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I want to extend as much charity to Rice as possible. And I agree. We don't really know where she is, though the only reason we would speculate that she might not be "pro choice" is because we think she might run for President.

There is literally no evidence - not one jot - that she is pro life. It is just us engaging in wishful thinking.

She could of course convert. But that leads to my other point. Isn't it a bit late for someone who has held such prominent positions to just now get around to formulating a position on abortion?

Even if she were to come out pro life, we can't really be asked to believe that she will be hard core, or for that matter even soft core. Most likely she would be lip service only. A lip service only pro life President does things like appoint David Souter to the USSC. This hurts us on many fronts, not just life.

Aside from the significance of the issue itself, the life issue give us an insight into the way a politician thinks. If they are squishy on life, then they are squishy on other things.

While it is true that Rice will be awesome for protection and advancement of US interests around the world, we have no reason to believe that she would do anything to advance the fiscally or socially conservative agenda whatsoever. And if my operating premise is true, then we have every reason to think that she would move towards being a big government, socially liberal President.

I believe that Condi has publicly condemned the concept of activist judges, and if that is the case, she is well on her way to deflecting the worst fears of conservatives, regardless of her stance on any individual issues. It also eliminates the fear of another Souter problem.

In 2008, the Democrats will run either Hillary Clinton, who is trying to appear centrist, or a non-Northeastern white male, such as Evan Bayh, with the aura of centrism. Condoleeza Rice has never been elected to any public office and has no political base to speak of. Her pro-abortion views will put off evangelical Christians and conservative Catholics. Being a black woman will turn off at least some of the non-religious white male voters, especially in the lower and middle classes. White racism is a hidden vice in our time and its acknowledgment, other than in ritual denunciation of its evil, is rare, much as adultery and homosexuality were 75 years ago. However, it is foolish for political observers to think it would not have an impact on an election.

Condoleeza Rice as a Presidential candidate is not realistic. It would alienate a large portion of the GOP's base and not attract enough replacement voters to offset the losses.