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U.S. Urges Kenyan Leaders to Fulfill Power Sharing Commitment Statement by Secretary Condoleezza Rice Washington, DC April 8, 2008 On April 7 I spoke separately by telephone with President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga to urge them to implement real power sharing by agreeing on the composition of their coalition cabinet. Both emphasized to me their strong commitment to do so. It is imperative that they form the cabinet without further delay and address the vitally important work of the nation. The United States and the entire international community stand ready to assist the coalition government and to...

...Whether Mr. Odinga has ordered his men to commit murder and arson is unclear. But his own background does not exactly suggest enthusiasm for democracy and the rule of law. Mr. Odinga's father, Oginga Odinga, led the Communist opposition during the Cold War and Raila Odinga was educated in Communist East Germany. In 1982 he was implicated in a failed coup against the then president Daniel Arap Moi. His eldest son is named after Fidel Castro and his daughter after Winnie Mandela. Even more sinister has been Mr. Odinga's electoral pact with the National Muslim Leaders' Forum — a hardline...

In response to my column Racist Slander From The New Yorker, "Condiment" author Hendrik Hertzberg wrote, Dear Mr. Parks: Evidently you neglected to read all the way through my piece. To save you the trouble of going back to it, here is how it ends: "Her [Rice's] ascension, though nowhere near as momentous a breakthrough as the election of Obama or Clinton, would be a breakthrough all the same. In this connection, a kind word for George W. Bush may be in order. By appointing first Colin Powell and then Rice to the most senior job in the Cabinet, a...

Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island PHOTO OF THE DAY President George W. Bush embraces a student Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, during an education roundtable at the University of Liberia in Monrovia, Liberia. QUOTE(s) OF THE DAY President's Radio Address ~ February 23, 2008 Critical excerpt: Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell recently explained that the vast majority of the communications infrastructure we rely on in the United States is owned and operated by the private sector. Because of the failure to provide liability protection, he says private companies who have "willingly helped us in the past, are now...

Keith Weissman and Steven Rosen Are PhDs and Middle East Experts Who Did Some Lobbying. They Thought They Were Doing What Washington Insiders Always Do. Thomas O’Donnell didn’t reveal his job when he phoned Keith Weissman in 2004 and got the policy analyst’s wife. He says he didn’t want to scare her. When Weissman returned the call and found out O’Donnell was an FBI agent, his first reaction was to attempt a joke: “What did I do?” “I’m sure you didn’t do anything,” O’Donnell told him. He wanted to meet that day, for five or ten minutes, and get Weissman’s...

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reportedly said in Annapolis this week that her childhood in the segregated South had helped her to understand the suffering on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...

There has been, for some time, more than ample reason to question the judgment of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with regard to her attempts to “foster” a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which attempts lead us now towards the dubious possibility of a conference in Annapolis. Word has it that the conference was her brainchild, although it was originally announced by the president. In fact, she seems to be supplying the steam behind this entire effort. Her statements frequently have an “other worldly” tone to them. She speaks about the window of opportunity open to...

The respected left-wing journalist Aluf Benn recently reported in Haaretz that “When Condoleezza Rice talks about the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel, she sees in her mind’s eye the struggle of African Americans for equal rights, which culminated in the period of her Alabama childhood.” Though Benn never cited any source for his description of Rice’s deep personal identification with the Palestinian national cause, he has interviewed Secretary Rice before and obviously felt his source was good enough for print. He went on to “guess” that Rice’s feelings were based on the similarity between the separation fence...

An anti-war demonstrator accosted Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as she arrived to testify at a hearing on Capitol Hill, shouting "war criminal" before being dragged away by security. Members of the Capitol Police department also removed several members of the anti-war group "Code Pink" from the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing room, who struggled as they left. The hearing began on schedule and Rice's testimony did not appear to be affected by the incident.

Pope Benedict XVI refused a recent request by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to discuss the Middle East and Iraq, Vatican sources say. The Pope refused a request for an audience during the August holidays. Senior Vatican sources told the BBC the Pope does not normally receive politicians on his annual holiday at the Castelgandolfo residence near Rome. But one leading Italian newspaper said it was an evident snub by the Vatican towards the Bush administration. Christian rights There are at least two reasons why Pope Benedict may have decided peremptorily against a private meeting with Ms Rice. First,...

Official Mexican government reports reveal Mexico has entered discussions with the state of Texas and top officials in the Bush administration to extend the Trans-Texas Corridor into Mexico, with a plan to connect through Monterrey to the deep-water Mexican ports on the Pacific, including Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas. The official website of the Mexican northeastern state of Nuevo León contain multiple reports that José Natividad Gonzáles Parás, governor of the Mexican state of Nuevo León, has actively discussed with numerous U.S. government officials, including Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the...

Condoleezza Rice may be willing to compromise at a Middle East negotiating table - but not at a jewelry counter. Coit Blacker, a Stanford professor who is one of the secretary of state's closest friends, recalls going into a shop where Rice asked to see earrings. The clerk showed her costume jewelry. Rice asked to see something nicer, prompting the clerk to whisper some sass under her breath. Blacker remembers Rice tearing the woman to shreds. "Let's get one thing straight," he recalls her saying. "You are behind the counter because you have to work for minimum wage. I'm on...

WASHINGTON - Sports, not politics, will be Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr.'s emphasis in his new role as a special envoy for the State Department. "This isn't a political statement for me, necessarily," Ripken said Monday after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice formally announced his appointment. "This is about the kids and planning baseball and using baseball for good reasons." Ripken, who set the Major League record for consecutive games played — 2,632 games in a row, earning him the nickname "Iron Man" — said he was ready for the task, which will take him first to China...

Condi's phone call behind reversal DILSHAD AZEEM ISLAMABAD - President General Pervez Musharraf withdrew the decision of imposing emergency following late night telephone call by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, The Nation has learnt here. “The decision is reversed after Condoleezza Rice strongly opposed the option of proclamation of emergency and conveyed to Musharraf strong reservations of the United States of America particularly those of Democrats-dominated US Congress,” diplomatic sources said.Condoleezza Rice discussed with General Pervez mainly two issues; his plan to impose emergency in the country on various grounds, and his non-participation in the Afghan Jirga, being held...

Enough with the Uncle Tom Name Calling Black Americans, who love their country, are not separatists and do not view everything through the prism of race are called “Uncle Toms” by black civil rights dinosaurs that refuse to acknowledge black progress. Imagine the absurdity of a sports team winning the championship refusing to accept the trophy. Civil rights pioneers fought a great fight and won. And yet, many of them reject victory and seek to punish contemporary blacks who are prosperously moving forward in their lives thanks to the heroic efforts of these civil rights pioneers.

(Editor's note: the Secretary of State delivered the following address to the Economic Club of New York on June 7, 2007.) Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: It's an honor to join you tonight to help you celebrate your centennial anniversary. For 100 years now, the Economic Club of New York has been one of the intellectual capitals of the most dynamic city in the world. You have shaped the world of ideas. You have done so with reason, and passion, and civility. And you have helped to guide America, thoughtfully and confidently, though times of change and challenge.

Rice slams Russia 01/06/2007 07:28 - (SA) Potsdam, Germany - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made new jabs at Russia on Thursday, saying the country needed to improve its human rights record and work with the West. "We want Russia to be strong, but strong in 21st century terms - not just with a strong centre, but with strong, independent institutions, both in and out of government a strong, independent judiciary and legislature, a strong, independent society with a strong, independent media and free and fair elections with access for monitors," she said. "Democratic institutions and an open society...

On a trip to California this week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has done so many non-foreign policy photo-ops that local reporters have been speculating she's laying the groundwork for a run for governor. Now she's added fuel to that speculation by giving a very non-Sherman-like answer to a question about having future political ambitions. The transcript of the Q&A with a local newspaper reporter was just released by the State Department. Asked about running for governor, Rice answered: " Look, one doesn't ever know what life may bring, but I sure don't have any plans to run for office."...

War On Terror: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she might talk with Iran this week at a Mideast conference on Iraq. This would end a 28-year break in direct contact with Iran's rogue regime. It's a bad idea. We understand that Rice is keen on stabilizing Iraq. She understands a sad-but-true reality: Iraq's Shiite-led government sees Iran as every bit of an ally as the U.S.

A tense confrontation within the Bush administration over the release of the Irbil 5. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whose tenure at Foggy Bottom began with such energy and fine language about support for freedom in the Middle East, is begging the Iranian foreign minister to come to a “future of Iraq” conference in Egypt next week. She told the Financial Times that it would be a “missed opportunity” if Minister Mottaki didn’t show up. In the same interview, she denied ever thinking about regime change in Iran. Our Iran policy, according to the secretary, is to “have a change...