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Susan Rice Is Starting Already

By Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy on December 13, 2008 at 8:55 AM in Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice

Oh, what a big surprise, not. And this happened even BEFORE the whole “Hot Rod” Blagojevich explosion, but kinda got lost in the shuffle. Yes, indeedy – Dr. Rice is already pushing it with Senator Clinton. (Not for nothing, but haven’t we had enough of a Dr. Rice after the past 8 years? Just sayin’.)

Yes, the other day, this story appeared: Susan Rice to Install Own Transition Team Within State Department: President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations — Susan Rice — reportedly has plans to install her own transition team within the State Department.

I am just soooooo surprised to hear this:

The first sign of cracks in President-elect Barack Obama’s foreign policy team of rivals emerged on Monday as his choices for secretary of state and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations visited the State Department.

As Secretary of State-pick Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.N. envoy-choice Susan Rice separately visited the diplomatic agency’s headquarters in Washington’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood, persons familiar with the transition said that Rice wants to install her own transition team inside the department.

Such a move by an incoming U.N. ambassador is rare, if not unprecedented, because the job is based at the United Nations in New York, where Rice already has a small transition staff, the sources familiar with the incoming administration.


Golly gee. Dr. Rice needs TWO transition teams? One inside the State Department? And that will impact just whom, exactly?? Oh, gee – take a guess:

The push by Rice, an early Obama supporter whose position the President-elect wants to elevate to a cabinet post, is also a signal that she intends to use her influence with the new president to play a more significant role than previous U.N. envoys, they said. The transition sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Officials with Clinton’s transition team declined to comment on the matter, and aides to Rice could not immediately be reached. State Department officials declined to comment on issues related to the transition.

It was not clear if Clinton and Rice — who had strained relations during the Democratic primaries because of Rice’s steadfast backing of Obama — saw each other at the State Department as Clinton left the building shortly after Rice arrived.

Honestly, it is bad enough that Obama brought back Susan Powers to be in his Administration, but to nominate Susan Rice, and then ELEVATE her position to be equal to Senator Clinton was a big, huge mistake. And a big slap in the face to Senator Clinton:

During the presidential campaign, some Clinton aides saw Rice’s early decision to back Obama as a betrayal because of her previous role as a high State Department official during President Bill Clinton’s administration. Rice’s desire to place her own team in Washington could fuel speculation that those tensions will carry into the new administration.

The officials could not say if Clinton’s team had formally objected to Rice’s plan, or even if Rice would be able to install a separate transition team inside the State Department. But they noted that dueling transition teams could complicate the handover by blurring lines of authority.

Uh, gee – ya THINK??? Who in their right minds did not think this was going to be a problem??

Then there is this:

Technically, the job of U.N. envoy falls under the authority of the secretary of state, although some previous U.N. ambassadors have held cabinet rank. The last U.N. ambassador to be part of the president’s cabinet was Richard Holbrooke, who had a famously icy relationship with then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright during the Clinton administration.

Albright, who was President Clinton’s first ambassador to the United Nations, was a mentor to Rice. But the two had a falling out when Albright, America’s first female secretary of state, lined up behind Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination and Rice backed Obama.

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, was to dine Monday evening with the nation’s current and second female secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, at Rice’s apartment in the exclusive Watergate complex. The two Rices are not related and Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday that she thought Clinton would do a great job.

Also Monday, Clinton was to meet privately with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. and the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to a Democratic official. Kerry, once a contender for the secretary of state job, will oversee Clinton’s confirmation. Kerry has pledged to hold “swift and fair” confirmation hearings.

Okay, I do kinda like that John Kerry has to meet with Secretary of State To Be Hillary Clinton. Teehee! Couldn’t happen to a more deserving, back-stabbing guy.

Anyhoo – some of us have been saying this was coming. Obama selected her, sure, but he has done everything possible to undermine her ever since. Like elevating Dr. Rice to a comparable position. By allowing Jon Favreau to still have a freakin’ job. Sure, it looks good on the surface, but like I keep saying – I don’t trust Obama, and I think with damn good reason. So while Dr. Rice has her TWO transition teams, one INSIDE the STATE DEPARTMENT, I think it is safe to say that Senator Clinton, soon to be Secretary of State Clinton, is gonna have a hard row to hoe. But that’s just me.

  • JS Ruby

    It’s still not too late for HRC to back out of the SOS job. She will be thrown under the bus early with all the BO people working against her.

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82qCwLX9piE Woman Voter

      So, the Obama administration gives his friend Susan Rice, rights that are not written anywhere? Transparency my foot, it is more like the OCMA = Obama Chicago Machine Administration.

      Hillary may want to give this SoS thing a second thought or during the confirmation ask that Susan Rice’s ‘POWERS’ be defined. Are we heading into some form of a shadowing of the Secretary of State??????

      • touchet

        The presidence cabinet isn’t a constitutionally created entiity. It is solely a executive created branch of the government. The president can hire, fire, and change rules and positions at will through executive orders. In effect, Hillary works for Obama.

        You won’t see Obama go down untill his head gets big enough that he does something to the clintons. They will go after him then.

  • MrMike

    Has Senator Clinton resigned her seat yet? I sure hope not because this is going to be a C F of monumental proportions.

    • http://noquarter foxyladi14

      NO.NOT YET.MY ADVICE DON’T

  • pm317

    What do these transition teams do? or what is the significance of Rice having her own team inside the State Department?

    • Ferd Berfle

      What do these transition teams do?

      Pull all the “B” and “O” keys off every keyboard in the WH then blame it on Smirky’s people just like Smirky’s people did to Clinton with the “W” keys. Just a bunch of kids, don’t you know, taking over for a bunch of other kids. That would be the sum total of the transition.

  • PamFlorida

    I read somewhere that Sen. Clinton will not resign her Senate seat until she is confirmed as SOS. Smart thinking IMO.

    • http://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

      Very smart of her, Pam FL.

      And Mr. Mike, thanks for the laugh!

      Transition teams are just that – transitioning from one Admin. to another. WHY would Rice need one inside the State Dept. since she already has one at the UN?? Like the article says, it is unprecedented, and sounds like a power grab to me…

      • pm317

        I think it is a childish attempt at a power grab. It will look stupid (maybe that is why nobody else has done it before). May be it is just UN specific — Rice needs a lot of HELP, LOL. Hillary will be fine. Rice can’t measure up to her intellect. At the end of the day, it is the ideas one generates.

        • workingclass artist

          Rice will be chewed up by the machinations of the UN…Oh Brother! What Sae person would want that job…sheeesh! It’s a BS position until HRC is fired on a trumped up whatver…

        • tek

          I hope Obama and his stooges keep doing things like this. It just shows how petty and incompetent they are. Americans will be ready for Hil in 2012.

      • MrMike

        Obama is letting things get out of control and he hasn’t even been sworn in. Either he is a weak and ineffective leader or he really is undermining Hillary.
        Perhaps he is having second thoughts about her at State and doesn’t to outright fire her and is doing this to make her quit?

        • workingclass artist

          Sec. of State as Figurehead?…Where hae we seen that before?

        • Kostermann

          I would expect he’s maneuvering, OTOH, he’s a weak stupid leader.

          As are the people he surrounded himself with, he didn’t get where he is with his brains, bottom line.

          He cheated and he stole, and he’s stupid.

          • workingclass artist

            lol…For a minute there I thought you were describing Shrub…chuckle…

            • Kostermann

              They are the same.

              In some ways I expect Obama’s adminstration to be weaker, he is NOT a leader.

              Cheney was crazy, IMO, but you KNEW where he was going.

              Obama?

              I think it will be sloppy, and haphazard, with exception for graft, just like Chicago.

              It’s a question of how long the better ex-Clinton staffers will last, as they’re not as prone to embrace “the Chicago way.”

              Obama’s people, those like Blago, remind me of those “day trader” types, remember, from the 90′s?

              On crack, or meth.

              I keep thinking of MO’s declaration to Hillary to prepare for an election, “the Chicago way.”

              Oh, having rich people buy it for you, you mean?

              Ew, rough, shows some tactical genius, there, MO ~~

              • workingclass artist

                lol….Yep!…You Betcha!

          • tek

            Kosterman: I agree with you. Obama is no leader. he’s a bought and paid for puppet. All of this stuff is not a good sign.

            • Kostermann

              It will be Chicago, the country run like Chicago, which does not bode well. Obama will do what he knows.

              I can only hope enough opposition gathers where it’s understood it must be cleaned up.

              The rich people don’t want to lose ALL their money ie, Obama, and his group, can’t manage the country, therefore the economy still goes down, and the wars continue, this isn’t a messed up toll way on the Northwest side, this has real consequences, for the world.

              Remember his treasury pick, and Summers, Daschle and the rest?

              I can just see the cash changing hands.

      • oowawa

        I assume these “transition teams” are expensive. These people have entirely too much of our money (which we don’t have) to play with.

        • http://ezinearticles.com/?Three-Basic-Parenting-Styles&id=744499 Northwest rain

          Obama the guy with no Executive experience in Government and has never had to balance a budget and ran a campaign with unlimited fund — he probably hasn’t put anyone on a budget. (The only semi executive play experience he has, he was appointed by Ayers to run that Annenburg Education challenge worth a few million bucks — which was a FAILURE).

          Obama has no leadership experience — and that doesn’t matter because he is NOT a leader.

          Obama will NOT be able to give guidance and direction to any of the cabinet heads or anyone who is directly controlled by him — because he doesn’t have a clue how the Federal government works.

          As others have pointed out ALL Obama knows is how the Chicago political machine works — he didn’t bother to do his job as US Senator — so he hardly knows how the legislative part of the US Federal Government works.

          ALL Obama know is the Chicago political machine — the pay to play game. Apparently the political bosses spend almost their whole time making deals and figuring out how to make themselves multi-millionaires.

          Governor Palin has executive experience — she has worked her way up the governmental ladder and yet she was dismissed as a bimbo (well besides the fact that she doesn’t have a penis=experience). I’m using Palin as an example of how a person gains Executive experience — we see none of this effort from B0-zo Barry.

          • http://ezinearticles.com/?Three-Basic-Parenting-Styles&id=744499 Northwest rain

            Talking to myself?

            I just don’t see any way the Obama reign can be successful.

            The most successful CEOs have a democratic leadership style. This would be CEOs from the smallest companies, to the largest corporations — from city mayors to State Governors.

            The Authoritarian management style is less successful — but it is better than the. .

            Permissive management style — where the CEO just lets things happens — s/he is above all the messy stuff. One of the subsets of the Permissive management style is the Chaos style. And this is the style I’m detecting from Obama. HE thrives in Chaos —

            The diagram from yesterday — with Gov. Blago in the middles and the lines going out to many different individuals WITH those lines leading to Obama — that is really a diagram of how Obama will govern. He will always keep a layer of people between himself and others.

            Anyone working for Obama is a fool — you are disposable.

            Obama will surround himself with a tight circle of worshipers — and these will deliver the “word” of Obama to the workers.

            What I didn’t expect was that he’s ineptitude would be exposed so early in the game. But then he has no experience playing in the big leagues — and the GOP will do what they do best — expose the unprepared Dem nitwits.

    • trixta

      Perhaps HRC is letting all of Obama’s the ducks line up in a row before she ultimately accepts the position. Let’s hope that she has a last-minute change of heart. In any case, if HRC takes the SOS position and resigns withing 4 years, Kerry will be waiting in the wings to take her place.

  • Kostermann

    The only thing I can think of is anyone attached to Obama from the start, ala Rice, has a lot of baggage, and I have to wonder if she can withstand scrutiny, via the corruption.

    If she PAID for her position, made deals, ala Blago, ala Chicago, I can’t really give her a second thought.

    Combined with her less than steller performance during Bill Clinton’s administration, I suppose I see her as unqualified.

    It was announced today Obama appointed someone to head HUD, and my first thought was ” I wonder how much Obama gets kicked back, like Rezko, can you imagine the graft?”

    Bush’s cabinet people are suspected of pay to play, I hope they’re held accountable, it would be criminal not to look, and watch Obama and the rest of his “hand- pickeds,” very, very carefully.

  • wodiej

    My personal feelling is Clinton should decline the SOS job. As many of us suspected, BO is going to undermine her position. This was nothing more than a gesture to make Obama look good.

    Looks like Obama people are following in his footsteps and prepared to spend money lavishly with no regard to the dangerous state of our economy.

    Being that Obama is not in office he is not being held accountable. But if/when he is, I hope to hell there are some people in positions of power that will start nailing his swarmy, corrupt ass to the wall.

  • andyp

    I read somewhere a while back – cannot remember where – even before Obama selected Rice – that he planned to elevate the UN Ambassador to a cabinet position simply to contain Clinton’s power. I would not be surprised what he did.

    • pm317

      UN ambassadorship was a cabinet position in the Clinton admin.

      • http://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

        That’s correct, pm317 – I don’t remember the Sec of State and UN Ambassador being at such odds during that Administration, though. I could be wrong, of course.

        And wasn’t the situation with the UN different then, too? If memory serves, it had been pretty back-burnered, so to elevate the UN Ambassador to Cabinet level would indicate that the US thought it was an important institution within the world community. The UN has been pretty active over the past few years, though, so I am not sure why Obama felt compelled to elevate the UN position NOW. Except for the reasons expressed above (poor leader, setting HRC up, etc.).

        Other thoughts on this?

        • pm317

          I read somewhere that Holbrooke and Albright did not get along. But this between Rice and Clinton is different, mostly because we all don’t trust 0bama.

          • http://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

            Hmmm – well, yes, definitely don’t trust PEBO as far as I can throw him, but it does seem the problems between Clinton and Rice stem from the whole election thing. Again, could be wrong, but thanks so much for your thoughts on this!

        • pm317

          Amy, about your other point, you’re right, Clinton did it to elevate its stature. But Republicans are philosophically opposed to propping up UN in anyway, so they try to undermine it but abuse it while they can. With 0bama wanting to become the World President, he would deliberately elevate its place and make believe all those little African and Asian nations have some say. It is all a pretense and UN itself is a consolation prize for the developing world. In that sense, Susan Rice’s position is not all that glamorous.

          • stodgie

            ok, think about this. the world isn’t going to glorify obama for long. these are realistic people with goals. the press will try and play it that way for a brief time. that will be forgotten quickly. so we will turn to the un and if this rice doesn’t perform well, she won’t ever be sos. i also predict obama won’t be that popular in congress. the closer we get to mid terms and the more unpopular obama becomes, then why should they bown in that dufus’s direction?

            • workingclass artist

              Hmmm..I think The Brits are already nervous…Seems during the waning days of Empire the Brits treated Barry’s Grandfather badly…Hmmmm….

  • georgiapeach

    I kinda doubt that Madame Secretary trusts PEBO and his minions either. But she’s smart, and she’s tough. And she knows a lot more about how the game is played than PEBO does. I think she enjoys a fight, and she probably knows what she’s doing by accepting this position. Either that, or she has happily climbed on board the O-train, and doesn’t care where it goes just as long as she gets to ride.

  • workingclass artist

    Agree with you Wodiej…HRC should turn it own and prepare for another run in 2012…*sigh*

  • HARP

    After about a year, there will be some contrived screw up in the SOS and Rice will be put in charge. It will be… bye bye Hillary. Here I thought she was smart.

    • workingclass artist

      lol…One Rice follows another…so to speak…The play book is written..( eyes rolling here )

      • http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

        How weird is it to have one Rice follow another? Like the first one was all that hot…

        • workingclass artist

          Dante has gotta be laughing…who knew Purgatory was located in the USA?

        • http://ezinearticles.com/?Three-Basic-Parenting-Styles&id=744499 Northwest rain

          The article you quoted says that Susan Rice and Condi Rice aren’t related — except during the Kerry run for the white house two years ago — it was widely reported that the two Rices were cousins.

    • oowawa

      They’ve got Hillary staked to the top of the White House as a lightning rod. The first nasty storm that hits she will be fried to a crisp. The One will be safely inside, well protected as always.

  • workingclass artist

    It’ a BONE thrown by the DNC leadership to allow for a graceful exit of both of them…HRC and the Hubby…But perhaps with Blagogate they don’t feel so confident?
    thing that make you go Hmmmmm….I guess even Pelosi et al and her plastic messiah can’t control time…chuckle…

  • Lizzy

    After PEBO, the peabrain, floated Caroline Kennedy as a replacement for Hillary in the Senate I got skeptical of his selection of Hilary as secretary of State. He wanted a compliant supporter in the Senate. He can then fire Clinton whenever he wishes.

    • workingclass artist

      D’OH!!!…And all of those cheering at Barky’s magnanimous Lincolnian or what ever the Blathering Rabble call it…will do a simutaneous Homer Head Smack…chuckle…Aaaand WJC will publish a tell all book and go on a lecture tour….sheeesh!

  • mimi

    I wish Hillary would back out. It’s not too late.

    But, personally, I think all of Rice’s moves are going to come back to bite her in the ass. It always does with people like this.

    This is where we can excert influence. Wasn’t she the one who told Clinton not to go after 0sama Bin Laden?

    Well, it’s time to resurrect that story. Big time.

    Post a reminder about exactly who Susan Rice is and let it go viral on the web. Post links everywhere. Make it go viral. I’m tired of 0bama, and his flunkies thinking they can operate with impugnity.

    It’s time to let the President-s’elect and his backstabbing minions know that WE ARE WATCHING, that WE ARE NOT FOOLED! Let him know that we expect him to screw Hillary the first chance he gets.

    There always more than one way to skin a cat. Wait a minute, I woudn’t skin a cat, but I’d sure like to skin a dirty, lying, Chicago thug.

    • jbjd

      I tried to accomplish this same result with Samantha Power, ages ago now. When BO first announced his candidacy for POTUS I thought, the best way to find out who this man is, is to investigate those with whom he surrounds himself. I researched his campaign advisers, assuming these would be the same people who would staff his administration. Since I consider the most important role of the President is foreign policy – if I am not safe from foreign attack then, nothing else matters – I looked at who was his foreign policy adviser, which led me to Samantha Power. I had watched her once, during an interview with Tavis Smiley. I did not like her. Now, I did my research, and found something she wrote in 2003, while at Harvard. She advocated unilaterally invading Israel to set up a Palestinian state, reasoning that unless the President acts sort of as a ‘lone ranger’ (my words), ‘powerful interests in this country’ (read, Jews) would never allow such an outcome. That was all I needed to know. But when I posted about this, it failed to catch on. What eventually caught people’s attention about her was the fact, she referred to HRC as a “monster.”

      • workingclass artist

        Yeah…Powers is another NUT who is Waaay over rated…imho…A typical Pseudo-intellectuwonky Bull Shit Iconclastic Con….sheeesh!

        • http://ezinearticles.com/?Three-Basic-Parenting-Styles&id=744499 Northwest rain

          She’s another Academic Gadfly — of the type 0zero feels most comfortable.

      • Kostermann

        What strikes me about BO, and his supporters, is their absolutely simplistic ideas of foreign policy, really the flip side to Cheney, never really understanding limits, or SEEING the governments of other nations.

        Narcissistic “lefties,” the opposite of narcissist righties, both insipid.

        Clinton, OTOH, stands a chance at ironing out our ME policy, which is what is needed, a sane approach, I see in people like Powers, or the rest of Obama’s anti Israel crowd, more neocons.

        Truly unqualified, truly simplistic.

        Like Cheney, let them fail.

      • Kal

        jbjd — can you pull up a link or write an article for NQ about that 2003 paper? I think if that could get some direct visibility, it might be useful to try to at least put the frighteners on BO’s gang about going in that direction.

        • jbjd

          Kal, I will try to find it again but the last time I looked, it was gone; however, I might be able to find it at the law library. I will get back to you. I will also try to find the interview in which she was asked, what she meant by this. Her reply: ‘I don’t have any idea; sometimes, even I don’t know what I am talking about.’

          • Kostermann

            ginaso had posted a link to comment Power had made in regard to a “justifiable genocide,” (it may have been in regard to Darfur, possible Rawanda).

            That is simply revolting, almost Hitlerian in it’s scope, when you think about it.

            If true.

            • Kostermann

              Rwanda, sorry.

      • mimi

        I think this is different.

        Hillary was targeted. They simply were not going to let her get the nomination.

        This is different. She did convince Clinton not to go after 0sama Bin Laden. People should be reminded of this and often.

        Maybe it won’t derail her nomination, but it puts her on the defensive, keeps the spotlight on her every move.

        Post the info, email it and let it make the rounds. An FYI kind of bulletin.

        I’m doing that. It’s better than just giving up.

    • pm317

      mimi, I agree with you that we should expose some of these clowns (Rice being one) for what they are. Also MOCKING her for having her own transition team is the way to react to this (when I told my husband about this, his one word reaction was “ridiculous” which is exactly what it is).

      I think Hillary will be fine. Looking back at the primary, she was able to expose the DNC/media shenanigans quite well to at least most of us who cared/listened. If she had quietly gone into the sunset early on we would never know all that DNC was up to. In the same way, if there are forces undermining her good work at the State just for being vindictive, she will find a way to expose it. It will be embarrassing to Obama (on a world stage) and I think he knows that. She is NO Powell. She has a lot more stature (in the World’s eyes) than any previous SoSs.

  • http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/ Not Your sweetie
  • http://insightanalytical.wordpress.com InsightAnalytical-GRL

    I want Hillary out, too. But I just got a letter from the Clinton Foundation explaining why he put out his donor list in support of Hillary as SOS. They have a contact deadline for comments of 12/15 the same date as those house parties or whatever….

    It seems the Clintons up until this point are part of this big PUSH by Obama to start the ball rolling on all his plans.

    I think it’s all one big MESS…

    • workingclass artist

      Mr. Mike is right…A CLUSTER F$#K…of epic proporions…

  • section9

    I am dead certain that one of the things that Condi told Hillary was that Susan Rice was there to undermine her.

    What you people don’t realize is that Rice (Condi, that is) and Clinton are actually friends. Rice was actually secretly campaigning for McCain’s VP job because she was dead certain (and she was right) that Obama wouldn’t have the guts to pick Hillary as his Veep and a Democratic version of Dick Cheney. Clinton probably knew this as well.

    If you think that the two of them talked about stuff that Hillary could get from State Department staff, you have another thing coming.

    Susan Rice’s job is the same as John Bolton’s was. Bolton was Dick Cheney’s spy in the Department. Rice knew this, which is why he was kept isolated at the UN. Only Bolton never got his appointment certified by the Senate. Bolton was also not given Cabinet Rank-something Obama fully intends to do. Once Bolton was isolated, it was easier for Rice to turn Cheney’s flank on Iran, North Korea, and other questions. There’s a reason that some people in my party, most notably the ass-clowns over at NRO and The Weekly Standard, are always angry at Rice-she ended up beating them in the great policy fights over Iran and North Korea.

    You’ll notice that James Jones isn’t getting Cabinet Rank. Susan, otoh, is getting a seat at the Big Person’s Table. She’s a Principal.

    Susan Rice is Barack Obama’s spy. Susan is also being groomed to take over State once Hillary is thrown under the Bus. People think that Hillary is expendable. What Condi told Hillary is this: Hillary is expendable, but BHO must wait for the right time to throw her over the side.

    Firing Hillary is like Truman firing MacArthur-lots of devastating mojo for Democrats and massive press upheaval. But it’s what he will do. And Susan Rice will be the replacement.

    Oh, and this won’t happen until late into the Third Year of the First Administration: too late for her raise money to mount a Primary Challenge.

    Something like that is what Condi told Hillary.

    • workingclass artist

      Hmmmm….Well I’m sure given what transpired in the primaries…Nothing Rice told HRC would have surprised her…Like I said…HRC is padding the resume on her way out the door…There will be No Clinton to rescue the Party as it goes down in Flames…nuff said…

    • Kostermann

      The only thing that strikes me from this scenario is Obama will fail.

      His own fault.

      So, you know, big deal, cause Cheney, and the neocons failed, too.

      All the machinations in the world can’t save you from your stupid self.

      Busy busy boys…

    • NCgirl

      Yes, Obama is elevating Rice’s position to cabinet level, so she can be ready to take over as SOS. PEBO is devoid of character, so he is just lying in wait to screw Hillary over. It will be worse than what Bush did to Powell. I wish Hillary had declined.

      • tek

        Powell did himself in, he lied to the UN. That was Bush’s excuse to axe him.

    • stodgie

      i’ve been thinking about this. i think obama needs hillary more than she needs him. she is more popular than him contrary to what obots and the so called media will have you believe. obama won’t be getting more popular. that won’t happen. he will have problems all over the place. suckups don’t help much when your arse is on fire. i predict hillary will leave when and if she wants to and not when obama does. i also predict obama is a one term failure. there you go!

      • http://noquarter MAYA

        He will blame Bush for his failures. And he knows how to decieve people, how to throw associates under the bus and come out clean. Americans are uninformed, ignorant and cannot see through him. Even with all this mess with Blago, his approval is over 70%. He will be a disaster, but he will get his 2nd term.

    • mimi

      This is the part I have a problem with:

      The implication that Hillary herself does not know this. And not just Hillary, Bill, too. We’re not talking about mental lightweights. Or a better phrase is: “It ain’t their first day at the rodeo.”

      So here’s what I think: the Clintons are certain that 0bama doing something like firing Hillary is going to cost him BIG TIME!

      I think it’s wrong to assume that 0bama will ALWAYS get a pass, just because he’s been getting one right now. He’s not the president yet. We’re still living the Bush nightmare. The majority in the country are preoccupied with the economy, their security and the holidays. People still want to buy into the dream, the illusion that 0bama represents a new beginning, change. Most people are not focusing on the details the way we are.

      Then, you have the continued push of the msm. If you haven’t gotten it yet, they are hellbent on seeing this through to this so-called ‘historic’ Inauguration. They haven’t had a positive media event in dog’s age. The little bit of money the msm is making, is coming from the chumps who are living out this fantasy from their living rooms. They’re holding on by a thread. And again, it’s the holidays.

      I recommended patience right after the election and I say it again. Wait. Keep the heat turned up, but wait. Blago-gate is only the beginning. It may not have the juice to overthrow his Inauguration, but it is a taint and a crack in the veneer. Keep chipping away. It’s a start.

  • Kostermann

    So far out of their league as to be laughable.

    Hm, now, what to have for lunch?

  • jbjd

    For Kal and anyone else who wants to read more about Samantha Power, here is a great read, incorporating her comments about invading Israel.
    http://www.israpundit.com/2008/?p=6159
    (RRRA, stating that any of the people surrounding BO are ‘starting already’ generously implies a break in some previous distasteful conduct. But that’s like saying, ‘Leopards again displaying their spots.’)

    • http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

      Oh, I agree, jbjd – they never stopped, for sure. I should have said that Rice is BLATANTLY and overtly trying to undermine Clinton as I knew she would despite people saying we should just keep an open mind abt Clinton as his SoS, his other appointments, etc. I’m using the phrase more as a figure of speech…But you are absolutely right – and thanks for all of the good comments today!!

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  • Linda C.

    The Clinton’s know what they are doing. They have been at this game for years.

    As for Israel and the Palestine. I would like to take the radical nuts on both sides an put them out on an island with just enough supplies that they would have to cooperate just to survive.

    • http://ezinearticles.com/?Three-Basic-Parenting-Styles&id=744499 Northwest rain

      Now that’s a plan I can support!

      Both sides have fundamentalists who are holding grudges hundreds if not thousands of years old.

      And there are the moderates on both sides who could work together.

  • pm317

    Come on, people. Susan Rice has her consolation prize and let us leave it at that and not glorify her credentials any more than we have to. Bill Clinton gave her a wonderful opportunity to grow but what did she accomplish with it? Let us see her stand up to China and Russia and a growing EU at the UN (in addition to Hillary at SoS). I recognize we don’t trust him but any skulduggery on 0bama’s part against Hillary will have to be done on the world’s stage and it will not be that easy.

    • mimi

      I agree pm.

      Anything 0bama does to Hillary will only hurt him.

      If people are saying he doesn’t know this…. well so much the better. That makes him even stupider than I thought.

  • pcfs

    Biden will take care of her.

  • tek

    Don’t you love how the media always says there’s bad feeling between Obamaturds and Hillary because of the Obamaturd’s “steadfast devotion to Obama?” Not because they called Hillary every filthy name in the English language and threatened her with bodily harm if she didn’t quit the race. Sickos.

  • I’m a Linda too

    One Term President.

  • ranger

    Hillary would make the best SOS in history.

    But the fact remains that Obama is baiting her out of the senate.

    The Rice elevation is an Obama cut throat tactic….the first

    Then, as Hillary goes through the nomination process, they will bring Bill Clinton in to testify about all of his complicated dealings with his org.

    Hillary may or may not have resigned her senate seat by then.

    She has said she will keep it until the last moment whenever that is.

    She has given Obama too many benefits of doubt, this time her senate seat is on the line.

    John Kerry will make her nomination process a nightmare. If she survives the nomination and resigns before she is approved and makes it because othe senators get her through.
    Obama will sink her fast and she will be out on her ass.

    SHE MUST REMAIN A US SEBATOR AND STAY AWAY FROM OBAMA.
    SHE MUST STAY AWAY FROM OBAMA.

    I DO NOT KNOW WHAT SHE IS THINKING ABOUT WITH HIM, BUT SHE IS MAKING A MISTAKE GIVING UP THAT SEAT.

    OBAMA IS BAITING HER OUT BECAUSE HER WANTS TO TAKE HER DOWN AND GIVE SWEET CAROLINE THE SEAT ON A PLATTER.

    HILLARY KEEP YOUR US SENATE SEAT!

    • NoTrollZone

      agreed. Hillary needs to stay away from Obama.

    • snookums

      Reality keeps on rolling along, and you guys are left kicking against the pricks. Hillary will be confirmed as secretary of state. She will serve through both terms of the Obama administration.

      • http://ezinearticles.com/?Three-Basic-Parenting-Styles&id=744499 Northwest rain

        The pie in the sky guy is here —

        What a wild fantasy life you delusional trolls must have — no wonder you are unable to deal with reality.

        Your scum bag candidate’s pay to play world is unraveling.

  • interested party

    As posted above, what were seeing is the flip-side of a Neocon agenda. Powers, Rice, et al are world “reformers” who want to see the U.S. take an activist line on genocide, human rights, or governments who don’t measure their ideal; even if that involves intervention in that country’s affairs. Obama shares this conviction, apparently thinking the U.S. can fix multiple problems in the Middle East and Africa by actively pursuing equal rights agendas.
    We’ll see how this plays out in the new administration, but I see the policy as incredibly naive and destine to fail in its application.
    Obama’s MO as leader of the only organization he actually led, the CAC foundation, is to let such liberal activists run amok. As with the CAC, the ensuing chaos will likely scuttle his ship.

    • Kostermann

      Taken from http://sandbox.blog-city.com/speaking_truth_to_power.htm:

      Power gave an astonishing answer:

      What we don’t need is some kind of early warning mechanism there, what we need is a willingness to put something on the line in helping the situation. Putting something on the line might mean alienating a domestic constituency of tremendous political and financial import; it may more crucially mean sacrificing—or investing, I think, more than sacrificing—billions of dollars, not in servicing Israel’s military, but actually investing in the new state of Palestine, in investing the billions of dollars it would probably take, also, to support what will have to be a mammoth protection force, not of the old Rwanda kind, but a meaningful military presence. Because it seems to me at this stage (and this is true of actual genocides as well, and not just major human rights abuses, which were seen there), you have to go in as if you’re serious, you have to put something on the line.

      Unfortunately, imposition of a solution on unwilling parties is dreadful. It’s a terrible thing to do, it’s fundamentally undemocratic. But, sadly, we don’t just have a democracy here either, we have a liberal democracy. There are certain sets of principles that guide our policy, or that are meant to, anyway. It’s essential that some set of principles becomes the benchmark, rather than a deference to [leaders] who are fundamentally politically destined to destroy the lives of their own people. And by that I mean what Tom Friedman has called “Sharafat” [Sharon-Arafat]. I do think in that sense, both political leaders have been dreadfully irresponsible. And, unfortunately, it does require external intervention…. Any intervention is going to come under fierce criticism. But we have to think about lesser evils, especially when the human stakes are becoming ever more pronounced.

      Two things strike me about this quote:

      Par for the course from the Obama group, very sad, and stupid, and ignorant and wholly uniformed, BIGOTED, IMO, and, two:

      Much of what goes on the middle east is a proxy for the US and Russia, even Iran, now, meaning Israel surely has it problems, and it’ s kooks, but as long as there is a US, the US will be baited and gamed through the ME.

      They seem to miss this, and for being Harvard elite, that’s kind of GLARING, you know, “it’s ALL the fault of the Jews.” Some maybe, hardly all of it, dummkopf — (ah, time to pull out my college german, what fun, nothing like referring to some elite shithead as a flaming stupidhead in german)

      (smack)

      You know, I don’t expect better from some, I do, or did, expect better from them.

      But given some of Obama’s Chicago backers, maybe not.

  • NoTrollZone

    Well, I’ve been thinking this for a while.. so now I’m gonna share. I could be way off, but I’m thinking that Biden is Obama’s Dan Quayle. And not just for the obvious reasons that Biden is a walking bag of stupid, but that it was theorized that Bush picked Quayle to avoid ever being impeached or harmed. If Obama is politically removed then we have Biden the Excrement to contend with. Nice, eh?
    So let’s hope that Biden becomes our own little
    Spiro Agnew and gets his ass removed and then Obama goes down ala Nixon (no Larry Sinclair pun intended).
    Let’s let the Repubs have their turn at Watergate and flush some Democrat scum down the pipes.

    After this hideous election farce, I shall breathe happy when I hear Obama the Child Brat say,
    “you aren’t gonna have Barry Obama to kick around anymore.”

    • snookums

      I shall breathe happy when I hear Obama the Child Brat say, “you aren’t gonna have Barry Obama to kick around anymore.”

      Eight years of this is going to get pretty tedious.

    • workingclass artist

      “Biden is a walking bag of stupid..” Just got off work and I needed a laugh…checked into the last thread to see how it ended…Thanks NoTroll…lol…

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