Posted on 01/25/2005 1:31:29 PM PST by kattracks
WASHINGTON - One Senate Democrat called Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) a liar Tuesday and others said she was an apologist for Bush administration failures in Iraq (news - web sites), but she remained on track for confirmation as secretary of state. Rice, who has been President Bush (news - web sites)'s White House national security adviser for four years, was one of the loudest voices urging war, Democrats said. She repeatedly deceived members of Congress and Americans at large about justifications for the war, said Sen. Mark Dayton (news, bio, voting record), D-Minn.
"I don't like impugning anyone's integrity, but I really don't like being lied to," Dayton said. "Repeatedly, flagrantly, intentionally."
Rice is expected to win confirmation on Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., predicted that Rice would have "an overwhelming majority" of votes.
Sen. Richard Lugar (news, bio, voting record), R-Ind., cautioned against "inflammatory rhetoric that is designed merely to create partisan advantage or to settle partisan scores."
Rice would succeed Colin Powell (news - web sites), who often found himself on the outside looking in with Bush's close circle of war and national security advisers.
By contrast, Rice is a trusted Bush loyalist. As a principal architect of the Iraq invasion and the administration's war on terrorism, she shares blame for overstating the threat posed by Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), Democrats said.
"My vote against this nominee is my statement that this administration's lies must stop now," Dayton said in opposing Rice's nomination on the Senate floor.
Politicians rarely use the word "lie," preferring some of the milder terms other Democrats used Tuesday.
"There was no reason to go to war in Iraq when we did, the way we did and for the false reasons we were given," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass.
Rice is not directly responsible for intelligence failures prior to the Iraq war that overestimated Saddam's nuclear capability, said Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich. "But she is responsible for her own distortions and exaggerations of the intelligence which was provided to her," Levin said.
"Dr. Rice is responsible for some of the most overblown rhetoric that the administration used to scare the American people," Sen. Robert Byrd (news, bio, voting record), D-W.Va., said.
The Senate set aside most of the day Tuesday to debate the Rice nomination after Democrats revolted against a plan to confirm Rice last week, on the same day that Bush took his oath for a second term.
"We should have been done last week," Frist said. "I was disappointed that we are having to march through the debate today. But ultimately the vote will occur."
Republicans who took the floor to endorse Rice included Sen. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record), R-Neb., who has been a sometime critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policies.
"Dr. Rice has the intelligence, the integrity and the experience for this job. She has the president's confidence," Hagel said.
In his dealings with Rice, "she's always been candid and honest, and she listened," Hagel said.
Rice answered 199 questions during two days of hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week, Lugar said. She answered almost as many in writing, a record nearly unmatched by other Cabinet nominees through history, Lugar said.
Democrats on the committee and off it, however, said Rice dodged hard questions.
Democrats, in the minority in Congress, often resort to delaying what they cannot defeat.
Byrd, the longest-serving Democratic senator and a student of the Constitution, insisted that his party is merely doing its duty.
"I am particularly dismayed by criticism I have read that Senate Democrats by insisting on having the opportunity to debate this nomination have somehow been engaged in nothing more substantial than petty politics or partisan delaying tactics," Byrd said, his voice rising in anger.
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Apparently, powerful liberal women are ok.... ;)
Do they realize the election is OVER and that they lost? What is the point of this? They all admit Condi will be confirmed. Seems like they are letting out all their depression and anger out or something.
The Senate Dims continue to polish door knobs on their political Titanic....
am particularly dismayed by criticism I have read that Senate Democrats by insisting on having the opportunity to debate this nomination have somehow been engaged in nothing more substantial than petty politics or partisan delaying tactics," Byrd said, his voice rising in anger.
Sounds like the squeel of a kid after being caught red-handed..Byrd is full of Byrd****!
We no longer have to wonder if they have lost their minds.
Neither do we, Senator, that's why you're in a rapidly-shrinking minority.
I am quite dismayed that no one has a spine stiff enough to defend Ms. Rice who has to endure this public beating and attempted lynching.
The voters who are telling Senator (Run-And-Hide) Dayton that they will vote for him are the liars!
Well .. calling a spade a spade - this was petty politics - which agrees with the statement from the WH which Byrd was so upset about.
Oh, please, spare us. I guess they mean the constitution of the KKK.
Dayton is from an almost Red State (Minnesota). I believe he is up for reeelection in 06. Do we have a good challenger, or are we going to give him a pass like we did Boxer in 04?
They have 17 Senators up for re-election in 2006. The way this is going, they won't even have enough to filibuster with by January 2007.
He works himself up into such a fit of anger that when he starts foaming at the mouth I can almost see "burning crosses" in his eyes. The foaming around the mouth wasn't so visible when he wore white sheets!
They're afraid of her and are trying to discredit her. I believe that President Bush is grooming her to be his successor and I'll bet some Democrats share my opinion. That's why they are trying to tear her down. Won't work, though.
"I don't like impugning anyone's integrity, but I really don't like being lied to," Dayton said. "Repeatedly, flagrantly, intentionally."
Here's a new jerk.
And the Democrats political lynching of Dr. Rice continues.
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