HEARING before the COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

[paineinthearse]

HEARING before the COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
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Wednesday, January 19, 2005
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Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Break -
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Place: 216 Hart Senate Office Building
Presiding: Senator Lugar

Nominee:

Dr. Condoleezza Rice
To be Secretary of State
Immediately Following the Conclusion of Hearing,
the Chairman Will Convene a Business Meeting to
Vote on the Nomination.

[paineinthearse]

1. CSPAN coverage

TV: CSPAN1, 9AM.

LIVE FEEDS: go to http://www.cspan.org/, link is half way down, center.

[Eloriel]

2. Thank you both! n/t

[paineinthearse]

3. Question: Is this the end?

Yesterday, in his opening statements, Sen. Richard Lugar stated that the committee would have 3 or 4 rounds of questions, if necessary, yet today the committee website says just this round 2 and business session to vote on confirmation?????

[paineinthearse]

9. Biden

"I'm going to vote for you because you are not out of the mainstream, but....

"No matter who is president, after 9/11 they would have made mistakes"

The point is not to play "I got you" or "embarass the president", rather to understand what we learned.

[Stephanie]

4. They said they will likely vote today

Boxer and Dodd the only Senators in attendance right now, according to NPR.

[paineinthearse]

5. Lugar opened, no questions, deferred to Dodd (Ct)

[paineinthearse]

6. Dodd a dud.

On to Chaffee (RI).

[grumpy old fart]

7. I've got my coffee, and waiting for Boxer to have Condi choke....

on her own words again. Even better, when Condiliar pretested about impugning her "integrity", Boxer came right back with the liar's own words again and again, wouldn't accept the usual "respect" B.S...

[grumpy old fart]

8. Oh Geez, here comes the "I'm voting for you, so ignore my questions" Biden

quit with all the qualifications....

[grumpy old fart]

10. Speeches are nice, Biden, but make the bitch answer a question...

that's what the real fighters do, like Boxer!

[paineinthearse]

12. Exactly.

If this hearing was to go on for another 2-3 days, make a speech.

But you only have 5 minutes of fame, Joe. Ask the question. Then another, then another.

[underpants]

11. Biden-"nothing nothing nothing" about Iraqi nukes

He is really demeaning her. ~"It's not about playing gotcha but at some point there is a level of maturation (to admit you are wrong)"

[Mist]

13. Biden talking now

Supports Boxer's questions yesterday re: admin.'s changing reasons for war w/Iraq. States Boxer wasn't impugning Rice's integrity. Makes points about the admin: "you all have never made a mistake." (he's being sarcastic)--says Rice seems to think acknowledging mistakes is a weakness; he thinks it's a strength, a part of "maturation." Quoting admin's constant repetition of "WMD's in Iraq." "You and the admin. are going to have problems w/credibility" (due to changing reasons for war w/Iraq). "After Iraq, it's much harder for the world to rally to our side...."

[paineinthearse]

14. Coleman

Something about the orphans program, "great to bring families toghether".

DUH. The definition of an orpahn is the parents are DEAD!

[Mist]

15. Boxer on now

Repeats the point that mistakes have to be acknowledged. Going into some history of our relations w/Iraq. Makes point that Rumsfeld was keeping up relations w/Iraq, while Iraq was using chem. weapons against Iran. Makes point that admin. using "Iraq used chem. weapons!" as another reason for war w/Iraq is ironic, considering America was at that time was strengthening relations w/Iraq. Boxer: "It's about candor, it's about telling the whole story. There seems to be a rigidness here, and an unwillingness to give the Am. people the whole history.....Dr. Rice's job was to sell the war....but you need to level w/the Am. people."