followed the plame scandal as close as some so finding out he was involved in the leak was a bit of a revelation. Even at that though-he is still light years ahead of Rice.
I think Lex is right. I don’t read foreign policy magazines. I read ones that have to do with fishing. I don’t think McCain needs a “younger hipper” running mate… Remember Dan Quayle? Tater Boy? He was an alright fella, or seemed to be, but I’m not sure he was the sharpest knife in the drawer. There were probably better VP candidates to be had back then. I don’t recall him being all that impressive of a public speaker. Yeah, he probably had/has a lower golf handicap than Condi, but hey… So what? I think she’s probably got him cold on the IQ test. While I’m playin’ “chaff boy”, when you think about it, if she was runnin’ for POTUS for the other Party it’s probably a 3 way deal, and she’d be the smartest sounding, most intelligent speaking one of all three of ‘em. Hell, IMHO, she’s as qualified to be VP as either one of those two are to be President. By the time that peein’ match is over people are going to be saying… “Can you believe those two waterheads?, Can’t go Dem with my undecided vote this year, Those two are nuts”. Maybe Johnny Mac could do better, but he damned sure could do a lot worse. With any swing voters looking at voting for a woman, or a black man, on one side, and seeing what has become the traditional candidate on the other, I think the diversity of that ticket could only help to win.
Let the beatings begin…