Boxer (S-CA) and Kerry say no to Rice

WASHINGTON - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted Wednesday to approve Condoleezza Rice’s nomination to be secretary of state, but after two days of strenuous questioning on the Bush administration’s handling of Iraq, Democrats planned to delay her widely expected confirmation by the full Senate, NBC News reported.

The committee approved Rice by a 16-2 vote, with only Democrats John Kerry of Massachusetts and Barbara Boxer of California voting not to recommend that she be confirmed. Other Democrats, including ranking member Joseph Biden of Delaware, said they were reluctantly voting to elevate Rice to the nation’s top diplomatic job.

Good for Kerry and Boxer. John Kerry, like most Senators, believe that a President is entitled to his cabinet. But in this case, Condi Rice and her bo$$ have been miserable failures and duty must trump etiquette this time. We gave this team a pass the first time around and they made a screw-up of everything, there is no reason to give a free pass this time.

It is interesting that we know where many of the big players stand on issues, we know about Colin Powell's and Richard Armitage's imprint on the Bush foreign policy, which was to moderate it while getting steam-rolled. We know where Cheney and the neo-cons stand, we know where Rumsfeld stands, but no one can tell you where Rice is on issues. She never seems to produce any original thoughts, she simplys spews the party or administration's political line. The Secretary of State is a prestigious position that has been occupied by some major heavy weights. Rice has not shown herself to be one of those. We all know that she's there because she's loyal and a mouthpiece. Furthermore, the Bu$h administration can bandy her about as the diversity puppet while the step on the necks of Blacks everywhere.

I find Condi Rice irritatingly dishonest. I watched her 9-11 testimony and listen to some of the confirmation hearings for the SoS post. When she talks, you know that she is lying or being misleading. What's worse is that she doesn't seem to have the same concern for her reputation that Colin Powell had. This administration used Powell and he has lost mucho respect in my eyes. However, one mitigating factor with Powell was that he is VERY concerned with his reputation as a straight up guy, which is why we've all been disappointed about the puppet role he was handed and played along with.

Speaking about African Americans in Bu$h's cabinet, ex-Education guy, Rod Paige is another example of the type of Black the conservatives like: obedient-puppet, who says the right things in the media. Paige was the ultimate light weight. His greatest experience was as a suprintendent in Houston and then he was catapulted to the national stage. The job of the Sec of Educ is a political one and nothing to do with suprintendent type stuff. SoEd has to navigate and lobby politics and policy, s/he has to know the national issues, the political climate and how to play the game. This is not about which textbook to use and what security firm to hire. This is about testifying day in day out before eight different Senate and House committees and sub committees, selling policy in the media, etc. The Bu$h people knew he had no experience at this, but that was fine with them. All they wanted was a figurehead.

Anyway, its good to see Kerry back in action, boy do I miss him.