Posted on 02/09/2005 10:48:10 AM PST by Hawk44
Dick Morris
To stop Hillary, draft Condi
As she tours the continent after her Senate confirmation, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is like a rock star — her every movement, her every meeting covered by an adoring media.
America’s first black female secretary of state is doing in public what she has always done in private — speaking frankly about America’s priorities and the realities of the post-Cold War world. As she jokes with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, loosening up his dogmatic anti-American policies, lectures Russia about freedom and warns Israel of tough decisions ahead, one thing is obvious: A star is being born.
Traveling without the entourage customary for secretaries of state, on time, mapping out in advance her first six months of travel, Rice is a new force in American politics.
As the Republican Party casts about for a viable presidential candidate in 2008 to keep Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) out of the White House, attention will inevitably focus on Rice, the woman who may stand between Clinton and the presidency.
Since Bush’s success in Iraq has laid the basis for negotiation in the Middle East, there is every prospect that Rice may preside over a diplomatic triumph in catalyzing the discussions between Sharon and Abbas. The firm American stand in Iraq will also make more likely success in Korea and Iran, all of which would add to the prestige of Rice.
The political fact is that a Rice candidacy would destroy the electoral chances of the Democratic Party by undermining its demographic base. John Kerry got 54 percent of his vote from three groups that, together, account for about a third of the American electorate: African-Americans, Hispanics and single white women. Rice would cut deeply into any Democrat’s margin among these three groups and would, most especially, deny Clinton the strong support she would otherwise receive from each of them.
Rice’s credentials for a candidacy are extensive and will grow throughout her tenure at the State Department. As former chancellor of Stanford University, she would have much in common with the pre-political careers of Woodrow Wilson and Dwight Eisenhower, presidents of Princeton and Columbia universities. Her service as national security adviser during a war and her current efforts as secretary of state demonstrate her ability to handle crises and to conduct herself with dignity and impact on the world stage.
As a social conservative and deeply religious person, she would face no bar in winning the votes of the Christian right, so crucial to winning the Republican nomination. Unlike former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani (R) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) — both of whom could probably win in November — she would be very attractive to the pro-life, anti-gun-control, anti-affirmative-action base of the GOP.
America longs to put the period on the disgraceful chapter in our nation’s history that began when the first slave arrived at Jamestown, Va., more than 400 years ago. We also want to send a message to every girl, and every African-American or Hispanic baby, that there is no ceiling and that you can rise as far as your ability will carry you. The day Condi Rice is sworn in as president, regardless of the fate of her administration, that message and the punctuation of our history of racism will be obvious.
Of course, she isn’t running — nor is there any indication that she is harboring thoughts of a candidacy. But as her visibility increases, so will her viability. It may just be possible to draft Condi into the race. A real presidential draft movement hasn’t happened since 1952, when Republicans urged Eisenhower to get into the race. A draft-Condi movement seems almost antiquated in this era of ambitious and self-promoting candidates, but it may well fill a deep need in the electorate to vote for someone who is running in response to a genuine call of the people.
Condi Rice is a work in progress. Her rise has been impelled by her merits and achievements rather than any efforts on her part to curry favor in the media. She is still working and still progressing. But keep your eye on this political star. It is rising and may one day be ascendant.
Morris is the author of Rewriting History, a rebuttal of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) memoir, Living History.
I'm not doubting you - I just want some direct quotes. I want evidence. The last thing I'm going to do is to pull a Bill Moyers and say just because someone told me they heard it, it's true.
Let's prove it. Then we can stand by it - otherwise, we need clarification.
newt-condi ticket would give the dems/media the intellectual shellacking they've been begging for but newt is damaged goods on the superficial plane that counts
This canard has been repeated to the point of being accepted wisdom, yet it is false. Slavery was such a common practice back then as to be the accepted norm of the day. It was not race dependent. All races had been enslaved up to that point. It is only disgraceful in retrospect, judged by today's standards. In fact, we were the first country to abolish it 400 years later.
I think their numbers are skewed, but I have seen several polls taken by the RNC that show 40% to 45%, I just can't Google them up at the moment.
Most of these people are for overturning Roe, but would do almost anything to stop a Federal Law that would keep states from individually legalizing abortion.
So9
There are a handful of times when she has been quoted in the press as being pro-choice. (Otherwise, crickets.)
They have been presented to you. What more do you want?
A direct quote would be one that is in the context of the sentence in which it is given, and from either a transcript or the original interview. No one seems to have a complete, original quote. If you are so sure about it, SOURCE IT.
We're no better than the Old Media if we don't get full quotes and facts.
Thanks.
Funny, because almost the entire delegation to the national convention is pro-life.
Many states it is 100%.
You obviously know nothing about this.
That's why you had to reach into the bottom of the pro-abortion barrel to find such a ridiculous poll.
is he the son from 'sanford & son'?
Why don't you provide us with her pro-life credentials, then.
Hey, if you can make demands, we can...
i'm a 12-week man myself
This line literally brought tears to my eyes. My little girl can strive to whatever heights she chooses, and this country will support her in her quest.
This is truly the greatest nation on earth.
Who was once '11-weeks'...
Every possible Democrat who might run for office is damaged goods so Newt would be fine.
I'm going to go out on a limb here -
I've been to the forefront of the Right-to-Life movement, and no one can doubt my dedication on this issue. I've proven it on this board and in real life, and I'm the one that made a two-day trip on a bus to Florida to help save Terri Schiavo. So let's be honest here - I HAVE AN AGENDA on the side of LIFE.
What I want is something more than a secondary (or in the case of the Old Media "discussing the issue") tertiary quote. I write my articles with the idea that they might be taken apart in court later - and I always win. So I want a direct, original quote from the original source. You all can form an opinion based on anything you want -
But if I'm going to write an article about it, I want an original direct QUOTE from the source.
Amen, sister...
What was the final convincing factor if you don't mind me asking?
Good luck.
But you need to consider the fact that even in the highly unlikely event (a number approaching infinity) that she was misquoted, her silence on this core fundamental principle would not speak highly of her.
Sins of omission are still sins.
A note to all of these "I will never vote for a pro-choice candidate" types who say they will never vote for a candidate that is even the slightest bit pro choice:
Good luck advancing the pro-life agenda under President Hillary!
Bones
Your cynical attempt to already use the Hillary fear factor to push a pro-choice GOP nominee is noted.
Doesn't speak too well of you.
I've been to the precinct caucases. I know exactly how this works.
In the majority of precincts, the pro-life people win by a small majority. In those precincts they send an exclusively pro-life delegation to the state convention.
That gives the State convention a big pro choice majority even though the party members at the local level were pretty evenly divided.
Then the State convention being controlled by the majority chooses an exclusively or almost exclusively pro life slate to represent a state party where they have 55% support.
That's the way party politics works, and being party loyalists most go along, but push them hard enough and they will bolt en masse like the Reagan Democrats did.
So9
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