A disparate group of Internet gurus, political junkies and foes of Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is pushing a Rice candidacy even though President Bush's top diplomat has said repeatedly that she has no desire to be president.(I made that a hot link. In a classic demonstration of MSM obtuseness, ABC didn't.)
But the Republican also has declined invitations to rule out a bid in 2008, spoken about the likelihood of a minority winning the White House in her lifetime and taken steps to soften her image words and deeds that have provided a glimmer of hope to her fans.
Mick Wright, a webmaster in Memphis, Tenn., is one of more than a dozen people who registered draft-Rice Web sites in the year after Bush was re-elected.
"Once that was all over, you started thinking, what's going to happen in the next election?" said Wright, a co-founder of http://www.condipundit.com. "The first one to come to mind as a viable candidate was Condoleezza Rice."
More in the article. I'll just note this part, about whether Rice is planning to run:
Greg Haas, an Ohio-based Democratic strategist, said Rice's image makeover is a telltale sign.Run, Condi!
"The fact of the matter is when you see somebody revolutionize their style, their appearance and their speaking manner, that is not happening all by itself," said Haas, who ran Bill Clinton's successful 1992 presidential campaign in Ohio. "She has clearly begun presenting a different image, moving from a harsh persona to one of a more warm public official."
Rice has showcased her talents as a pianist at the Kennedy Center, lifted weights for a local Washington TV news show and discussed her musical favorites, from Elton John to Aretha Franklin to Mozart, for a British newspaper. The latter was a favor to rock star Bono.
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19 comments:
Yes, do!
And join Blogs for Condi...
http://condoleezza.blogspot.com/
I wonder who would serve her in the White House as First Dude?
I like Condi. I think she's been a great Secretary of State, but I have no basis whatsoever for knowing whether or not she'd be a good President.
Where does she stand on domestic issues ? Supreme Court appointments ? Does she approve of the out-of-control spending we've seen out of Washington the last 6 years ?
Until I know the answer to these questions, I can't even begin to think seriously about voting for her. And neither should anyone else
She's a lioness--to take over State Dep't--and it's smoke-filled mirrored hallways of double-dealing careerist backstabbers--is one thing, but to try to knit American foreign policy in this age, well, say this for her, she's got heart, and she loves her country. In a way, everything else is secondary.
I'd be interested in knowing when this new image to which Haas refers in the article began. The only difference I've seen in Rice's image is that she hasn't been as visible as she was a few months ago.
Ha, yes--"In a bid to raise his popularity, FDR wins WWII".
Ha--'knit' as in repairing that frazzle'd sleeve of woe (or however that old Shakespeare on 'sleep' line goes).
Smoke, no, you're right, but it has a certain visual effect that, say, "scheme and mirrors" just lacks.
I think she's got the makings, tho. I mean, just step back and look at her record--look at the obvious, but also look at the sustained drive for excellence in all her endeavors.
Also, if she wasn't adept at pulling together the right teams for the right projects, she'd never have made it into the upper reaches of national politics.
So, you could say, she's already answered the question of fundamental personal strengths.
I mean, there are those who will disdain her as a race/gender/PC phenom, to which the answer is, aren't white men a race/gender/PC phenom?
Ruth Anne: If Condi played it just so, such that she had a splashy relationship (Dennis Haysbert? He's already been prez on "24!" Bono, if there were no Mrs. Bono) WHILE campaigning, just think of the free pub! Blow Pitt-Jolie right off the gossip pages!
It's got some juice to it!
I'd vote for Condi in a heartbeat!
Until we see evidence that one-party rule can be trusted with our liberties and budget, it's split government time for me.
Agreed, but I'd wish more for the split to occur in Congress, where the primary focus is not (or shouldn't be, IMHO) on foreign policy.
They have been quite revolting of late.
I was born in Alabamy, raised up in Louisiany, and is now a Texan, and Condi has my vote, plus many many others hereabouts, of all ages, both parties, menfolk and womenfolk alike.
They's lotsa o that 'new paradigm' goin' around down hyar.
Also, remember that Dr. Rice is originally from the South, before moving to Colorado. She has a decent Southern story, plus has made one of the strongest pro-2nd Amdt. statements.
Nevertheless, no matter how much I would love to see her run, I don't see it, unless Bush/Cheney jump start her campaign with an early Cheney retirement. Absent that, no.
Buddy: "Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care . . . " Beautiful line!
McCain/Rice wouldn't be bad at all!
vw: klddlspn
I actually think a VP slot is a lot more realistic. Something like Romney/Rice would probably work fairly well. She would bring the foreign affairs expertise, plus weaken any fundamentalist worries about his Mormonism. It would also be a nice balance geographically - she has southern, CO, and CA roots, while he has MA, MI, and UT roots.
I also see the two of them probably getting along fairly well. He shares a Harvard MBA with GWB (but it is combined with a JD from there too). So, Romney's management style is most likely similar to Bush's. They are also both very bright and articulate.
I don't see her getting along nearly as well with McCain. He lacks the discipline that Bush, Rice, and Romney appear to share, plus there is some bad blood between McCain and Bush, and Rice is extremely loyal to her boss - possibly the most loyal of any of his cabinet.
I have made this point repeatedly, but I would merely echo Doug's comment; unless there is some vast repository of information on Condi's view of the vast swathe of issues that appertain to the modern Presidency, which I have somehow missed, the people saying "I'd vote for her in a heartbeat" seem profoundly reckless. If you don't know what her views are on the issues, what on Earth are you premising that support on? Is your vote really so cheap that it can be bought by pure electoral expediency?
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