WP: Rice Hitting the Road to Speak

[kskiska]

National Security Adviser's Trips to Swing States Break Precedent

In the weeks leading up to the Nov. 2 election, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice has traveled across the country making speeches in key battleground states, including Oregon, Washington, North Carolina and Ohio. In the next five days, she also plans speeches in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida.

The frequency and location of her speeches differ sharply from those before this election year -- and appear to break with the long-standing precedent that the national security adviser try to avoid overt involvement in the presidential campaign. Her predecessors generally restricted themselves to an occasional speech, often in Washington, but counting next week's speeches, Rice will have made nine outside Washington since Labor Day.

Rice frequently supplements her speeches with interviews with local media, generating positive coverage -- including a Page One news story in Portland's largest newspaper. Although she does not mention Democratic challenger John F. Kerry and avoids answering overtly political questions, the target of her speeches is not lost on local audiences. The Seattle Times, reporting on a Sept. 7 speech to the University of Washington, said, "Rice sounded at times like a candidate" as she received "rousing ovations" in defending the administration's handling of the war on terrorism.

(snip)

The White House has said that Bush ordered Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to avoid getting enmeshed in the campaign. Four years ago, Bush campaign spokesman Ari Fleischer decried "the very inappropriate continuing pattern of the politicization" of "historically nonpolitical agencies" after two Clinton Cabinet officials criticized policies Bush advocated.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46231-2004Oct19.html

[onehandle]

1. This is campaigning. Isn't that illegal for her?

Or simply just not done?

Back on your oil tanker, Bitch.

[PartyPooper]

2. When all else fails, trot out Condi to the rescue!

It won't work this time, Junior's going down!

:kick:

[Eye and Monkey]

4. it'll actually back-fire if the held-back CIA report leaks this week

That held-back CIA report that names-names is bound to have hers in it. And I'm sure what's in the report is not particularly flattering.

This week. Let it leak out this week.

[shockingelk]

16. What report is that? n/t

[napi21]

5. I don't think it will work either. Condi had some respect when she was

first appointed, but it's all gone now. Even in the south, she has very few supporters left. She's been caught on too many shows lying her a** off for the shrub. It might have worked 3 years ago, but no more.

[DrZeeLit]

3. BFD...her credibility was shot at the hearings n/t

[Catfight]

25. Hence how she's been coined, Contradicta Rice! No credibility

whatsoever!

[antonialee839]

6. Rice Hitting the Road to Speak

She ought to just hit the road period, and take the rest of that incompetent bunch with her.

[necso]

7. Why?

Do the neo-cons have some clocks somewhere that they need stopped?

Mirrors shattered, perhaps?

And what about the other "Mrs Bush"? Did she have anything to do with it?

[MnFats]

8. i believe that was her on npr at noon today.

spewing the same tired bullshit.
she doesn't even need the script any more.
but it's so so ever so deadpan now.
just repeating slogans.
i'll be she regrets ever taking the job.

[blueblitzkrieg]

9. Shouldn't that bitch be working? nt

[ogradda]

19. yeah you'd think she'd be working

another useless piece of shit. thanks for 9/11 condi!

[Bluebear]

10. "Rice sounded at times like a candidate"

Declasse.

[Cocoa]

23. an unusually shaky candidate

a strangely quavery, quivery candidate.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JolietDem]

13. Okay, Now THAT'S a little over the top

I don't think it's a good idea to literally duplicate Rush Limbaugh's comments about African-Americans (Rush to a black caller: Take that bone out of your nose and call me back.")...Limbaugh should NOT be our role model...I think Condeleeza Rice has been nothing but lousy at her job, but it's because she's a Republican party hack, not because she's black...I know you're not a racist or anything, but it's stuff like this that gets used against Democrats...sorry.

[nochimp04]

14. I agree, I jusy hate her that much that I could not resist

You have got to admit that if there really is a hell, she will burn there like nobody's biz.

[lefthandedskyhook]

12. She can't "Con-da-people Twice"

Her 9-11 commission testimony will live on in infamy:

"It was an historical document"

NOT!

[Chomskyite]

15. I can't imagine how this helps Bush

She's one of the more ineffective spokespersons the administration has, and there's all that baggage from the Richard Clarke charges and from the way Richard Ben-Veniste got her to humiliate herself in the 9/11 hearing: "I believe it said bin Laden determined to attack in the United States."

She's one of the most prominent symbols of this administration's failures. Their continued belief that she has the cachet that Colin Powell had in 2000 just shows how out-of-touch they are.

[cliss]

27. Very true.

Condiment Rice really doesn't have what it takes to be a convincing speaker. I've watched her a few times in interviews. She comes off as hesitant, not sure of herself.

She hedges, her head shakes back and forth as if to say subconsciously, 'no'. CondaLiar does her level best to appear convincing, like she's really telling the truth. She knows she's lying, and the vast majority of people listening to her including the interviewer know this too.

If you're going to tell a whole truckload of really brazen lies, you've got to sound sincere, truthful. Look at her eyes. They tell the whole story. She's tired. She thinks back to her dad, who she promised "I'll be in the White House one day".

Things changed, didn't they Condo?

[Supersedeas]

29. sir sir sir a historical document, sir sir let me finish it is historical

just b/c she says it so, does not make it so...clearly

[Born_A_Truman]

17. This administration is a joke!

Bush has Condi out beating up support in swing states while his VP, Darth Cheney, is trying to literally 'scare' up votes by talking up nuclear weapons in US cities in the hands of terrorists.

At the same time, the CIA is saying their source is not credible that we may be attacked by November 2nd to disrupt the election and (like Madrid) get Kerry elected. Other intelligence sources say the threat is real.

Meanwhile, Bush accuses Kerry of using scare tactics for telling us our Social Security is in danger under Bush (who BTW has spent not only our surplus but has record deficits).

Who is running the country? Will we see another 7 minute video of Bush with the deer-in-the-headlight look from another US attack while these idiots are out there trying to keep their jobs?

I'm fed up. November 2nd can't come soon enough!

[xxqqqzme]

18. in what reality does

kindasleazy have credibility? It appears the whorporate media lap it up...but after the 9/11 commission testimony, does anyone believe anything she says?

[Eurobabe]

20. WTF to talk about mushroom clouds again?

[demokatgurrl]

21. I don't see how she can possibly help. n/t

[prayin4rain]

22. She's not gonna found any seat numbers out on the campaign trail.

[Catfight]

24. Conda SLEAZA, able to smear character in a single phrase, able

to tell tall tales beyond belief, able to shove her head up Bush's ass for a position in office...yes, it's Conda Sleaza Rice, Super ZERO!

[Chelsea Patriot]

26. Get Prissy outta Kitchen. Marse George made another mess in the parlor.

[Supersedeas]

28. break with the long standing precedent - 'Merica ain't the same b/c of *

What would Ari say if he were still involved in the campaign?

A nice cup of HYPOCRISY for you!!!

[saltpoint]

30. I wouldn't let this woman --

-- dogsit, nevermind sit on the National Security Council.

She should have stuck with the piano.