Althouse: "Susan had a reputation, fairly or not, as someone who could run a little hot and shoot from the hip."

November 17, 2012

"Susan had a reputation, fairly or not, as someone who could run a little hot and shoot from the hip."

"If someone had told me that the biggest knock on her was going to be that she too slavishly followed the talking points on Benghazi, I would have been shocked."

53 comments:

Bender said...: "Followed" the talking points?? Based upon what we knew of her before, she likely helped write the false narrative.; 11/17/12, 3:00 PM
Nora said...: Let's the whitewash begin ...; 11/17/12, 3:02 PM
Michael said...: To her credit she acknowledges that There was genocide in Rwanda during, and known by, the Clinton admin.; 11/17/12, 3:02 PM
Anonymous said...: “Susan had a reputation, fairly or not, as someone who could run a little hot and shoot from the hip,”
What could go wrong as SecState?

Teh Won said that it was unfair that the mean old white men were picking on her. He must not understand the nature of the world leaders that the SecState needs to reason with. Mean Old White Men :); 11/17/12, 3:14 PM
Valentine Smith said...: Article reads like a press release.

The Big 0 passionately defends the fatted calf he sent to the slaughter. She's done and he doesn't care because he'll use it to color the Reps as blackguards.

Watch for Kerry, wealthy defender of the elitist faith, shutoff valve on the Foreign Relations Committee, don the mantle as it slips from the masculine shoulders of Hillary (poor thing, she was too exhausted from a week of work, and anyway would never fall for the 0's con like the hapless Rice).

Rice, for her part, will take the bullet in the back of the neck like the good Bolshies of yore. It's all for show don't you know, all for show.; 11/17/12, 3:22 PM
McTriumph said...: "To her credit she acknowledges that There was genocide in Rwanda during, and known by, the Clinton admin."

Genocide was a brilliant call By Sue, especially since it was all top secret and the whole world was was clueless. Come to think of it Obama is a lot like the Clinton when the butchering begins.; 11/17/12, 3:25 PM
commoncents said...: SHOULD BE REQUIRED VIEWING:

Rush Limbaugh "The True Meaning of Thanksgiving"

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2012/11/rush-limbaugh-true-meaning-of.html; 11/17/12, 3:36 PM
DCS said...: Typical NYT puff piece. Total BS. The blind are leading the blind.; 11/17/12, 4:04 PM
Cath said...: Susan Rice is one of the people behind the US declining to capture Osama Bin Laden in Sudan in 1996. As such she owns some responsibility for the first Sept 11. That alone should be enough to bar her from being our next SoS.; 11/17/12, 4:06 PM
edutcher said...: She's another huge ego fed by Affirmative Action and the fear of being called rrraaaaacccciiissstt.; 11/17/12, 4:11 PM
john said...: Diplomats praise her energetic negotiating style, though her peremptory manner has bruised some egos. .... While some in the State Department are wary of her, recalling her blustery style ...

The code is not that hard to translate.; 11/17/12, 4:28 PM
Baron Zemo said...: Just think as the lady at the DMV as the Secretary of State.

How is that for a perfect fit?; 11/17/12, 4:32 PM
Hagar said...: Maybe Hillary set up Ms. Rice?

"Hidden is not forgotten," said the bear!; 11/17/12, 4:35 PM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: Anyone who thinks Rice didn't have full access to all the classified intel from hour one, is a fool.

If she had any respect for the institutions of the country, she would have resigned by now for her shameful part in this.

One thing is certain. She is either dangerously incompetent (didn't know), or is a bald faced liar.

Either makes her unfit for office.; 11/17/12, 4:46 PM
Diogenes of Sinope said...: Obama likes Rice because she is like him, a hothead and undiplomatic.; 11/17/12, 5:04 PM
Paco Wové said...: Dana Milbank:

"It’s true that, in her much-criticized TV performance, she was reciting talking points given to her by the intelligence agencies. But that’s the trouble. Rice stuck with her points even though they had been contradicted by the president of the Libyan National Assembly, who, on CBS’s “Face the Nation” just before Rice, said there was “no doubt” that the attack on Americans in Benghazi “was preplanned.” Rice rebutted the Libyan official, arguing — falsely, it turned out — that there was no evidence of such planning.

"True, Rice was following orders from the White House, which she does well. But the nation’s top diplomat needs to show more sensitivity and independence — traits Clinton has demonstrated in abundance. Obama can do better at State than Susan Rice."; 11/17/12, 5:08 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: I put this in the rehabilitation folder... rehabilitation tag?; 11/17/12, 5:17 PM
Titus said...: This is huge.; 11/17/12, 5:17 PM
Titus said...: Remember Nixon, just like it.; 11/17/12, 5:21 PM
Anonymous said...: So we have either a:
1) Hothead who speaks too quickly.
2) A person who is easily fooled into believing a false narrative because they are clueless about what has been happening for months in a region.
3) A person who knowing told a false story

All of these options make for a very poor choice for secretary of state.; 11/17/12, 5:53 PM
Michael K said...: One more affirmative action member of the Obama administration.

It seemed impossible that the US could come to resemble Detroit but here it comes.; 11/17/12, 6:03 PM
SteveR said...: She'll work out great and will no doubt command the respect of foreign leaders, friend and foe alike. Putin, AchmaDinnerJacket, Wen, et. al. watch out.; 11/17/12, 6:08 PM
Anonymous said...: We are grateful to the NYT as usual for the love piece. This bunts the GOP attack when there are hearing for the Sec. of State nomination of Susan Rice.

Also, the nominee for UN ambassador is S. Powers, the one knows all the journalists and is on background briefer to them on important national issues, such as those that appear in the NYT.

OH, WE at the WH LOVE (yes, LOVE) Susan Rice.

We love every-one that GOP does not like: women, minorities, people with disabilities, international people, muslims, etc. etc.

Rice gives us many things. We cannot wait to fight with the GOP.

Does the GOP allow women or minorities to speak for the party? Does the GOP know what are the issues facing women and minorities? Does GOP realize that we are soon facing 2013 and that we are not living in 1776?; 11/17/12, 6:09 PM
mccullough said...: So she pushed Obama to get involved in Libya. Great. If she wants to save the world from genocide I suggest she pick up a weapon and fight instead of getting others killed. Another chicken hawk like Obama. How many more of these fucked up countries are we going to get involved in? The reason Clinton didn't intervene in Rwanda is because of Somalia debacle.; 11/17/12, 6:15 PM
garage mahal said...: Dana Milbank, people.

Dana Milbank!; 11/17/12, 7:06 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: Rice did and said exactly what she was ordered to. Anyone who thinks differently has a cranial vacancy.; 11/17/12, 7:19 PM
Dante said...: Is any of this stuff believable? It's as if the marching orders for the piece were:

"Here are a bunch of 'lego facts', now put them together so they look like one big understandable excuse for Rice, while making her understandable to our readers."

Also, why do I care about this woman? I want to know what happened in Bhengazi, not some stupid character sketch who has strong emotions.; 11/17/12, 8:09 PM
effinayright said...: Bey, did you love Condi Rice?

Someone please get out a can of Troll-B-Gone to use on this pestiferous A-hole!; 11/17/12, 8:49 PM
Ambrose said...: Poor Susan. Forget the puff piece, Maureen has thrown her under the bus this Sunday morning, Nice whike it lasted, she's all done; 11/17/12, 9:29 PM
Anonymous said...: Is this the appropriate place to say "turd bird" or am I on the wrong thread?; 11/17/12, 9:31 PM
Cedarford said...: Michael said...
To her credit she acknowledges that There was genocide in Rwanda during, and known by, the Clinton admin.
==================
And to Clinton's credit, he he was smart enough he didn't give America a failed trillion dollar war and 45,000 casualties trying to "help the Noble Freedom-Loving Africans" busy butchering other Africans.; 11/17/12, 9:58 PM
Cedarford said...: PETER V. BELLA said...
Rice did and said exactly what she was ordered to. Anyone who thinks differently has a cranial vacancy
============
And since Obama is above accountability since he was reelected and impeachment isn't going to happen - the next best thing is to show consequences must happen to "All The Presidents Men". (and women) -
If they go out and lie and coverup on behalf of the Boss.

Hillary is leaving. She can't be the scapegoat, she is going to be far, far away from DC when the others are inquested and subpeonaed.
They can't ask Petraeus - who also appears to have shredded his credibility - to fall on his sword because he already went out and resigned in a sex scandal.

That leaves Susan Rice, Holder, Clapper, and Donilon in the Haldemann, Erlichmann, John Dean, MItchell spots.

The juiciest plum would be if this somehow gets back to Axelrod and his team of people in Chicago and NYC that put words in Obama's mouths - as the ones who lacking any counterterrorism experience or high security clearances - orchestrated the coverup.; 11/17/12, 10:10 PM
sonicfrog said...: Four dead.
Yawn.

Please explain how her actions, of throwing out a false narrative when it was becoming clear that it was false... a lie even, did anything to get those four killed. The administration and those advising that they stick to the video story were complete idiots, but, unless something comes to light that shows she specifically did something to hinder the rescue, this outrage at her specifically is overblown.

I think at this point she is damaged goods and doesn't deserve the nod of Sec of State. This Susan Rice thing is a distraction. I'd rather the GOP focus like a laser on what actually happened in Benghazi, and if it can be shown that there was no reason why aid was denied, then go from there. Unless, of course, the GOP knows in fact that the administration didn't bomb because CIA was actively on the ground rescuing people and that fire would kill more American lives than were lost that day, so they have no leverage to stand on, and going after Susan Rice is now all they have in their arsenal.; 11/18/12, 1:14 AM
Dante said...: Please explain how her actions, of throwing out a false narrative when it was becoming clear that it was false... a lie even, did anything to get those four killed. The administration and those advising that they stick to the video story were complete idiots, but, unless something comes to light that shows she specifically did something to hinder the rescue, this outrage at her specifically is overblown.

Why nothing. She just covered it up, using her position as US ambassador to the world to do it. And she just did what she was supposed to. That's why she will be a great Secretary of State. she thinks for herself, takes personal responsibility, and when she is abused as a pawn, she protects the integrity of per position, as well as her own integrity. Which would require immediate resignation.; 11/18/12, 2:48 AM
sakredkow said...: One more affirmative action member of the Obama administration.

Just keep talking up those Republican talking points loud and clear.

Make sure you Negroes know your education don't mean a thing to these guys in the GOP rank and file.; 11/18/12, 7:22 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: phx - Why did Susan Rice appear on 5 Sunday shows and spend 4+ weeks blaming "the video"?

Why?; 11/18/12, 7:44 AM
TMink said...: It was a mean old biracial president who sent her out to lie to the American people. It is that same man who will watch her career crumble rather than tell the truth: That protecting, rescuing, and telling the truth about Bengazi do not fit his appeasement diplomacy.

Trey; 11/18/12, 7:48 AM
TMink said...: It was a mean old biracial president who sent her out to lie to the American people. It is that same man who will watch her career crumble rather than tell the truth: That protecting, rescuing, and telling the truth about Bengazi do not fit his appeasement diplomacy.

Trey; 11/18/12, 7:51 AM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: phx said...

Just keep talking up those Republican talking points loud and clear.

Make sure you Negroes know your education don't mean a thing to these guys in the GOP rank and file

As long as Affirmative Action is in the mix, all Negro academic achievement will be suspect, even the genuine.

This point is so obvious it saddens me to have to spell it out for you.; 11/18/12, 8:05 AM
Paco Wové said...: What sonicfrog said, back there in the middle of the night at 1:14.

The whole S. Rice thing is a distraction. It's the job of diplomats to lie at the direction of their government. Rice's problem was that she was too clumsy and obvious at it.

What, exactly, happened in Benghazi?; 11/18/12, 8:35 AM
Sam L. said...: I was going to wonder where Obama found such people, and then I remembered they are the generic university product.; 11/18/12, 8:52 AM
sakredkow said...: his point is so obvious it saddens me to have to spell it out for you.

I don't need to spell out for you at all how much guys like you help the Democrats.; 11/18/12, 9:10 AM
sakredkow said...: phx - Why did Susan Rice appear on 5 Sunday shows and spend 4+ weeks blaming "the video"?

Why?

I don't know. What does that have to do with my comment?; 11/18/12, 9:11 AM
virgil xenophon said...: Remember, this is the brilliant Susan Rice that ACTUALLY thinks the Vienna Summit between JFK and Kruschev was an absolute triumph for JFK.. (as per a You Tube vid of one of her speeches which has now been conveniently pulled for "copy-right" reasons); 11/18/12, 9:14 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: phx - We are dealing with facts, you are dealing with "lets ignore the facts and focus on those evil republicans and their talking points"
Newsflash phx - YOUR party is in control.
YOUR party botched Benghazi and lied about it.
These are not talking points, these are facts.
The fact is, all the left can do is complain and divert attention by yelling ridiculous accusations of "sexism and racism" in order to obfuscate.; 11/18/12, 9:36 AM
sakredkow said...: phx - We are dealing with facts, you are dealing with "lets ignore the facts and focus on those evil republicans and their talking points"
Newsflash phx - YOUR party is in control.
YOUR party botched Benghazi and lied about it.
These are not talking points, these are facts.
The fact is, all the left can do is complain and divert attention by yelling ridiculous accusations of "sexism and racism" in order to obfuscate.

You're so hot when you're mad at me.; 11/18/12, 9:37 AM
Hunter said...: Just keep talking up those Republican talking points loud and clear.

Make sure you Negroes know your education don't mean a thing to these guys in the GOP rank and file.

Yeah, those racist, sexist Republicans like the guy who appointed the first black female Secretary of State with the last name Rice.

Oh right, I forgot... the minorities appointed by and elected as Republicans aren't real minorities, they're "house Negroes" according to our racially sensitive friends on the left.; 11/18/12, 1:24 PM
sonicfrog said...: The whole S. Rice thing is a distraction. It's the job of diplomats to lie at the direction of their government. Rice's problem was that she was too clumsy and obvious at it.

It seems in this interconnected age, government and political organizations are still playing catch-up to the new instant into reality. They just have to learn to stop doing things the way they used to.; 11/18/12, 2:07 PM
jr565 said...: phx wrote:
One more affirmative action member of the Obama administration.

Just keep talking up those Republican talking points loud and clear.

Make sure you Negroes know your education don't mean a thing to these guys in the GOP rank and file.

Don't you get tired of playing the race card phx? It seems to me that one side is asking that she be treated like an affirmative action hire, and it's not our side, it's yours!
Republicans are asking her questions and holding her accountable for those answeres. That is met with, from your side, charges of racism and sexism for daring to ask those questions.
Now, if asking question of a woman or a minority merits charges of racism and sexism then frankly you are demanding racial hires and women hires to be treated specially because of their race and their gender.
If "negros" education is to matter, and we are not simply hiring people to fill quotas then they have to be responsible for their jobs.

If Susan Rice were a white guy, would you care that republicans were asking her tough questions?

The racism is coming from you, my friend not from republicans. And you seem to have a very low opinion of black women in power. They should get jobs of authority, but no one should ask them tough questions? How paternalistic.; 11/18/12, 2:36 PM
jr565 said...: sonicfrog wrote:
Please explain how her actions, of throwing out a false narrative when it was becoming clear that it was false... a lie even, did anything to get those four killed. The administration and those advising that they stick to the video story were complete idiots, but, unless something comes to light that shows she specifically did something to hinder the rescue, this outrage at her specifically is overblown.

Why are the two mutually exclusive to you?; 11/18/12, 2:47 PM
jr565 said...: sonicfrog wrote:
Please explain how her actions, of throwing out a false narrative when it was becoming clear that it was false... a lie even, did anything to get those four killed. The administration and those advising that they stick to the video story were complete idiots, but, unless something comes to light that shows she specifically did something to hinder the rescue, this outrage at her specifically is overblown.

There is a separate, and equally troubling question, as to why noone actually sent any resources to protect the embassy while it was under attack, and further why calls for security prior to the attack were ignored. Those are all questions that must be answered.
But why can't those demanding questions of what you acknowledge is a coverup be angry at her and the administration covering up the issue? Or changing the talking points? Whatever, the issue is,and however you want to characterize it, it's still an issue even if she wasn't personally responsible for the death of four people.; 11/18/12, 2:52 PM
jr565 said...: Furhter, remember when the head of hte CIA called the case against Iraq a slam dunk, and the Bush administration said they were going on the best intelligence estimates they had at the time.
Those were called "lies" by the libs.
If Rice provided falsse information, even though the CIA initially included word suggesting the attack was Al Qaeda, why shouldn't the same standard hold for liberals?
IT was false, therefore, a lie. Rice lied after people died.; 11/18/12, 2:56 PM
sakredkow said...: If Susan Rice were a white guy, would you care that republicans were asking her tough questions?

I don't care if you ask her tough questions. Be my guest.

It's that you defend referring to her as an "affirmative action" candidate that makes Republicans so disreputable. This is how you guys turn off people in droves.

This is part of the reason you lost this election. But go ahead and blame me.; 11/18/12, 7:47 PM