Does Rice really know her role?

msnbc ^ | Howard Fineman

[anniegetyourgun]

How national security adviser's testimony hurt Bush

WASHINGTON - Republicans who'd been hoping that Condi Rice would calm the political waters with her testimony to the 9/11 commission have to be disappointed. Stylistically and tactically, she was serviceable. Her voice seemed to quaver at times, but overall she was a confident master of detail, choosing, for the most part, to praise rather than confront the accusatory Richard Clarke. But the larger picture she painted of herself, her president and the administration certainly won't help George W. Bush's re-election chances.

A self-proclaimed expert at understanding "structural" change in large institutions, Rice wasn't aware — may still not be aware — that the nature of her job had changed by the time she took over as national security adviser in January 2001. Reared in the Cold War era, she saw herself following in the footsteps of Henry Kissinger. "National security" was largely a matter of global state-to-state diplomacy.

In fact, as her predecessor in effect warned her when he was turning over the keys, the model was no longer so much Kissinger as it was, say, Elliott Ness or J. Edgar Hoover. If, as she said, we had been at war with terrorism for 20 years; if, as she said, the terrorists are determined to attack America, then the NSC chief has to be a ruthless hunter for clues around the world — and on American soil.

Asked at the hearing why she hadn't pressed the FBI more closely about what it knew, or didn't know, about domestic terrorist threats, she acted as though the question was an odd one: It wasn't her job. Well, in retrospect, it was and now certainly is.

[Tempest]

Very true, the left wing media tool has been in full onslaught mode lately. It's almost embarressing how delusional they are about certain things. But the question remains, are they insulting the public opinion or is the public too stupid to realize it.

[clintonh8r]

I guess Howie wrote this in between "sessions" with Matthews.

[expatpat]

The Demo'rats seem to have decided to go after Condi, and destroy her. What is the reason? Are they worried that black women will start to switch parties because they admire her? Or is it their inherent racism coming out again -- remember the effort to destroy Clarence Thomas.

[Wolfstar]

Does Howard Fineman know how embarrassing it is for him every time he kisses Chris Matthews' arse just to get TV face time?

[spunkets]

Little Howie is just doing his part for the cause. The fact that none of it is true doesn't matter. Nitwits will pick up bits and pieces of all the BS and feel accordingly.

[Cold Heat]

They are tying their best to unseat this president.

Absolutely amazing..........they have gone completely mad.

Put them all on Prozac as a executive order.

[SVTCobra03]

Fineman must have been on LSD when he watched Condi's testimony. She kicked demoncrat butt.

[syriacus]

Asked at the hearing why she hadn't pressed the FBI more closely about what it knew, or didn't know, about domestic terrorist threats, she acted as though the question was an odd one: It wasn't her job

Doh!!

Silly me. I thought the Attorney General used to be in charge of the Department of Justice and the FBI .

Janet Reno seemed to think so, anyway.

[cksharks]

I have a small phrase for this guy. YOU SIR ARE A F-----G IDIOT.

[ErnBatavia]

Actually, Fineman was more or less rehearsing his column last night (of course, before today's event) out loud on some cable program; maybe it was Dennis Miller.

Talk about having prejudgement....as far as I'm concerned, he can shove it in and break it off.

[I still care]

They have to destroy her - she is a black woman conservative. Very dangerous to their cause, just like Miguel Estrada.

The liberals are spinning their best, trying to show she didn't so well. But I think enough people actually saw her in action, saw her abused and attacked by Kerrey and others, to know the truth.

By the way, I knew she was smart, but I didn't know just how brilliant she was until I saw her today. She never let them get her - how fortunate Bush is, to have found people of such sterling quality.

[jwalsh07]

Does Rice really know her role?

Certainly does and another of her roles is to emasculate needledick journalists like Howard Fineman.

[TexasCajun]

Stylistically and tactically, she was serviceable.

What the hell does that mean?

[Sir_Humphrey]

This little missive is one of Howie's most embarassing. Poor soul.

Let's step back and see... hmmmm... the terrorists had been planning this for years but only the last 7 months count. Clinton never mentioned al Queda in his final national security briefing but Rice was supposed to know they were planning to attack with air planes (Guess racial profiling would have helped at the airlines that day)Clarke even admits that had they done what he wanted 9-11 would still have happened. Put all these together and it's Bush's fault right?

I guess I saw a differenthearing today than he did. Some on the pannel tried to tow the Democrat line (spare me about them being concerned Americans- Dems use this tactic all the time and it's never true) and Condi emasculated them. She defelcted very spcious charge they made and showed them to be truly ignorant or hypocritical. I especially love what she did to the "war hero" Bob Kerrey.

And another thing.... I'll come right out and say it... it's time to stop showing respect to the whining 9-11 Bush bashing widows. (By no means are they representative of 9-11 widows/widowers)Thier anger and crocodile tears are irrelevant to what we need to next to protect ourselves. They are not deserving of even a hint of sympathy. They forfieted that when they got involved in partisan politics and took money from Kerry'. They need to be called on the capet, humiliated and exposed for the frauds they are.

[syriacus]

Good heavens...it does look like the Attorney General is in charge of the Department of Justice, which is in charge of the FBI. Someone tell Fineman, before he makes a fool of himself..

[Sir_Humphrey]

Just like they (The RATS) are out skewing the polls on CNN/MSNBC. Just a hunch- look for liberal media to start referring to internet polls as legit whereas before they were unscientific.

[KneelBeforeZod]

Know your role?

[Owen]

See? Another article title asking a question to dictate the direction of thought.

Here's a better one. Is Condi Rice as a Black Conservative Republican Woman the prototype of African American women in America? Is the surge towards conservatism and the Republican party in the black community an idea whose time has come for black women?

There, those are better questions. BCRW.

[Spotsy]

"National security" was largely a matter of global state-to-state diplomacy.

This is the new mantra chanted by the left in print and on the airwaves: the new terrorist threat is stateless; only elitist, unreconstructed cold-war warriors who cannot let it go still think in terms of states. Hence the President's policy of preemptive attacks against the states that sponsor terrorists is misguided at best; at worst it only inflames the terrorists etc., etc.

Few people are taking note of this new line of garbage. The Lefties sure dream up some stupid stuff to protect Clinton's legacy and to justify their worldview

[MNJohnnie]

howardfineman@aol.com

Dear Mr. Fineman,

Your clearly partisan attack on Dr Rice's testimony simply does not pass the smell test. Your repeated desperate attempt to pin 9-11 on Bush raises a serious question about both your intellectual honesty and your credibility. All the DNC directed "News media Analysis" seem to miss one crucial fact. By giving a complete pass to 8 years of Clinton inaction and screaming about 8 months of Bush's, you demonstrate clearly that you are not honest brokers of information but partisan cheerleaders. You also miss the most crucial fact. The American people clearly find this whole 9-11 Commission a waste of time. Look at the polls. Those, like you, who fanatically hate Bush are the only ones who think the 9-11 Commission is important or has any impact. The American People know mistakes were made prior to 9-11. That is why 9-11 happened. They are not really too interested in this "close the barn door after the horse escaped" got-ya mentality the "News Media" glories in. What the American people DO desperately care about is that 9-11 DOES NOT happen again. In the end, Bush will be judged solely on what has happened SINCE 9-11 and if he or Kerry can do a better job of keeping it from happening AFTER 11-02-04. Perhaps since your so determined to join the DNC directed chorus and shed any guise of intellectually honesty, perhaps you explain this. Despite all the hype about Bush's poll numbers going down on the issues of Iraq and War On Terror. Why is President Bush's rating vrs Kerry gone UP at the same time in every RED state? Better start throwing away the DNC Talking Points and doing some REAL research if you want to be taken seriously Mr Fineman. Perhaps the very harshness of your attack on Dr Rice indicates the real point of your article. You know Dr Rice hit a home run today and she pretty much shattered any credibility the 9-11 Commission had left as "Bipartisan" with the political middle. So like the Bush AWOL smear, the 9-11 Commission and Richard Clarke are now going into the junk bin of failed DNC campaign ploys. That just breaks your little Bush Hater heart now doesn't it, Mr Fineman?