Condoleezza Rice as Romney VP? Mixed reviews

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

(CBS News) Sarah Palin on Thursday night said she thinks Condoleezza Rice - the new "it girl" in Mitt Romney's veepstakes rumor mill - would make a "wonderful vice president," but said she'd be more comfortable with a nominee "who had that respect for all innocent, precious, purposeful human life, and showed that respect being a pro-life candidate."

Rice has previously classified her position on abortion as being "moderately pro-choice," something Palin suggested during the Fox News appearance might be a liability for a GOP ticket already boasting historically moderate Romney. But the 2008 vice presidential nominee largely gave her blessing to the possibility of a Rice pick anyway, reasoning, "it's not the vice president that would legislate abortion, and that would be Congress' role. And we'll keep that in mind."

Asked by CBS News' Charlie Rose in late June how she would respond should Romney offer her the job, Rice said unequivocally, "Not gonna happen - and no." Still, after the Drudge Report placed her atop Romney's short list Thursday night, citing her strong showing at the former Massachusetts governor's Utah retreat several weeks ago, her "no" hasn't stopped talking heads from weighing in on what the former secretary of state could bring to Romney's campaign.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List, used the opportunity to remind voters - and Romney himself - that during September's Palmetto Freedom Forum, he vowed to select a running mate opposed to abortion rights. Rice's "position on the sanctity of human life makes her an unqualified candidate for Governor Romney to choose," Dannenfelser said Friday in a statement.

But Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, in the wake of Drudge's story, recalled a burst of "spontaneous applause" when Rice's name recently came up in VP conversation among businesspeople. "I should add here the look on the faces of the people who were applauding," Noonan wrote. "They looked surprised by their own passion. Actually they looked relieved, like a campaign was going on and big things might happen and maybe it could get kind of... exciting."

(Rice talks about vice presidency with CBS News chief White House correspondent Norah O'Donnell.)

Noonan laid out Rice's credentials warranting such a reaction: "A public figure of obvious and nameable accomplishment whose attainments can't be taken away from her. Washington experience... An academic, but not ethereal or abstract. A woman in a year when Republicans aren't supposed to choose a woman because of what is now called the 2008 experience - so the choice would have a certain boldness. A black woman in a campaign that always threatens to take on a painful racial overlay. A foreign-policy professional..."

Conservative blogger Erick Erickson had a different take, writing about the Rice speculation on RedState.com, "I don't know who is hitting the crack rock tonight in the rumor mill, but bull shiitake mushrooms." Among other things, Erickson counted Rice's "pro-abortion" stance and history with the George W. Bush administration as burden enough to take her out of the VP running.

(Rice tells O'Donnell, "politics doesn't appeal to me.")

The Bush factor, CBS News political director John Dickerson said Friday on "CBS This Morning," could open an unwelcome can of worms for the Romney campaign, as the nominee "hasn't really had to talk about the Bush years very much," he said. "He's been able to detach himself from this, particularly the foreign policy side."

"If [Rice] were on the ticket," Dickerson continued, Romney "would have to talk about eight years of Iraq, Afghanistan. Was it a mistake? Would you have gone in knowing what you know now? There are a lot of issues that come up."

Meanwhile, though, Romney's wife Ann hasn't done anything to deter speculation about the possibility of her husband choosing Rice - or any other woman - as his running mate. In an interview with CBS News' Jan Crawford last week, Ann Romney said they had "been looking at" the possibility of choosing a woman as the ticket's vice presidential nominee. "And I'd love that option," she said.

[pcfogarty]

Condoleezza Rice is one of my favorite persons . She is bright and savvy enough to know who to stand beside . It will not be Mitt Romney .
She needs to consider running for that office herself after Romney's disappointing 4 years !

[takacrat]

The truth is that Hillary Clinton is going to be picked for the VP job, Obama will then take Hillary's job and Bidden will become Pivot man!

[JV1970]

When you try to compare Biden's to Rice's intelligence, there's just no comparison. Rice is another Einstein when compared to Joe Biden!

[JV1970]

deoppressoliber1964 And you've shown time and time again that someone must have dropped you on your head when you were a baby!

[JV1970]

deoppressoliber1964 There are two points that you have to agree with. Rice has been vetted and she's experienced in dealing with heads of state.

[JV1970]

Sarah Palin is right! If it weren't for Rice's stand on the abortion issue she'd be an excellent choice for VP. In fact, brilliant! She would almost insure Romney's win in November.

She has one quality that Biden doesn't have, and never will, and that's intelligence!

Also I don't believe there's any question about her ability to lead this nation if, God forbid, something should happen to the president.

[smirk5]

She's pro-choice. So, it won't happen.

[tvwatcher5345]

i think it would be hysterical to have republicans come out and vote for a mormon president with his pro choice VP to try to unseat the black (half black) president, too funny, but it will be portman, this is just a chuckle from mitt's campaign to shake up the etch a sketch

[ArxFerrum]

Personally, I like Sarah Palin better but... many on the right see her as damaged goods now. I think they are wrong but... it's not my call. Condi has the experience and guts to be whatever she chooses to be... not sure how her policies would blend with milktoast Romney but... you never know.

[hypnotoad72]

She's a war hawk. Or at least a chickenhawk.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4756962/

[verrz]

This is the same icy cold neocon who referred to war as "birth pangs." That she is not married is no fluke...

[euge005]

Well except where she admitted inadvertently about sleeping with W when she referred to him as her husband.

[Larnan5]

The Susan B. Anthony List, a leading anti-abortion political action committee, called Condoleezza Rice an "unqualified candidate" to be Mitt Romney's running mate because she supports abortion rights. And that's the end.

There is no way Rice can run for VP. The ultra religious right will tear her to pieces. Santorum would lead the march against her nomination. The south will go insane with the thought of a moderate in this role. The GOP has thrown out almost every moderate in their party. Romney has been forced to the extreme right. Rice is a non-starter.

[expatriate2]

Where did they take that poll? In the GOP headquarters?