Obama, Part II: Remodeling the cabinetry

[MadImmortalMan]

She was the protege of Madeline Albright, I think.

[Ed Anger]

Angry black woman on CNN was hilarious with her Meri-like frothing on the old boys network.

[Valmy]

Did Rice have anything to recommend her aside from being an Obama crony?

She's a two-fer.  Plus she had the valuable "well Obama seems to like her so she must be perfect" endorsement from Languish Dems.

Well Obama seems to like her so she must be in favor of flooding the world with millions of Drones.

[Jacob]

From what I read, what likely did her in was the growing opposition in Democrat circles (supposedly Hillary herself preferred Lurch).

Savour your victories

[merithyn]

Angry black woman on CNN was hilarious with her Meri-like frothing on the old boys network.

[Valmy]

Angry black woman on CNN was hilarious with her Meri-like frothing on the old boys network.

Who is the old boys network in this scenario?  It looks like the system of patronage and hierarchy was behind her here but her boss' political opponents took her down.

[Ed Anger]

Angry black woman on CNN was hilarious with her Meri-like frothing on the old boys network.

Who is the old boys network in this scenario?  It looks like the system of patronage and hierarchy was behind her here but her boss' political opponents took her down.

The boys on the board.

[Razgovory]

Did Rice have anything to recommend her aside from being an Obama crony?

She's a two-fer.  Plus she had the valuable "well Obama seems to like her so she must be perfect" endorsement from Languish Dems.

Who said that?

[Sheilbh]

I always wonder, when these things are "leaked", if the president doesn't call them up and say, "Look. This isn't going as planned. I can find something else for you, but I need you to bow out on this thing. Okay? And we'll make your letter public so that way it doesn't look like I screwed up picking you in the first place. Got it?"

I don't think that's tinhat, that's just politics.  I imagine that's exactly what happened.

Did Rice have anything to recommend her aside from being an Obama crony?

A not insignificant advantage as Secretary of State.  The most important asset they have is how close to the President they're perceived to be - without they're an empty suit not taken seriously, especially if NSAs or Secretaries of Defence are seen as closer and also flying around.

She had significant experience as a diplomat.  Personally I liked her moral sense from when she worked in the Clinton Administration during Rwanda.  She felt very much that the US and herself had failed.  I like her directness - anyone who gives Richard Holbrooke the finger during a meeting deserves consideration in my view - especially with the Russians and Chinese over Syria sanctions.  In addition I think the UN's a good place to become jaded, which helps before becoming SoS.

As far as I can see the biggest critique was that she was an undiplomatic diplomat.  In my view as long as that's deliberate it can be an advantage.

But personally I'd rather see Kerry in the job and, say, Hagel as Secretary of Defence.

[Razgovory]

Well you may get your wish.

[DGuller]

I don't know, maybe Republican propaganda from 2004 got to me, but Kerry doesn't strike me as much of, well, anything.

[Razgovory]

I don't know, maybe Republican propaganda from 2004 got to me, but Kerry doesn't strike me as much of, well, anything.

Guy is a loser.

If only they could get John Danforth.

[derspiess]

I don't know, maybe Republican propaganda from 2004 got to me, but Kerry doesn't strike me as much of, well, anything.

He was dead right about Assad being a reformer, wasn't he? 

But anyway I'm okay with him as SoS, knowing there could be worse.

[derspiess]

From what I read, what likely did her in was the growing opposition in Democrat circles (supposedly Hillary herself preferred Lurch).

Savour your victories

So few of them I have to savor them.  Like that last slice of pie.

[sbr]

From what I read, what likely did her in was the growing opposition in Democrat circles (supposedly Hillary herself preferred Lurch).

Savour your victories

So few of them I have to savor them.  Like that last slice of pie.

Did you have a problem with Rice, outside of being an "Obama crony", 4 months ago or is this all still about Benghazi?