Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is speaking this morning to Grover Norquist’s weekly powerhouse gathering at Americans for Tax Reform of conservative associations, think tanks, and political operations.
At the semi-secret gatherings which Republican political hopefuls migrate to to get the blessing of not only Norquist but the diverse parts of the nation’s conservative money and political machinery, Norquist gives everyone in the room 3 minutes to pitch their cause or issue. I have attended before, but if one wants to attend again — no one may write or speak about the internal discussion or who attended.
In this case, however, I am not attending — but a source other than Norquist has leaked this information to The Washington Note and Huffington Post.
As one major Republican operative told me yesterday:
Someone like Condi Rice doesn’t go to Grover Norquist’s den to talk about the Annapolis Middle East peace process. She’s going to secure her future in Republican politics and to position herself as a ‘potential’ VP candidate on the McCain ticket.
Grover Norquist is author of the new book, Leave Us Alone: Getting the Government’s Hands Off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives. It would be interesting to know which pages of the book Condi has dog-eared.
– Steve Clemons
Secretary Condoleezza Rice would make an excellent Vice President for John McCain. She would bring a new enthusiasm to the campaign, and I believe as do many others, that she would be the tipping point for John McCain in swing states. McCain & Rice. Can’t wait to get the bumper sticker.
Go, Condi, Go, VP Condi Rice perfect!
Reading the comments re: Rice for VP, it always amazins me at the hatefull things that liberals say. Are they ever happy about anything> I think Rice would make an excellent VP. Her job has been dificult at best. In spite of Presidents Bush’s mistakes, she did a great job and deserves the respect of all loyal Americans. She is intelegent, corageous and a true American. and understands the world situation better then most. Considering McCain’s age, she is perfacr for president in 2012. This is one Marine who would vote for Rice in a heartbeat.
I voted for, Sen Obama in the Texas primary, but, if Hillary were to get the Democrats nomination, I would have no problem voting for McClain/Rice Republican ticket. I love to see a McClain/Rice ticket in November.
condi rice is perfect for the vp slot….
the end
I think being the worst secretary of state in History hardly qualifies you to move up a couple of slots, not that the current VP would be a hard act to follow.
I think Ms. Rice would make an outstanding Vice President and balance to the Republican ticket with John McCain, particularly to offset the black/woman vote the Democrats will offer for 2008. I would vote for that ticket, and I am a Democrat.
Any time libs get this riled up you know you’ve hit a raw nerve.
Talk about the vitroil hitting the fan.
I’ve been chuckling my way through the posts here and would love to see her on the ticket just to see Dems trash talking a black woman.
Wouldn’t that qualify as a double victim to the party which has glorified victimization politics into the highest art form?
The irony is delicious!
Condi in 2008.
Doesn’t matter what you succeed at – as long as you succeed. A pity the crooks who gave her the success she craves (in return for having a dependably career-manic token black woman to point to) still control the Department of Justice.
Ya gotta love these non specific accolades, doncha?
Seventy posts, and the best argument anyone has yet come up with is that “Rice is a rockstar”.
Seen anyone here list any accomplishments to attribute to her during this monkey Bush’s reign? If you read this thread, all you really find in Rice’s defense is just shallow horseshit and partisan derision. Pretty pathetic, really.
Steambomb… now that’s a positive way to view this…. heheheheeee.
Search “Condoleeza Rice Exxon tanker”. Nice photo of oil boat named to honor her for all her years paid to be on Exxon Board of Directors.
Photos of Rice lying, like the one with the mushroom cloud IRAQ did not have will SINK McCain. Every time she spoke in public, she was spouting Bush lies. I’m so ashamed for her selling out.
She is the perfect fit to help FOUR MORE Bush disaster years. Please, please, no more neo-con brutal world domination fantasies.
They took out a sub-prime mortgage on America and ran an outsourced, war profiteer, tax you later, war of aggression on innocent nation. ENOUGH.
I like the idea of Rice as Mcsames’ running mate. I will make all the bigots heads explode at the voting both.
Man, liberals are SO full of hate. It must suck to have to live that way! How do you get out of bed in the morning?
And for those who think Condi isn’t VP material, maybe you should stay away from HuffPo, and Kos one night a week, and read a book!
Dr Rice is already 3rd in line to the President!
It goes:
Vice President
Speaker of the House
Secretary of State
I admire Condi. She is incredibly bright. She also has nerves of steel. A few months back one of those Code Pink Nazis managed to get into a congressional hearing Condi was attending. This crazy witch was covered in fake blood, and charged Condi, getting within inches of her face. Condi never batted an eye!
Honestly, McCain would be smarter to pick Mitt Romney, only because Romney would be the only one in the race with executive experience!
The two losers you democrat(ics) have managed to throw up against the wall, will not stick! So y’all better start working on the excuses and conspiracy theories, so you will be ready come November!
What “Realist” said about Dr. Rice is right. “PissedOffAmerican”‘s comments are full of gutter talk, which exposes someone who is simply over-educated for his/her intelligience.
Whoa! I never saw so many knee-jerk negative reactions to a great idea … a highly respected “black” – “woman” on the Republican ticket is too much of a Dream Team for the left to swallow.
If I’m not from another planet, I’m moving to one, asap. This is all tooo crazy and stoooopid for me. Every time Clinton, Obama, McCain and their various surrogates speak, Ralph Nader makes more and more sense to me.
This week, Keith Olberman on his nightly news program, Countdown, remined viewers that George Wahington was adamantly opposed to political parties. I’m with Papa George on that one and will support Nader because he is non-partisan for starters. It’s long past time to get back to our original Constitution. Rather than abolish the Electoral College, I think we should abolish poltical parties.
This would be the only way I would ever vote for McCain. I am voting for Hillary as of right now, but if it’s Obama anywhere on the ticket, I’m not voting. Obama is a deal breaker for me, You can’t tell me that he sat in that church for 20 years and doesn’t share those same views of America as outlined by the pastor.
Other WH insiders say that Rice’s overriding priority as NSA was to be Bush’s “closest confidante.” One has to wonder what that means. At a party, she called him her husband and then corrected herself to say “the president.” And there are reports that Laura Bush moved into the Mayflower Hotel because of the Bush-Rice affair. She may not want to expose herself to an airing of these matters. And, of course, there’s the August 2001 Daily Brief that she ignored, “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S..”
If McCain named Rice for his VP candidate, it would be strickly a political move to attempt to divided black and women voters. However, it would certainly add to the impression that McCain would be just and extention of a Bush Republican presidency with all the associated failures, corruptions and disservice to the American people. I hope he does choose Rice. She’s nearly as dull and unispiring as McCain is. And wouldn’t it be great to highlight some of her quotes leading up to the Iraq invasion an during the occupation. It works for me.
Its astounding to me that after eight years of Condi’s incompetence and abject failures on a number of different fronts, there are these jackasses that think it constructive or useful to attack what they presume to be her sexual preference.
On the other side of the coin is these blathering idiots that think they can post inane comments under a number of different monickers, and think that we will believe we have been visited by an army of Condi worshippers.
And that last comment by “Realist” is just plain surreal. It is such a departure from reality that it cannot possibly have been made with any conviction or sense of honesty. It is worse than propaganda, because the wording is so carefully chosen to subvert the facts, and is so distastefully sacharin that it is actually intellectually nauseating. Of all the kinds of rationales and justifications that we have seen used to defend this administration, I find this kind of laudatory and decietful posturing the most despicable of all the techniques, as it is offered under the guise of personnal conviction. Such an effort is a lie, founded upon a lie.
Managed Chaos, cut back on the Kool-Aid.
It would be ironic if the republicans elected the first GAY (Charlie Crist) or LESBIAN (Condi) V.P.Amazing! Would the msm go there?
Rice has ably served at the highest levels in both the private and public sector, and therefore is an excellent choice to serve in any public capacity. Public service is a privilege and Rice has sacrificed certainly large amounts of money in order to serve the public. Without a doubt, she could serve as a Board Director for virtually any corporation of her choosing.
Rice has serious accomplishments to show for her enviable track-record in the Bush administration. Rice restored integrity to the job following the worst NSA in our nation’s history, Sandy Berger, who stole and destroyed highly classified terrorism documents.
Rice garners the respect of the US diplomatic corps, and is highly regarded by the international community — not only based on her own accomplishments, but also by representing a President who commands the respect of the United Nations for enforcing its resolutions, Africans for doing more than any other President to treat infectious disease and poverty in Africa, and for taking a profound stand for democracy and freedom from tyranny while stopping domestic terrorist attacks.
As Provost of one of the world’s most renowned universities, Rice developed an independent reputation beholden to no one. She selflessly advances the country’s interests while those that criticize her do so unfairly, and without rationale. She is a jewel.
I am too young to be familiar with Brzezinski, but from what I’ve read, he didn’t seem too incompetent to me.
As a conservative I don’t really like Mccain, But if Condi signs on I will sure feel a whole lot better about having to vote for him..She would be great for the party and the ticket…PLEASE SIGN ON CONDI !!!
Rice is unfit to serve in any public capacity. Public service is a privilege, but Rice has used it in order to promote her own private interests.
Rice has NO accomplishments to show for her pathetic track-record in the Bush administration. Rice is the worst NSA in our nation’s history, and an incompetent Secretary of State.
Rice does NOT garner the respect of the US diplomatic corps, nor is she highly regarded by the international community– both of whom see her as an arrogant, over-rated, and bossy underling of the worst US president in our nation’s history.
Rice is beholden to the oil industry, whose interests she furthers in order to enrich and empower herself. Rice is a crook.
Leadership is reflected in one’s accomplishments.
Defeat of communism in the Soviet Union – Reagan.
Collapse of the Berlin Wall, reunification of Germany, removal of Saddam Hussein from Kuwait – Bush.
Protection of Kosovo from Serbia – Clinton.
Removal of dictators and establishing a democratic process for fifty million people involving countries on each side of Iran – George W Bush (with able assistants like Condi Rice)
I’m saving Managed Chaos’s statements as good examples of my premise that progressives put their energy into the wit of their statements rather than the thought behind them. Barroom insults don’t pass muster as thoughtful discussion, I’m afraid.
Oh goody!!!! The Washington Note has finally been discovered by the Sean Hannity Fan Club.
I have always felt this blog was insufficiently represented by the bottom .06% of our population.
Its a damned good thing, too, because I had almost forgotten that we are fightin’ them there so we don’t hafta fight them here, and a dozen other brilliant premises that unfailingly stand up to less than fifteen seconds of scrutiny.
Condi rocks! I wanted her to run for President
I’m a badass because I use f**k and cumslut in my juvenile political analysis. It’s a good thing my parents don’t catch me posting from their computer or I would be grounded.
Talk about unadulterated bullshit, Managed Chaos is blowing a load right on his keyboard. So to speak.
This board is chock full o’ crap you guys make it easy.
After the Clintons destroy the Democratic party (how sweet you reap what you sow, libs!) and McCain wins I’ll be back to see what new stoopid-assed theories and commentary Mr. Chaos has concocted.
This would be a great way for Republicans to show that they have moved past the ugly racism that has defined their party for decades.
Go for it, Condi!
Are some calling Dr. Rice a lesbian because she isn’t barefoot and pregnant? Or is it because she hasn’t let the media make a circus out of her private life?
Actually, the Rice ‘Circum Vite’ rivals Gore Vice Presidency, spans 60 pages of accomplishments; and would spark American patriotism, even in Obama.
“how about one who is completely competent to be President: Colin Powell”
Well, compared to Bush, isn’t almost anyone competent enough to be President at this point?
As for Powell, he had his balls chopped off a long time ago by the neo-cons and one would think he would have found them by now but wonders never cease. Powell lost all his credibility when he shilled for war. If he were a man of principles, he would have resigned his position as Sec of State back in 2003 and joined us in calling Bush’s case for war; total, unadulterated bullshit. Instead he became a cumslut for Bush and will forever be remembered as someone whose thirst for power became more important than his duty to his country.
Powell can no longer be trusted.
This is a classic example of the hothouse flower that is our government. It exists in complete isolation from reality and from external input. Condi seems like a fine person but she’s accomplished even less than our nitwit, rich-boy president and doesn’t seem to have a substantial opinion about anything. Plugging her in to the VP spot on the ticket is even more hollow than having the Democrat Juan McCain as the Republican candidate for president. From the White House to the Senate, the House, the Fed, both political parties – we have the worst leadership in this country in at least 100 years. “Hey, she’s black AND a woman! What else matters?!?!”
There are so many hateful comments here, that it is obvious that it wouldn’t matter who McCain picked as VP – they’d automatically, reflexively, knee-jerkedly, pronounce him or her unfit using the language that tolerance, open-mindedness, and respect for diversity has taught them so well.
Condi’s star is in eclipse along with her patron.
I think that if it’s about having an African-American on the ticket — good politics ONLY if Clinton cheats Obama out of his due — how about one who is completely competent to be President: Colin Powell.
This is a bad idea. I used to a higher regard for Condoliza Rice, but the way she bungled handling the Israeli-Hezbollah war was simply pathetic. She really lost it for me at that point.
I say this as someone with a personal background that adds greater moral weight to my pontifications.
Demand the Truth! 9/11 was an outside job!!!
“House Nigger”
Ya gotta love it.
One comment, and you can tell what channel his TV is on, who he will vote for, and what his first cousin can expect if she’s foolish enough to get within four miles of ‘im.
“We could use more of that sort of foresight”
It takes “foresight” to do a one eighty and buy off yesterday’s “evil doers” so you can diminish the bloodshed long enough to hand the impending bloodbath off to your political opponents?
Thats not “foresight”, thats prescient sleaze.
Or are you one of these ignorant “Yeah the surge is working” disciples of Bill Kristol and all the other treasonous scumbags that have yet to get one single thing about Iraq right?
House Nigger.
The main down side I see to a McCain/Rice ticket is having to endure endless pundits conjecturing if McCain went with her just to counter the Democrat’s woman and/or minority candidate.
It never ceases to amaze me how quiclky the party that supposedly is for equality and fairness automatically assumes tokenism on everybody else’s part.
“Now, you may not WANT this to be the case, but that is not the same as it NOT being the case”
Yeah?
Which underscores my point. This IS the fuckin’ Twilight Zone.
Just what McCain needs….a giant banner tacked to his behind
reading…four more years of Bush foreign policy chaos.
I mean the woman ignored every warning in advance of 9/11
and has done little as her State Department has boggled
everything from massive chaos and corruption in the
construction of a new US Embassy in Iraq to departmental
committees to investigate corruption in the Iraqi government.
She might be a good professor….she is an abysmal government
bureaucrat and politician. I hope the two of them team up. It
would be tag-team shredding time.
This is the “new way forward” image the GOP thinks will win
them a national election? Grover and DeLay and Rove and
Hastert and Lott and Reed and Limbaugh and all that moss-
covered old guard of the failed right wing…marching into battle
behind John and Condi….what an image.
Realist,
Yeah. Totally. I didn’t think the Ds could possibly do a worse job than they did in ’04.
They have topped themselves. That is some Mad Skilz.
By now I’m really convinced that the Democrats are much smarter than Republicans. Too smart by half.
I don’t like all of Condi’s positions (some of her ideas about solving the Palestinian problem are half baked) but I like her. And you know she has actually done business in the Oval Office. Which might be an asset to McCain. The new regime would start off with institutional memory.
Yep, Condi has rock-star status.
I’m a Dem, but it seems to me that McCain would help the Republican ticket more with Phil Graham or Steve Forbes. Steve has more “sizzle” appeal because he is both fresh and has money.
Don’t count out the current governor from Texas, Rick Perry – he has attended a recent Bilderberg meeting. It is funny, but Bill Clinton did the same when he was just an obscure governor from one of the poorer states in the union, Arkansas, but after the meeting he ran for Prez and won.
I think Rice would be an excellent choice. You’ve trumped the Dem-Libs on the Gender-race “gosh-we’re-making-history!” train plus the fact that she actually has some experience. If the phone call came at 3 am, let Rice take it.
I don’t know nearly enough about Rice’s positions (I guess I’ll have to study them if she gets picked up), but David Mar is obviously right about the Rock Star comment. Judging by the reaction here, I have no doubt she’ll be an excellent addition to the McCain team.
Did anyone else notice that in “Bush’s War”, they gave Condi credit for the Surge plan–except she was pushing for it in 2004, three years before it was finally successfully adopted. We could use more of that sort of foresight.
John McCain is going to win the election.
Not only is he going to win, but he’s a shoo-in.
He can pick anyone he wants, and still win.
Why? Democrats have managed to implode. Self-destruct. Worse than John Kerry.
Fortunately, Condi is a great choice.
“most incompetent National Security Advisor in US history
- most incompetent Secretary of State in US history
Whoa, killer. That’s a tall order. Zibigniew?”
Notice how I said incompetent and not simply worst? I am too young to be familiar with Brzezinski, but from what I’ve read, he didn’t seem too incompetent to me. And his daughter is pretty sexy for a MILF.
And talk about a guy who I’d like to have a beer with….Richard Armitage. His interviews on Frontline were very entertaining and I still can’t figure out what side he is on when comparing his role in Plamegate to the one he played with Powell and Wilkerson in the run up to the war.
Rice wouldn’t be bad. And I think America would like to support a black candidate who isn’t a closet racist like that traitor Obama.
P off A,
If you doubt me, write a list of potential VP candidates that would excite conservatives (and, more importantly now that McCain has the nomination, independents) more than Rice.
Romney, Gingrich, and Huckabee have higher negatives
Thompson, if he could bestir himself, comes close, but him plus McCain really does create a “cranky old men” vibe.
Cox, Pawlenty, and Sanford are solid but unispriring to all but the party faithful.
Jindal and Palin are rising starts, but probably too junior.
Now, you may not WANT this to be the case, but that is not the same as it NOT being the case.
most incompetent National Security Advisor in US history
- most incompetent Secretary of State in US history
Whoa, killer. That’s a tall order. Zibigniew?
ManagedChaos says:
Great build up too. I watched part 1 of Frontline as well. I left a note on their website that said.
“Oh yea 9/11 was an INSIDE JOB.”
That was priceless bro!
“After watching the first ten minutes’ of ‘Bush’s War’ I have come to realize that PBS has decided to enter the world of Fictional Presentations”…”and oh yea”
“9/11 Was A False Flag Terror Attack on it’s own people…can’t wait to watch part TWO”
“Like it or not, Rice is a political Rock Star”
We ARE in the effin’ Twilight Zone. I’m sure of it now.
I love listening to you people. If you were not all convinced that Sec. Rice would be a great addition to the McCain team, you wouldn’t be wasting nearly so many pixels on this rumor. Do you think Republicans would be in a similar tizzy if Obama or Clinton talked about VP Madeline Albright?
Like it or not, Rice is a political Rock Star. She would be an unambiguous asset to McCain’s ticket. I don’t agree with all of her positions, but I’ve heard her speak enough to know that she is better speaker on issues than Obama, Clinton, or McCain.
Oh, nice to see the Left staying true to form. I counted 5 comments in the first 16 making either silly word-play with her name or offering sexual innuendo. You folks sure are hung up on other people’s sexuality. Try to be more open minded, like those of us on the Right. Stay classy, Sinestrosphere.
Condi is brilliant and beautiful and has a wonderful life story.
The best possible Veep the GOP could have.
Uh, isn’t there one big fact reason why she can’t be vice president? Why she couldn’t survive the scrutiny of the campaign?
And I ain’t talking about her skin. Or her femaleness.
Please,please,please let Condi-liar Rice be the Republican VP.
To JohnH:
yeah … 4 years as national sec. advisor and another 4 of secy of
state do not compare to Hillary’s experience.
I hope she does run. I have nothing to vote for in my sorry party.
To ManagedChaos:
I’m so impressed with your criticism? I wish you were running for
VP. You’d have MY vote. :-/
Ahh, liberal tolerance! It’s always so beautiful to see!
I don’t think she’ll run, but if she does, then her record at Stanford will come out–a lot about her not being supportive of women and minorities among the faculty. However, she can claim more experience managaing a large organization than Clinton, Obama, or McCain. She was Provost of Stanford. However, she got her tenure track position originally as an affirmative action one.
But isour country ready for a black lesbian president? Cuz the odds are definitely against Grampa McCain surviving his first term.
I thought Grover Norquist was in prison with Jack Abramoff! Wasn’t he just as guilty as Jack? Handwriting is on the wall with Grover. His future is easy to see. Anybody?
Condilesbian has done NOTHING to qualify herself for anything other than as a personal shopper for Babs “Poppit beads” Bush. I have heard of nothing she has accomplished in any job she has held for the bush crime family.
She needs to return to California and live with the woman she bought the house with. Surely the US embassies across the world are sick of her dropping in for some shoe shopping.
She was a terrible “security advisor”, remember 9/11 happened on the bush crime family’s watch. She has continued in her do nothing but travel around the world on Air Force jets since being given Secretary of State for lying us into the Iraqi oil occupation.
Heck of a job for all these bush family criminals.
Condi will do anything to fill her aching womb.
Here’s the reason Hillary Clinton has remained relatively silent during the flap over remarks by Barack Obama’s former pastor, Jeremiah Wright….
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-ehrenreich/hillarys-nasty-pastorate_b_92361.html
Condi should have to thumb-wrestle Holy Joe Lieberman for the VP
slot. The Joe would have the chance to destroy another presidential
campaign with his visible Plan B Strategy.
john fillmore — you and I have different definitions for semi-secret. it was not disclosed publicly that Rice would speak to this group. the meeting content and attendees is considered off the record…thus semi-secret. i got a different source for this material than the organizers.
best regards,
steve clemons
I watched “Bush’s War” on Frontline the other night. Very good documentary even though I already knew what was coming. Some things that caught my interest:
-the utter antipathy that Rummy and Cheney had for the CIA
-the fight over the President’s attention by Tenet and Rummy and how Rummy ends up winnning everything. Weak-ass Bush probably felt relieved when Rummy told him he’d take all responsibility for this clusterfuck.
-how Powell and Rice(to some extent) totally got their jocks handed to them by the neo-cons. More like neutered.
-seeing all those pictures of the scumbag traitor Libby in all those high level meetings not to mention it almost slipped my mind that Libby wrote Powell’s UN speech. Can you imagine the chief of staff to the VP writing a UN speech for the Sec of State??!!
-Wolfowitz claiming troops in the hundreds of thousands was preposterous and his and Dougie Feith’s role in the OSP…don’t forget the OSP is directly connected to both the AIPAC spies and Plamegate.
-how much of a fucking scumbag Chalabi is and always will be and his mistress of mis-information, Judy “knee pads” Miller’s reporting on aluminum tubes where the administration would leak false information to reporters, reporters would write the article and then the administration would go on meet the press and quote their own article to lend credibility.
If you’re not fucking angry about Bush and his traitor warmongers, you don’t know what the fuck is going on!!
Oh yeah, 911 was an inside job.
How can the Norquist meeting be ‘Semi Secret’ if YOU
know about it???
Condi is not married. Get it? She ain’t VP materiel.
The “glorified, Russian-studies graduate student” (Rumsfeld’s opinion) is doing rather well for herself. Her utter incompetence as National Security Adviser and Secretary is now documented in an article by Russell Baker in the NYRB, and the Frontline documentary “Bush’s War”. But this does not faze her, as she seems to expect promotion as a natural reward for her incompetence.
I can’t believe that Norquist is taken seriously when he titles a book asking the government to leave us alone. It must be a satirical look at the years when the Republicans controlled Congress and the White House.
JohnH — I did not write that post. I think Scott Paul did.
McCain does not need Condi as VP and she would not help him at all.
He needs Romney as VP to talk about turning this economy around.
ManagedChaos–Spot on! Condi’s non-existant track record in foreign policy makes Hillary’s look stellar by comparison.
BTW, Steve, you asked why Obama didn’t go to another church. In fairness, shouldn’t you also be asking why Hillary lied about Tuzla? After all, her making up her foreign policy creds is more relevant to the interests of this site (foreign affairs) than Rev. Wright’s misguided comments.
Kinda-sleezy Rice – most incompetent National Security Advisor in US history
- most incompetent Secretary of State in US history
At least she can’t become the worst Vice President in US history…Cheney has that one locked down. Most incompetent is still up for grabs though.
“Who could have imagined…” – battle cry of Kinda-sleezy