Rice Is Right For McCain's VP

The Nation: Putting Condoleezza Rice On The Republican Ticket Would Cause Indescribable Angst For Dems

(The Nation)  This column was written by Nicholas von Hoffman.

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Democrats who think it's going to be a cakewalk into the White House next November had best remember one name: Condoleezza Rice.

John McCain is a formidable candidate in his own right, but if he has the political imagination to do it, he can cause the party of Jefferson and Jackson indescribable angst with Rice as his vice-presidential pick.

Besides being the greatest two-for in GOP history, Rice brings other huge pluses to the decorated Vietnam hero. Indeed, she may be enough to elect the venerable hero/naval aviator.

McCain's troubles with the religious wing of his party could well evaporate with the churchgoing Rice at his side. She solidifies that part of his base overnight.

With Rice on the ticket, the GOP would have somebody to get enthusiastic about. The Secretary of State is immensely popular with Republicans. For a party that up to now has been clueless about how to run against either a woman or a person of color, Condoleezza Rice is pure political gold.

Woe to any Democrat who thinks taking her on in a debate is a sure thing. The woman is tough, fast on her feet and able to give better than she gets. Anyone who has seen her in action testifying in front of a hostile House or Senate committee knows that she will be able to wipe up the floor with a plodding, ordinary pol of a Democratic vice-presidential candidate. Take Rice lightly at your peril.

In the ordinary course of things the ideal vice-presidential candidate is relied upon to carry his or her home state and keep out of trouble. With Condi the GOP gets a lot more. It gets a superstar to match the Democrats' superstars. If it comes to name recognition, glamour and magnetism for conservatives, Condi is dandy. Also, it is a plus for the GOP team that she is a snappy dresser.

Rice's presence on the ticket deprives the Democrats of the we-are-more-diverse-than-thou argument. It makes McCain - whose ethnically diverse family includes an adopted daughter from Bangladesh - an even more attractive candidate for a certain kind of independent voter.

Rice can rightly be attacked for serving President Bush and backing an unpopular and disastrous war. But McCain, who is extremely pro-war himself, is not going to select a running mate who is wishy-washy on Iraq. Rice is also said to have done a poor job running the State Department, where morale is supposed to have dropped faster than a subprime mortgage. However, you can put the number of voters who give a rodent's behind about the care and feeding of cookie-pushing diplomats in a phone booth, if phone booths still existed.

With Rice on the ticket the Republicans are freed up to run a much stronger negative campaign against either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama because the Secretary of State provides them with cover against charges of sexism or racism. They would be able to go after Obama's membership in Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., with whom Obama is close, has won himself the militant tag from conservatives because of his association with Nation of Islam leader the Rev. Louis Farrakhan.

They can attack Hillary's experience claims as consisting of her being Bill's wife. They can challenge her boast that she is a strong, independent woman and paint her as a weak, hopelessly-in-love woman under the spell of a man subject not only to "bimbo eruptions" but also eruptions of smarmy deals with shady business figures.

Lastly, Rice is a notorious sports fan with excruciatingly detailed knowledge of much of its arcana. She's often said that her dream job is commissioner of the National Football League; however, in a pinch she would probably settle for Vice President of the United States.

[it_oldtimer]

When trying to decide between the "lesser of two evils" I would have done exactly what Obama has done: vote for neither - but show that you were indeed there for the vote.

[johnshaft4]

What an ugly couple. The country (and out stomachs) can not tolerate such physical ugliness. Who is the uglier of the two?

[spinster2]

Maybe the Dems have no intention of ending the war--after all, Hilary voted to NOT restrict the forms of torture used by the US and just last week walked away from voting on FISA or stopping immunity for the telecom companies. Now why is that? She was in Washington and could have voted just like the other candidates...maybe Hilary can find a use for all Bush''''s overreaches of power herself?

Posted by b-easy63
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It''s harder to find a bigger hypocrit that an Obama supporter complaining about anybody missing a vote.

After Obama crowed about not supporting the war based solely on one speech he gave with conflicting statements later on, he then convieniantly missed the vote to declare the Iranian revolutionary guard a terrorist organization which many democrats claimed was a lead up to another war. I guess that what you do when voting "present" isn''t allowed.

[b-easy63]

Not enough horsepower to get the job done - this November will change that...

Posted by IOWEIGN at 01:22 PM : Feb 15, 2008


Maybe the Dems have no intention of ending the war--after all, Hilary voted to NOT restrict the forms of torture used by the US and just last week walked away from voting on FISA or stopping immunity for the telecom companies. Now why is that? She was in Washington and could have voted just like the other candidates...maybe Hilary can find a use for all Bush''s overreaches of power herself?

maybe the Dems plan on us staying in Iraq-and KNOW their supporters will like, support and defend the war ,if the Dems are in charge of it now.

[b-easy63]

But probably the most dangerous thing of all was his documented mental illness, unchecked, unchallenged and undetected for far too long, how many lives could have been saved had he been removed earlier simply on legitimate medical grounds?

Posted by tbweb at 01:00 PM : Feb 15, 2008


(sigh) we could posit the same about our own little psychopath running for office--but so many like her husband they are not likely to really delve into or question Hilary for the same types of disorders.

[b-easy63]

That means the lesbian and her girlfriend would be out of the closet and turn into a big headache for the religious right voters.

Posted by huangagain at 10:36 AM : Feb 15, 2008


the Democrats wouldn''t dare.After all, if Hilary''s sexual orientation and questions are off limits (she is reputed to be a lesbian and indeed is very close friends to many lesbians and has in the past described herself as a political lesbian (if not in sexxx then in political/feminist orientation). That may be a can of worms we are not ready to explore.

[b-easy63]

Any confused apolitical types who might vote for McCain on account of having Condi on the ticket would be balanced off by the millions of us who will be certain to donate lots more to Obama to drive a stake through what''''s left of the Bush vampire...

Posted by razzl at 06:01 PM : Feb 14, 2008


Well, given the way they threw oreo cookies at her feet when Bush appointed her and brought her on stage--I''d bet good money that McCAin would NOT get the black vote. Blacks may support blacks they agree with--but they don''t support other blacks who they see as sell outs to their race and their beliefs. I know of no black who likes or even respects Condi--and I know a lot of blacks. You mention her and they roll their eyes and the nice ones just shake their heads and change the subject.

[b-easy63]

Another thing to consider is that Condoleezza Rice is absolutely loyal. Undying loyalty is worth a lot everywhere. Vice presidential running mates have to be unfailingly loyal to the cause. Condoleezza Rice is the very incarnation of a perfect running mate. Frankly, I would choose her as my running mate even though I disagree with her politics. She is good.

Posted by random_radar at 04:24 PM : Feb 14, 2008


Rice''s loyalty is to Bush not McCAin and she has even referred to Bush as "her husband" by mistake. (freudian slip?) The fact is, McCAin is not Bush--I doubt Rice would accept, she may be loyal to Bush--but even she knows the Republicans will have a very hard time retaining seats in Congress, let alone floating the anyone from the Iraq war, liar''s club.

[downtowner97]

Put Rice on the ticket with McCainto make him election proof and put Cheney on the ticket with Obama to make him assassination proof.

[harrydoghiny]

Oh, please be dumb enough to put Rice on the ticket. Please...please...please...

[bm6005]

He was to busy getting BJ''''s from Monica to be president.
Posted by hawksprings

Shouldn''t you be shopping for that big screen TV you''re going to buy with your tax rebate windfall? That would appear to be the upper limit of your intelligence as a bush water bearer. Ha,m ha, ha, ha..........

[mrrobur]

Dare ya!

See if you can think of a dumber idea you have heard lately.

I can''t.

[jerry_in_va]

Nicholas von Hoffman is a moron. There is no way Rice should be on the ticket if McCain has any intention of winning in November. A McCain-Rice ticket would all but insure a democratic win. Now, put a Colin Powell on the ticket and I think you have created the problem for the democrats that Hoffman was trying to produce.

[j0hnwi11iams]

McCain is going to have his head handed to him. No mercy for *** republican scumbags.

[j0hnwi11iams]

Bring it on. Anything that further associates McCain with the FAILED policies of Bush and his loyal followers will be only more foddder for the eventual humiliating DEFEAT of conservatives.

[sparks224]

Rice Is Right For McCain''s VP

Yes, but will they be able to scare-up enough votes to win?

We have nothing to fear but fear mongering itself.

[tryhonesty]

Perfect choice for the Republicon idiots!

[vmcneal2]

Condoleezza "Bush" Rice V.P.... I think this is a great idea!!!!! The Dems are already jumping up and down in joy at just the thought of this.

[saftgek]

I could not agree more: Ms. Rice for Veep.

What a wonderful match - Senator McCain, who favors his Party over the people, and Secretary Rice, who has blindly followed and supported George Bush''s reign of terror since her appointment.

It is beyond any sense of understanding how decisions are made - assuming this decision comes to fruition. The Republican Party is an absolute marvel. In my 58 years of life, I have perpetual neck strain as I shake my head over the people and their decision-making.

Screw the people - pander to big business and the ultra-Right. These are the things of which the Republican Party is made.

[brianbwb-2009]

If Auntie Condi, whose only positive contribution to the US is as a female name counterpart to "Uncle Tom," is the VP nominee of the Republicans, I would love to be the Democrat''s campaign manager. The landslide would be guaranteed, and it would be the easiest job I could ever hope for.