Posted on 01/26/2005 8:07:25 AM PST by presidio9
Despite strong dissent from a small group of Democrats, Condoleezza Rice appears headed to overwhelming Senate approval as the next secretary of state.
Rice, 50, is President Bush's trusted national security aide and a main architect of his policies on Iraq and the war on terror. Once approved, she will replace Colin Powell and become the first black woman to serve as the nation's top diplomat.
Plans were made for her to be sworn in at the White House Wednesday night and to take her place at the State Department Thursday morning.
"Dr. Rice is an honorable, fine public servant who needs to be confirmed," Bush said during a press conference Wednesday. "She will be a great secretary of state and Dr. Rice and I look forward to moving forward."
Bush rejected claims by Democrats that they had been lied to in the run-up to the war in Iraq.
On the Senate floor Wednesday, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., suggested Democrats are sore losers. Rice has enough votes to win confirmation, as even her Democratic critics acknowledge, McCain said.
"So I wonder why we are starting this new Congress with a protracted debate about a foregone conclusion," McCain said. Since Rice is qualified for the job, he said, "I can only conclude that we are doing this for no other reason than because of lingering bitterness over the outcome of the election."
A dozen or so Democrats were lined up to vote against Rice on Wednesday. Probably as many others intended to yield to President Bush's right to pick his own Cabinet even though they, too, harbored serious doubts about Iraq policy.
Sen. Joseph R. Biden (news, bio, voting record), D-Del., said he would support the president's choice despite reservations about Rice's performance on Iraq. "She did no more than any other member of the administration, but they all misled," Biden told CBS' "The Early Show" on Wednesday.
Republican Sen. George Allen said some Democrats only want to "criticize and carp and Monday morning quarterback."
"Particularly at time of war, we need to show unity of purpose," said Allen, of Virginia, who also appeared on "The Early Show."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., predicted Rice would have "an overwhelming majority" of votes.
What had seemed at the outset to be a cinch turned into sometimes angry debate over Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq, his struggle with a potent insurgency and Rice's role in helping him make a case for overthrowing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
One senator, Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, called the war unconstitutional and unwise. Another, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, suggested that Rice merely reinforces Bush's decisions after he has made them. And a third, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, charged that Rice, as Bush's national security adviser, provided Congress with "false reasons" for going to war.
Had she not, Kennedy said in a speech, "It might have changed the course of history."
By contrast, Sens. John Warner of Virginia, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, among other Republicans, praised Rice during Tuesday's lengthy debate as a distinguished academic and public servant who tells the truth.
"She's always been candid and honest, and she listened," Hagel said.
Sen. John Cornyn (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, turned the debate against the Democrats, whose senatorial campaign committee sent a fund-raising e-mail signed by Sen. Barbara Boxer (news, bio, voting record) of California. She quoted from her sharp questioning of Rice in last week's confirmation hearings. Cornyn characterized the e-mail as part of a disinformation campaign that "crossed the line" of politics.
An academic who specialized in the study of the now-defunct Soviet Union, she has been one of Bush's closest advisers as his national security adviser for four years. In testimony last week to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, she swore she has not been shy about disagreeing with him privately at times.
Now, she will be at his side trying to improve relations with European allies, pursuing a Middle East settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, seeking a way to stop North Korea (news - web sites) and Iran from developing nuclear weapons — and, above all, trying to pacify Iraq with limited additional U.S. casualties.
The two days of hearings last week and Tuesday's Senate debate gave Americans and the rest of the world unusual access to U.S. foreign policy and to Bush's critics.
Byrd, the Senate's senior member, said Bush, with Rice's help, steered the country into an unprovoked and unjustified war based on false information that Iraq had been a training ground for terrorists.
"Dr. Rice is responsible for some of the most overblown rhetoric that the administration used to scare the American people into believing that there was an imminent threat from Iraq," Byrd said.
I have known for a long time that Barbara RC Boxer was sad.
Deepy saddened? How about deeply disturbed!!!!
Thankfully, Joe Lieberman is speaking now..and he is being the voice of reason. (my Favorite..on a very short list of Democrats)
Can you believe Boxer would even dare stand close to Condi? What a jackass!
What exactly is a "false reason"? Is he using grape kool-aid to mix his scotch?
Because of Sen. Lieberman's statesmanship and rational thinking, he is a scourge of the present Democratic party. The fanatical, hysterical fringe is now behind the wheel of this party.
Joe at least has a clue on some subjects. I still can't believe some of his actions in 2000. Playing along with trying to steal the election, being part of it.
Barbara Boxer is Deeply Saddened.
Condi should have told her to go "hose herself".
---"What exactly is a "false reason"? Is he using grape kool-aid to mix his scotch?"--
Obviously, Saddam Hussein never had any WMDs, ever.
He never tortured or killed his own citizens, ever.
He never aided or harbored terrorists, ever.
He never posed a threat to the U.S. of any kind, at all.
You see, you have to look at it through the eyes of the lunatics like Boxer. Saddam really was under control, and war really isn't ever necessary. Besides, Hans Blix told us we didn't need war. What else do you need?
Obviously, Rice knew for an indisputable fact that Saddam never had WMDs, even if the rest of the world agreed with us in saying he did. Only Bush and Rice knew the truth, and they lied to us. They were the only people in the whole world who knew the truth.
Nothing like being called a liar by a liar, eh Condoleeza? Good luck, Rice....give 'em hell!
Pete Domenici called the actions of the no-voters EXACTLY for what they were. Excellent observations and way to go, Pete!
Lieberman has a moral compass. But consider his behavior at the impeachment trial. First he gave a long speech on why clinton was a disgraceful perjurer. It made big headlines all over the country. Then a couple of days later he voted to exonerate him.
He also betrayed and denied everything he professed to believe in when he agreed to run as Al Gore's VP.
With his past Byrd should be the last person to talk about Dr Rice
Boxer gives this totally drama queen commentary about Rice's unfitness for the position, calling her a liar. Then she sends out a letter proclaiming her great deed to the world and asks for money to help support her cause (basically to derail the republican agenda ). What a peice of crap she is. I'm glad that many black supporters came out in favor of her nomination yesterday and said they think the senate should confirm her and stop the senseless debates. (Andrew Young, Coretta King,, Sullivan Foundation etc..,) Also, I guarantee you Obama will support her. So, Boxer, Byrd, and kennedy will want to forget this week come election time. Actually, it's making them look bad to denounce all of Bush's minority nominations. It's going to backfire on them with their crowd of supporters.
Replacing TDIDS with BBIDS.
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