Archive for 'Condoleezza Rice'

Wednesday, August 16th, 2006

What Is Condi Smoking?

Perhaps all of those calling for the head of Donald Rumsfeld should be focusing on removing Condi from the State Department. That’s my reaction upon reading this:
For the past month the United States has worked urgently to end the violence that Hezbollah and its sponsors have imposed on the people of Lebanon and Israel. […]

32 Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, Israel, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs, UN/Oil-For-Food, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Tuesday, August 15th, 2006

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Smell No Evil…

…but the evil remains just the same:

Hizbullah will not hand over its weapons to the Lebanese government but rather refrain from exhibiting them publicly, according to a new compromise that is reportedly brewing between Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Seniora and Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The UN cease-fire resolution specifically demands the demilitarization of the area […]

8 Comments » - Posted in Israel, Condoleezza Rice, Radical Islam / GWOT, UN/Oil-For-Food, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Monday, August 14th, 2006

More Barnyard Cosmetics

Delusions are everywhere regarding the new cease-fire; witness this asinine commentary being issued by our own State Department:

The UN-declared cease-fire in Lebanon, if fully implemented, would be a strategic setback for Iran and Syria because it strengthens democracy in Lebanon and stabilizes the border with Israel, the State Department said Monday.
“You will not have […]

6 Comments » - Posted in Iran, Israel, Condoleezza Rice, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Sunday, July 30th, 2006

The U.S. Retains The Upper Hand In Security Council…

…but for how long? Nevertheless, for the moment at least, parsing the following reveals some strong U.S. pressure behind the scenes at the UN:
The U.N. Security Council expressed “extreme shock and distress” Sunday at Israel’s attack on the southern Lebanese village of Qana in which more than 60 people were killed.
The statement adopted unanimously by […]

1 Comment » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs, UN/Oil-For-Food, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Sunday, July 30th, 2006

Not A Good Thing

To support Israel is not the same as being immune to the tragedy of the current situation, and the latest strike that killed several dozen children is indeed just that: a tragedy. The calls for a ceasefire will grow stronger now, and indeed, Condi was forced to postpone her latest round of negotiations after […]

No Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Monday, July 24th, 2006

Slow-Mo Shuttle Diplomacy Begins

The decision to send Condi to Lebanon was masterful:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced stop in Beirut Monday in an effort to shore up Lebanon’s fragile government, beleaguered by nearly two weeks of relentless bombing raids that have wrecked much of the country’s infrastructure and sent thousands of Lebanese citizens fleeing for their […]

2 Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, POTUS, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Friday, July 21st, 2006

The Best Way To Support Lebanon Is To Rid It Of Hezbollah

It’s a tough love, to be sure, but David Ignatius details the administration’s risky strategy of slow diplomacy; the idea is to help Lebanon in the long term by allowing Israel to continue to hammer Hezbollah as long as it is politically possible (the Lebanese government is too weak to take on Hezbollah itself), knowing […]

19 Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, POTUS, Radical Islam / GWOT, Foreign Affairs, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Saturday, June 3rd, 2006

Behind The Scenes: Condi Sways Bush On Iran

Interesting piece in the NY Times today that gives credence to the idea that the newfound U.S. willingness to join talks with Iran is a triumph for Condi:
On a Tuesday afternoon two months ago, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sat down to a small lunch in President Bush’s private dining room behind the Oval Office […]

3 Comments » - Posted in Iran, Condoleezza Rice, POTUS, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Thursday, June 1st, 2006

Condi: Standard-Bearer of RealPolitik?

Applause, when it comes from certain quarters, can be almost as alarming as jeers; it’s with some trepidation, then, that I note the approval Condi Rice’s Iranian overture is receiving from such folks as Simon Tisdall of the Guardian:
Yesterday’s statement by Condoleezza Rice was first and foremost an internal Washington victory. It offered the clearest […]

2 Comments » - Posted in Iran, Condoleezza Rice, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Thursday, June 1st, 2006

More On The Iranian Negotiation Offer

The Washington Post editorial board, apparently not taking the Iranian rejection seriously, applauds the Bush administration for its offer to negotiate, conditionally:
The Bush administration’s offer yesterday to join negotiations with Iran was well tailored. By stating its readiness to join the European governments that have been negotiating with Tehran for several years, the administration may […]

No Comments » - Posted in Iran, Condoleezza Rice, POTUS, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Thursday, April 13th, 2006

Beyond Belief

I’ll be the first to stand up and say that we have taken ‘tolerance’ and ’sensitivity’ to wildly absurd heights - yet and still, how, in the year 2006, does the following make it through the ‘appropriateness’ filters we all have?
Bellevue Community College President Jean Floten apologized Wednesday at an emotional open-campus meeting called after […]

4 Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Monday, March 20th, 2006

Fred Barnes Names Names

For a potential Bush personnel shakeup, that is. I’ve long been an advocate of new blood, so I’m the choir, here - but Barnes makes an entertaining preacher nonetheless. Read the whole thing, but allow me to spotlight this bit:
The president’s most spectacular move would be to anoint a presidential successor. This would […]

9 Comments » - Posted in Joe Lieberman, Domestic Affairs, Condoleezza Rice, POTUS, Dick Cheney, Democratic Candidates by Mark

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Wednesday, March 15th, 2006

Dick Morris: McCain No Frontrunner - Unfortunately

I disagree with much of this Dick Morris column, but I agree with a lot of it, too, so I’m recommending it as an interesting read, if nothing else:
You can’t be a front-runner for your party’s nomination and win 5 percent of the vote in a regional straw poll, finishing fourth, behind Senate Majority Leader […]

19 Comments » - Posted in Mitt Romney, George Allen, Condoleezza Rice, Bill Frist, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Democratic Candidates, Republican Candidates, Hillary Clinton, Election 2008 by Mark

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Tuesday, March 7th, 2006

Pop Quiz, Hot Shot!

Fill in the blank: there’s a new poll out, from Quinnipiac University, that asked respondents to rank a list of politicians from 1-100, with 100 being the best. I’m going to give you a few, then you have to guess the rest:
George W. Bush 44.1%
Hillary Clinton 50.4%
Bill Clinton 56.1%
Condoleezza Rice 57.1%
___________ 59.7%
___________ 59.9%
___________ 63.5%
(hat tip […]

2 Comments » - Posted in Elephants, Condoleezza Rice, Barack Obama, Donkeys, Rudy Giuliani, Republican Candidates, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Democratic Candidates by Mark

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Thursday, February 23rd, 2006

The Marist Poll: Dead Heat For Republicans

It doesn’t get better than this for political junkies…earlier, we looked at the latest 2008 poll with respect to the Democratic ticket; now, we take a look at the three-way tie for the Republicans. At the top of the elephant heap, we see the following:
Condoleezza Rice: 22%
Rudy Giuliani: […]

7 Comments » - Posted in George Allen, Mike Huckabee, Al Gore, Condoleezza Rice, John Edwards, John Kerry, Mitt Romney, 2008 Polls, Republican Candidates, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Democratic Candidates by Mark

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Thursday, February 23rd, 2006

Marist Poll: Hillary Dominates Dems

Some interesting results from the most recent Marist Poll on the 2008 election. Hillary leads big (40% of Democrat-leaning respondents would support her as the nominee), with John Edwards second at 16% (Al Gore moves into second if he’s included, with 17%, and Hillary drops back to 33%). More than half of Democrats […]

5 Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, Al Gore, Mark Warner, Evan Bayh, John Edwards, John Kerry, Rudy Giuliani, Republican Candidates, 2008 Polls, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Democratic Candidates by Mark

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Sunday, February 19th, 2006

Sully: Rudy G. Is Looking Strong - Very Strong

Okay, we like to have our fun with Andrew Sullivan - he’s famous for political mood swings, and given to overblown pronouncements at times - but he’s also a pretty good writer and political observer, and this column in the London Times is one of the better I have yet seen on the probable candidacy […]

9 Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, Rudy Giuliani, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Monday, January 23rd, 2006

The Most and Least Wanted Candidates

John Hawkins at Right Wing News polled 200+ bloggers (but not yours truly - should I be insulted?) on their most and least wanted 2008 Republican nominees. You can see the results here, but since I wasn’t asked, I’ll share my thoughts on the question (shrewd readers will notice I’m adopting the John Kerry […]

8 Comments » - Posted in Mark Sanford, Newt Gingrich, Bill Frist, Chuck Hagel, Condoleezza Rice, Mike Huckabee, Republican Candidates, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Elephants, Election 2008 by Mark

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Sunday, January 22nd, 2006

Troubled By The Increasingly Autocratic Russia? Are You A Single Woman?

In your forties or fifties? Childless? Of couse, you’re troubled by Russia, you little Genghis Khan (hat tip to Dean’s World)…

5 Comments » - Posted in Condoleezza Rice, NY Times/Media Watch, Republican Candidates by Mark

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Tuesday, January 17th, 2006

McCain By Default?

That seems to be the conclusion of Larry Sabato, who sizes up the 2008 GOP nomination and finds everyone lacking, but McCain lacking less:
Underlying the McCain revival is a growing belief by senior Republicans that a candidate in the Bush mold will be unable to win the elusive “third term” for the GOP. The most […]

6 Comments » - Posted in George Allen, Condoleezza Rice, Jeb Bush, Rudy Giuliani, Republican Candidates, John McCain, Election 2008 by Mark

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