Beware the Condi bandwagon

The American Thinker ^ | Feb. 15, 2005 | Steven M. Warshawsky

[Kitten Festival]

I am as pleased as anyone with Condoleezza Rice’s initial performance as Secretary of State. She’s a smart, articulate, passionate defender of America and George W. Bush’s foreign policy vision. But all the excited talk about “Condi for President” is wildly premature, and even dangerous to the conservative cause. For all her virtues and strengths, and she has many, Rice simply is not presidential material. This is not a criticism. Plenty of highly accomplished, successful people are not made out to be President. Rice is an outstanding cabinet official and a shining star in the Republican firmament. But she lacks the background and experience to be a credible, let alone winning, candidate for the White House in 2008. Critically, between now and then, Republicans need to find someone to fill Dubya’s big shoes. The time and energy spent daydreaming about a Condi candidacy would be better spent identifying viable national candidates and building up their political capital for the hard fight to come against Hillary, Kerry, and the Democrats.

[Kitten Festival]

I don't know if I agree with him but he's an interesting writer who makes a good compelling read.

[atomicpossum]

No one starts his (or her) career in elected politics by running for the White House. The idea is absurd. (Are you listening Dick Morris?) The liberal media and the mainstream public alike would reject, indeed ridicule, anyone ignorant – and arrogant – enough to believe that they could “start at the top” like this.

Perot

Sharpton

Nader

REV'rund Jackson

--and many more I could come up with given more time. The media did NOT ridicule them for trying, they celebrated them, largely because they were seen as stumbling blocks for Republicans/Conservatives.

[trisham]

Even Hillary, who has presidential ambitions of her own, realized that she had to start by winning a seat in the U.S. Senate. If Condi wants to be a serious candidate for the White House someday, she needs to pursue a similar course.

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Uh-he lost me here. Holding up Hillary as an example doesn't sit well with me.

And the bottom line is, Condi Rice may be the only possible candidate that can beat Hillary in '08, assuming that Hillary is the Democrat candidate.

[EagleUSA]

But all the excited talk about “Condi for President” is wildly premature, and even dangerous to the conservative cause. For all her virtues and strengths, and she has many, Rice simply is not presidential material.
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Yes it is, and of course, she knows that too. This is a smart woman, not another self-proclaimed-and-qualified socialist hack like Hitlery or Boxer. But the jubilation and pride we can take in her performance as SECSTATE is very good for REAL AMERICA!!

[kenth]

He holds Hillary up as an example of someone setting herself up for the presidency then derides that possibility for Condi as being not presidential. He's going out of his way to find reasons for Condi not to run.

[gopwinsin04]

I happen to think she's great VP material..

[newgeezer]

Condi Rice may be the only possible candidate that can beat Hillary in '08

Heaven help us if that's ever the case.

[NeonKnight]

Even Hillary, who has presidential ambitions of her own, realized that she had to start by winning a seat in the U.S. Senate. If Condi wants to be a serious candidate for the White House someday, she needs to pursue a similar course.

He forgot one thing....When was the last time a Senator won the White House?

[Polonius]

Relatively certain that several 20th century presidents hadn't previously held elective office — Eisenhower, for instance, and Hoover (not a great president, but I believe he was a cabinet official prior to attaining the presidency).

[Blumtoon]

I don't think Hillary would be that difficult to defeat. She is too annoying to real men,IMHO.

[trisham]

Heaven help us if that's ever the case.

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Why?

[trisham]

I don't think Hillary would be that difficult to defeat. She is too annoying to real men,IMHO.

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Unfortunately, she is appealing to many women, and to liberal men.

[newgeezer]

If there is ever only one person who can beat the likes of Hillary for the White House, this country is in deep sh*t.

[trisham]

Good point.

[Mr. K]

This is the second anti-condi story I saw today. what are the liberals afraid of?

I think Rice/Powell ticket would FREAK OUT the press

Rice/Runsfeld or even Rumsfeld/Rice would be great

The vice-pres is not going to run, so the next most important man in this admin might as well.

[Blumtoon]

You're right, she'll get all the women who voted for Kerry and the true blue liberal guys but I don't think she will appeal to male swing voters at all.

[section9]

There's a problem that this writer doesn't get, however. There are too many Republican women who think just like Jim Jeffords and Christie Todd Whitman. They would vote for Hillary against, say, a George Allen or a Mark Sanford. Natch, Hillary would get the pantywaist man vote.

It's all demographics. You have to be able to split white women with Hillary, kill Hillary among white men, and eat into her support among black men and women. ONLY Condi Rice can do that for you, and then only if she runs as a conservative, Thatcher-like candidate.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Blumtoon]

I know about RINO women, my sister is one,with a lot of effort, I persuaded her to vote for George W. and not Kerry(actually I think it was a Giuliani speech endorsing W. that I e-mailed her the week before the election).She would probably seriously consider voting for Hillary in '08 and I may be unable to talk her out of it. But I still think Hillary will crash and burn with men of all colors except that pantywaist group you referred to. Just my unscientific opinion.

[trisham]

You're right, she'll get all the women who voted for Kerry and the true blue liberal guys but I don't think she will appeal to male swing voters at all.

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I agree.