Posted on 05/22/2002 7:30:31 AM PDT by LavaDog
In her first interview with a British newspaper since being appointed President Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice tells David Wastell of the 'chemistry' between herself and the President
On the secure telephone in Condoleezza Rice's airy White House office are numbered keys for each of the senior members of the Bush administration, including Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, and Colin Powell, the secretary of state.
The tray marked "Intel" on her desk was carefully emptied before her interview, but there was no mistaking the significance of the telephone key numbered zero and labelled "Potus", short for President of the United States. It connects her to George W Bush - the man to whom she talks first thing every morning, several more times each day and whose first demand, on returning to the White House from any domestic American trip, is usually: "Where's Condi?"
It is more than three years since Ms Rice, 47, a former academic and Soviet specialist, began tutoring the then Governor Bush on foreign affairs, and 18 months since he appointed her his national security adviser, in which role she co-ordinates defence and foreign policy at the White House. Her proximity to the President, which has increased since September 11, has led many to dub her the most powerful woman in the world.
She responds to the description with characteristic pragmatism: "I think people shouldn't say such things. I mean no, I don't know, I think there are a few pretty powerful women out there; it depends on your definition of power."
Her navy suit and cream blouse blends chameleon-like with the office decor. Ms Rice does not need to stand out. Poised but relaxed, she discusses a range of subjects in an accent that betrays no trace of her southern roots. Now and again her face lights up in a wide, slightly toothy grin. Only when interrupted by a summons from the President does her demeanour change as she sweeps briskly from her office.
During the course of our interview she gave warning of the continuing strength of al-Qaeda, making clear that US troops would remain in Afghanistan beyond this year. She defended Mr Bush from European accusations of hypocrisy on trade - and made clear that America still intends to see Saddam Hussein replaced as Iraq's leader, even if weapons inspections resume.
She also offered a glimpse of the inner workings of the administration, which has been beset by differences over the Middle East, Iraq and the status of al-Qaeda prisoners. The clashes have most often been between Mr Rumsfeld and Gen Powell, but they have also involved Dick Cheney, the vice-president, and George Tenet, the head of the CIA.
Of course there are sometimes disagreements between the "very strong personalities" at the top, she said, but they are "always amicable". "If we can, we try to find a solution that everyone thinks is a good solution. I wouldn't call it a consensus solution. It's rather: 'We've got a problem here and can we work through the issues?' Do we sometimes have differences? Absolutely. And when the president is ready to resolve them, he does." Her part in the volatile equation of personalities is subtlety. "Usually I will try to help the President think through what he thinks, rather than imposing what I think. Because I'm a professor by training and it's been my life's work to come to terms with what people think, it's perfect for this job."
She believes strongly that her role in the White House means that there has to be absolute trust between herself and the President.
"I would not have taken this job with anybody else. I believe very strongly that the personal relationship, the chemistry between a national security adviser and a president has to really work. Because I see him so much and I know him so well, I know what the President's instincts are. There are times when it looks to me as if United States policy is moving in a direction that is not in accord with them. It's then my responsibility to get it back on line." One such realignment, White House officials say, came when Mr Bush decided to take a more aggressive policy in the Middle East and announced the dispatch of Gen Powell to the region in a speech on April 4.
What to do about Iraq remains unresolved. Ms Rice insists that the president has not yet decided to engage militarily despite his commitment to "regime change".
Sitting back, she folds her slender fingers in her lap. "We're a long way from such a decision. What the President has done is to put everybody on notice that the status quo is not acceptable and he's consulting allies and friends about how to deal with that."
Some in the administration are arguing for a hefty commitment of American ground forces, while others want the Iraqi opposition built up for a role akin to the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. Mr Rumsfeld regards weapons inspections as a distraction, a view she seems to share. "Weapons inspections are a help but I don't think that they obviate the need for a regime in Baghdad that will give everybody confidence."
One of the mementos of the Bush administration's first 18 months dotted around her office is a signed photograph of her standing between a grinning, jeans-clad Tony Blair and Mr Bush in a leather Camp David jacket, a reminder of the two leaders' first meeting early last year. "To Condi - Fantastic visit. Thank you," says the Prime Minister's inscription. Mr Bush wrote: "To Condi - Fine job with our friends."
She bridles at criticism of Mr Blair from within Labour ranks for being "President Bush's poodle", given his unstinting support of the American President. "That's an absolutely ridiculous phrase, absolutely ridiculous," she scolds, shaking her head in disbelief. Of course the two men had struck up a good personal relationship, "but this is very much a partnership in which they discuss everything, in which they very often come to common positions - not always to common positions but where, like good allies and friends, we can usually count on one another. And there's nothing unusual about that."
Two days after she spoke to The Sunday Telegraph last week, Ms Rice was thrust to the forefront to defend Mr Bush against claims that he knew before September 11 of al-Qaeda's hijacking intentions.
In an hour-long briefing she passionately defended the administration's handling of the CIA's warnings, explaining that the main worry last summer was that al-Qaeda might hijack an aircraft and use it to bargain for the release of prisoners.
"I don't think anyone could have predicted that these people would take an airplane and smash it into the World Trade Centre, that they would try to use an aeroplane as a missile."
She said that the President had not seen more specific internal FBI memos about flight schools. "He doesn't recall seeing, I don't recall seeing, anything of this kind."
It is a formidable achievement for someone who was an only child in racially segregated Birmingham, Alabama, where one of her friends was among four black girls killed by white supremacists who bombed a Baptist church. The trial of one of alleged bombers began only last week.
Although she never saw her career path as being "in conflict with being black", a fact she credits to her parents, both of whom are teachers, she appreciates the changes in American society that have propelled her and Gen Powell into top positions in a Republican administration.
"One of the wonderful things about the United States is how far this country has come: that you could have, essentially, the descendants of slaves, 170 years later, as secretary of state and national security adviser - and nobody thinks it is odd."
Intelligence, surely.
Yes, Condi Rice plays the piano well.
Hmmm, "I don't recall...", wonder where I heard that expression before
I believe that even the dem party loyalist see it as well. Anything the loudmouth BS ers trie to pull on Bush come right back at them.
That 75% plus poll rating will hold.
But I don't like the author's choice of words here: since Ms Rice......... began tutoring the then Governor Bush on foreign affairs...
The word should be "advising," Jerk!
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!...Thanks, I needed that!
FMCDH
Nah. Only now, when it is too late, does Tuco realize that he couldn't shine Dr. Rice's pumps, much less get caught dead trying to debate her. As he drives off into the sunset in the Second Rater Mobile, Tuco realizes that his mission in life is to criticize greatness whenever he sees it, thus speaking volumes about himself.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
I believe it was out of the mouth of your personal heroine, the Whore of Babble-On, Hillary Clinton.
Not everybody lies, you know. I'm sure you're not familiar with that many that don't, but some people actually tell the truth. Novel idea, isn't it? You should tell Hillary.
'I Help The President Think Things Through
- Not Tell Him What To Do'Hey, she's a poet, but we don't know it!
You mean about government meetings with Enron executives, and terrorist briefings to top-level government leaders weeks prior to 911.
As far as Enron, they have the NAMES of who was there long ago, if you don't know that either.
You are a liberal parrot.
"...warnings right AFTER 9-11" did not help the victime of 911.
Exactly. No silly, vague statements. Say you know exactly what they knew -- and I'm not saying they knew anything other than generalizations -- what WOULD/COULD you personally have done if you were POTUS?
BTW, who lied about getting those briefings? Other than Tom Daschle, I mean.
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