Drudge tips Condi Rice for Mitt Romney veep pick. But is she too moderate and too tied to Bush?

The Telegraph ^ | 7/13/12 | Tim Stanley

[markomalley]

On Thursday night, Mitt Romney sent out an email to supporters promising news on his Vice President selection “sometime soon.” A few hours later, the Drudge Report announced that Condi Rice – the former Secretary of State under George W Bush – was “near the top of the list.” I quote: “It was Condi who received two standing ovations at Romney's Utah retreat a few weeks ago, and everyone left with her name on their lips.” That’s it. But from small acorns are great headlines made.

Condi Rice would be a risky veep pick for Romney. It’s true that she’s experienced, respected and liked by establishment Republicans. But she has never won an election and she is associated with George W Bush – a man mildly less popular than arthritis. Her selection would widely be regarded as a desperate bid to reach out to both women and African-American voters, while probably not making an impact upon either.

Worst of all, Rice might split the base. There was some speculation in 2008 that she voted for Obama, and she can be best described as a libertarian on the moral issues that matter to religious conservatives. On abortion: “I don't like the government involved in these really hard moral decisions … While I don't think the country is ready for legislation to overturn Roe v. Wade, certainly I cannot imagine why one would be in favor of partial-birth abortion. I also can't imagine why one would take these decisions out of the hands of the family.” On gay marriage: “I don't ever want anybody to be denied rights within our country.” Selecting a woman with these views would only confirm the suspicion that Mitt is himself a Massachusetts moderate. He doesn’t need that kind of bad publicity.

[markomalley]

Too moderate (a/k/a liberal): absolutely.

[prisoner6]

Keep pushing GOPe...Keep pushing! And don’t you DARE come crying for money or help!

[ScottinVA]

This has “head fake” written all over it.. remember just last week the buzz was all about Rob Portman? Some people are spun up about the speculation, so it`s apparently working.

Romney won`t pick Rice because she`s too intertwined with the Bush years. Gov Susana Martinez would be a great choice if he can persuade her to come aboard. Failing that.... there`s always Col Allen West. Either one of them would make a great VP.

[stormhill]

Yes, funny how language gets bastardized.
Now, a rabidly liberal RINO has been redefined as a "moderate" when, in reality, Condi Rice is Colin Powell in drag.

[Eva]

There was an article in the WSJ back in April, by Bret Stephens, entitled, “Anyone but Condi”. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304050304577375851104232184.html

Here are two exerpts, “[Rice] was on the wrong side of some of the administration’s biggest internal policy fights. She had a tendency to flip-flop when it came to the president’s core priorities and her political misjudgment more than once cost Mr. Bush dearly. She was a muddler of differences at the national security council. Her tenure at State was notable mainly for the degree to which the bureaucracy ran her, not the other way around.”

..Still it must be said: If the presumptive Republican nominee is going to choose his running mate with an eye toward governing the country and not just winning the election, he can do better than Ms. Rice. Choosing her would simply be evidence that he doesn’t have much faith in his own November chances.

[shibumi]

I had my comment all ready, but you pre-empted me.

So let’s see here. Most likely a Lesbo (lightly closeted) abortion supporter, internationalist, despised by most Blacks as a sellout, baggage from Bush.

But hey - there’s an upside. Sort of.

She ~WILL~ kick Biden’s ass in a debate. But then so could most third graders. Maybe even Megan McCain.

[golux]

I am sort of lost here with where “we’re” supposed to be, and I admit I am a little gun-shy about posting on political candidates since there was a LOT I liked about R. P. (I will not say his name as it got me suspended once.) Can you fill me in on why Condi is so liberal? Frankly, I thought Mitt was the most un-Conservative, un-Constitutional of the bunch, and now it seems... Am I right? We’re supposed to rally behind Romney? So - here’s Condoleeza Rice, who we DO know is a frickin’ GENIUS, and was basically George Bush’s best friend in Washington. I also know that there are a lot of untruths and out-of-context citings of all the candidates (R.P. being a cardinal example.) I also happen to believe that the abortion issue is the most important issue facing our country. So - if you think Condi is just a disaster, please tell me why and offer some proof, because I only know her as a brilliant, worldly, and well-respected conservative woman.

[kearnyirish2]

They don’t need a pro-abortion VP; Romney doesn’t scare abortion advocates (though they might want a more assertive voice). They also don’t need a black candidate; there is no swing in that vote (for the most part). A white or Hispanic female will do.

Sad what we’ve been reduced to in this day and age of tokenism and division...

[markomalley]

So - if you think Condi is just a disaster, please tell me why and offer some proof, because I only know her as a brilliant, worldly, and well-respected conservative woman.

OK, here goes:

1. She is a pro-abort
2. She is pro civil unions
3. She buys into the AGW fraud
4. She is pro nation building (as an RP supporter, you ought to be very, very opposed to that)
5. She is in favor of amnesty for illegals (provided they speak English)
6. She is in favor of affirmative action (not just nondiscrimination)

Source: http://www.ontheissues.org/Condoleezza_Rice.htm

Bottom line: she is what the MSM would call a "moderate" -- and what FReepers (so far as I know) call a flaming liberal.

[golux]

This is an enlightening article, thank you.

Boy I sure find it disgusting that a conservative black person could be labeled by ANYONE a “sell-out.”

I wish it were a THOMAS SOWELL / CONDI RICE ticket. Talk about utterly kicking ass in any debate with anyone anywhere and making the “you’re racist” crowd STFU forever.

[golux]

Gotcha.

Found this:

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/07/12/drudge-condi-rice-near-the-top-of-romneys-vp-shortlist/

in which we find this excerpt:

"Problem two: Last I checked, Condi’s pro-choice. Admittedly, as you’ll see below, her position comes with lots of caveats, but so what? That won’t spare Romney a headache with social conservatives that he could have avoided by picking a veep from the 98 percent or so of prominent Republican officials who are pro-life. Besides, as John McCormack noted a few days ago, Romney’s already pledged not to choose a pro-choicer. Even if Condi’s had a Romney-esque “awakening” on this issue in later life and has now become pro-life, that only means that instead of having one candidate on the ticket whose reversal on abortion seems mighty opportunistic, we’ll have two."

Well, you know I myself had a major life reversal on Abortion, but that was when I was 23 or so, after heavy liberal indoctrination in HS and college.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“here’s Condoleeza Rice, who we DO know is a frickin’ GENIUS”

I like Condi as a person, but don't think she's a good choice, for a variety of reasons. That said, although she is articulate, why do you say she is a genius? We, as a society, tend to throw these designations around without any data. Obama, with his missing university transcripts, is a perfect example. Yes, Condi was an academic, but that means little. Some of the least creative and unimpressive people one can find are academics - and often at ‘name’ institutions. That counts for essentially nothing. I'm not saying she isn't very bright. I just don't know that calling her (or anyone in government for that matter) a genius is justified.

[iopscusa]

Condo is the repub Hellary.

[golux]

Well, I don’t know her personally, but I have a very close acquaintance who worked with her at State and held her in exceptionally high regard. Yes, I know State is a bastion of lefties, but my close acquaintance isn’t one of them.

[ZULU]

RIDICULOUS!!!

Sure way to loose an election. She’s a lib and connected to one of the dumbest Klans in politics. The damn Bushes put this moron in the White House.

[samtheman]

I’m very much against the idea of Rice for VP. I think it would be a disaster and a sure winner for Obama.

But this scares me, like maybe Mitt will do it:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/romney-rice_648182.html

[samtheman]

This has “head fake” written all over it..

I wish I had your confidence. My fear is that Mitt is going to go for the race/gender card and sell out everything to be able to play that.

[Mountain Mary]

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she’s proud of the election of Barack Obama.
Source: CNN | Added November 5, 2008
more CNN video

In an emotional interview, Condi proclaims that “this is a special time for America”, the American people are “wise in wanting change”, and effuses that the barrier of color is no longer an issue in American poltics.

All indications are that SHE VOTED FOR OBAMA!!!

[samtheman]

One more thought on this:

I read yesterday that despite Mitt’s recent fund-raising success, Obama is still ahead in building his mountain of campaign cash.

Word of warning to the Romney people: Choose Condi and that’s the end of conservative money for you. I personally haven’t given a penny to the Romney campaign but I’m definitely planning to as we move into the general election, barring something that will block me from doing so. Choosing Condi will definitely block me from doing so.

Cash or Condi. Pick one.

[Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh]

Condi has too much ties to Bush for my tastes, but if she shaved those ties, I could consider her when I go to the poll.