Condoleezza Rice: Putin an "eye-for-an-eye kind of guy"
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions in "messing" with the United States' elections were "appalling," in an interview with Jane Pauley for CBS' "Sunday Morning," to be broadcast May 7.
Rice is unequivocal that Russia interfered with the elections, but she stops short in the interview from saying why.
"I'm not going to try to judge Putin's motivations," she told Pauley. "It's kind of a mistake to try to judge his motivations.
"You can look at his actions, and his actions were appalling. Yes, the Russians were messing around with our elections. And, so, yes, it is concerning."
Rice, who studied to become a Soviet specialist, tells Pauley she's "mad as I can be" at the Russians for what they did. "But if you ask me about the psychology of it, yes, I am a Russianist. And yes, I know Vladimir Putin. And that's why I say, 'Don't give him the satisfaction of thinking that he undermined our confidence in our own elections.'
"He's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy. We called his elections fraudulent in 2012. And they were. And so now he's going to make ours fraudulent."
In addition to weighing in on Russia, Rice talks with Pauley about her career, including her service as a National Security Advisor and Secretary of State under President George W. Bush; about growing up in Alabama during the Civil Rights movement; and about her new book, "Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom."
One area Rice declines to discuss, however, is her recent conversation with President Donald Trump, whom she had criticized during the 2016 campaign. "My meetings with presidents of the United States are a private affair," she explained.
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS Sunday Morning," hosted by Jane Pauley, is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison.
Follow the program on Twitter (@CBSSunday), Facebook, Instagram (#CBSSundayMorning) and at cbssundaymorning.com. "Sunday Morning" also streams on CBSN beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET, and is available on cbs.com, CBS All Access, and On Demand. You can also listen to "Sunday Morning" audio podcasts at Play.it.
For more info:
- "Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom" by Condoleezza Rice (Twelve); Also available in eBook, Digital Audio Download and Audio CD formats
- Condoleezza Rice, The Europe Center, Stanford University
