Perhaps Rice went in to explain to the Senators that they are powerless, old fools who should learn their place under Obama, or lose it. It’s not like an intelligent exchange could have taken place with Rice as one of the contributors.
That's the take I'm getting from all this. I'm picturing Rice like Judy Holliday in "Born Yesterday" looking at the Senators. "Yeah, so? What'cha gonna do 'bout it, huh?"