Posted on 04/28/2011 9:01:38 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
There's no love lost between former colleagues Condoleezza Rice and Donald Rumsfeld.
In a question and answer session for the New York Times Magazine, former Secretary of State Rice is breaking her silence about the criticisms former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld made about her in his new book, "Known and Unknown."
Rice was asked to comment on Rumsfeld's assertion that she "almost never wanted" to dissent with President George W. Bush. She replied about Rumsfeld: "He doesn't know what he's talking about."
"I don't think he was ever in the room with the president and me when I would follow the president from a national-security meeting and tell him precisely what was going on in that room. We tended to do it privately."
As for the personal digs Rumsfeld made against Rice--that she was basically unfit for office--Rice decided to get personal in return.
First of all, I didn't have modest experience in management. Managing Stanford University is not so easy. But I don't know what Don was trying to say, and it really doesn't matter. Don can be a grumpy guy. We all know that.
...
Rice was also asked to address her rumored habit of never admitting mistakes. And true to form, she failed to name one during the Q&A.
Rice isn't the first cabinet member to be targeted by Rumsfeld.
In February of this year, Rumsfeld accused Bush's first Secretary of State, Colin Powell of doing a shoddy job handling the war in Iraq.
Powell "did not, in my view, do a good job of managing the people under him," Rumsfeld told ABC News' Diane Sawyer. "There was a lot of leaking out of the State Department, and the president knew it. ... And it was unhelpful. ..
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I go with Rumsfeld on this one. Both Bush and Rice were barely moderate in governance and there sat Don Rumsfeld lodged between alpha males and Condoleeza Rice, and him with “old school” conservative written across his forehead.
Yes he was an odd duck among the nylon generation.
Regards,
GtG
Rice and Rumsfeld should realize they appeared as statesmen during Obama’s meltdown. Now they want to get on the world stage and show out with the New York Times of all places.
I had a higher opinion of her. Musicians tend to be opinionated though.
I’m reading Rumsfeld’s book now, almost finished. I highly recommend it.
If I had to pick between Rice, Powell and Rumsfeld to take on a difficult task, I’d take Rummy every time.
Now Rice chimes in . When any man scares the hell out of the right and the left establishment , he is doing something right . The piggies are squealing .
Rummy was great with quips putting the press in its place but he obviously had the wrong strategy on Iraq.
I'm just about finished reading Known and Unknown. The SecDef never made such a claim in his book that Rice was unfit for office. What comments he did make about Rice, IMHO, are hardly "digs" at her on a personal level.
Actually, based on the information in his book, Rumsfeld’s “strategy” on Iraq, was based upon what the commanders on the ground were telling him they needed. It’s easy to play Monday morning quarterback, especially after this long of period of time has elapsed.
Given Rumsfeld’s track record in Afghanistan and Iraq, I’d suspect our enemies would pick Rumsfeld as well.
What?
Read his book too, and I agree wholeheartedly.
Yeah, and sometimes a "grumpy" guy is just grumpy. Don't get me wrong, in general I like Don Rumsfeld and he did a good job for GW. But I guess the question is just what has he done for us lately besides carping about petty bitches from his days in GW's cabinet?
Regards,
GtG
The man was an abject failure of a wartime SecDef - how he gets a pass for enabling OBL's escape from Tora Bora in '01 is beyond me. I can only attribute it to ignorance or stupidity.
Amen!
It doesn’t make her right. It does partially explain her opinion. Hate to call her a bigot, but the shoe fits.
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