Angelena Rice died of breast cancer in 1984 or 85. John Rice passed away in December of 2000, just before his daughter moved to Washington. Be Seeing You,
Chris
Posted on 01/28/2005 3:09:25 PM PST by Indy Pendance
WASHINGTON (AP) - America's first black woman secretary of state took the ceremonial oath of office Friday surrounded by family and friends, some who had traveled from her native Alabama, as well as the president, first lady and a Supreme Court justice.
Condoleezza Rice's uncle, Alto Ray, and two aunts, Genoa McPhatter and Mattie Bonds, held the Bible for the ceremony in the State Department's formal dining room.
Right after she thanked President Bush and the first lady, Laura Bush, Rice thanked her family and friends.
"They represent generations of Rices and Rays who believed that a day like this might somehow be possible," she said.
Rice, 50, was born in the segregated South. Her resume is filled with firsts, including being the youngest provost of Stanford University. She has been Bush's White House national security adviser for four years and, as Bush noted Friday, a family friend.
"Our family has been enriched by our friendship with this remarkable person," Bush said. "We love her," he added. "I don't know if you're supposed to say that about the secretary of state."
It was her second swearing-in. The first was in a private ceremony Wednesday night at the White House with White House chief of staff Andrew H. Card Jr. officiating.
"Condi has an abiding belief in the power of democracy to secure justice and liberty and the inclusion of men and women of all races and religions in the courses that free nations chart for themselves," Bush said.
Rice pledged to use diplomacy to widen the community of democracy. "You have given us our mission, and we are ready to serve our great country and the cause of freedom for which it stands," she said.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a neighbor in Washington's Watergate apartment building, administered the 137-year-old oath on Friday.
Both Bush and Rice paid tribute in their remarks to Colin Powell, who was secretary of state in Bush's first term.
"Colin Powell leaves big shoes to fill at the State Department, but Condi Rice is the right person to fill them," Bush said.
Rice will take her first trip abroad as secretary of state next week. She has several stops in Europe and talks in Israel and the West Bank. The Middle East visits follow a promise she made to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during her confirmation hearings that she would become personally involved in efforts to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.
It will be a brief visit, tucked between European stops and confined to meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. There are no planned diversions to Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia or Iraq.
The aim is to measure the likelihood of generating momentum to drive Israel and the Palestinians to the peace table.
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder if there is any significance to the fact that Rice was referred to not, as is typically the 'politically correct' case these days, an African American Female, but instead as a "black female."
This man GWB never ceases to bring tears to my eye's with his humanity.
I am 6 foot 3 and pushing 280 lbs!
Never would have happened if the racist dims had been in power.
It takes a conservative philosophy to look past skin color to see someone's inherent value and dignity as a person.
I watched the swearing in ceremony this morning and could not help thinking that there were two proud parents watching their daughter being sworn in from heaven. They did an excellent job wit Dr. Rice.
"I wonder if there is any significance to the fact that Rice was referred to not, as is typically the 'politically correct' case these days, an African American Female, but instead as a "black female."
I was thinkng the same thing. Actually, I was looking for "Uncle Tom" in the article somewhere. Maybe in later editions.
Awwww.
It's really neat that Laura was there. Anyone know if this is at all usual?
I hope my kids do as well in life.
I have no idea what is accepted today to refer to people of Condi's genetic background; I would love to know what is the prevailing way not to offend.
Anyone?
Watched it too--did you see the stubborn tear that insisted on being seen while our President was talking? The whole ceremony was very moving.
Yes, I did. I think that the President and Mrs. Bush consider Dr. Rice in the closest circle of their friends. This is so refreshing. If you will notice most of the time when Kerry, Boxer and all the rest are talking about their close black friends it comes off as rather patronizing.
(Rice pledged to use diplomacy to widen the community of democracy.)
I was reading on Newsmax the late night jokes a few weeks ago and anti-Bush Letterman made a funny joke about the above...something about "that means that we must be really running low on ammo!"
Gee...$87 billion could buy an awful lot of ammo...or it couldn't...which is why Kerry voted for it...before he voted against it...
/Kerry's sixth grade Michael Moore logic
When did her parents die ?
My President is so much kinder than I am. God bless him and America.
FMCDH(BITS)
The socialist anti-America witch Bader-Ginsburg administering the "oath"?
That's a photo-op that's just plain wrong.
Angelena Rice died of breast cancer in 1984 or 85. John Rice passed away in December of 2000, just before his daughter moved to Washington. Be Seeing You,
Chris
I'm sure the AP begrudgingly typed that.
Awesome is right!
Godspeed, Madam Secretary. We are grateful and proud that you are representing the U.S. around the world.
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