Rice Gives "Less Than Hearty" Endorsement To Palin (VIDEO)

"In a weekend interview, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice passed up an opportunity to defend Sarah Palin from allegations that she does not have the foreign policy experience to be vice president," ABC News reports.

In a less-than-hearty endorsement, Rice declined to say anything more positive about Palin than "she gave a terrific speech" and "she's a governor of a state here in the United States" during her interview with Zain Verjee of CNN.

Asked point-blank if Palin has enough experience, Rice said, "These are decisions that Senator McCain has made. I have great confidence in him." Confidence in Palin? Rice didn't say.

Rice added: "I'm not going to get involved in this political campaign. As Secretary of State, I don't do that. But I thought her speech was wonderful."

Via ThinkProgress, here's the video:

As TP notes, "By comparison, Rice responded to Sen. Barack Obama's pick of Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate last month by saying that 'Biden is obviously a very fine statesman.'"

Comments

[KennyFox]

Wow. Well that was a pleasant surprise.

[ed3541]

My favorite portrait of Condi was commisioned by some grateful Lebanese. They hung it in downtown Beirut in the summer of 2006. You can see it here: http://tyros.leb.net/massacres/

Blessed are the Peacemakers.
Damned are the war-mongers.

[FaceYourFears]

I bet I know who Condi's voting for!

[Banji81]

I bet you THINK you do.

[FaceYourFears]

Unless you're Condoleezza.....keep it to yourself!

[rabprevent]

as if most americans do not know what bs palin is!


most of the republican morons all know that when the truth comes out, mcdamass will have to be sent to a nursin home as he will be done and his little trophy will find a much younger dude to take care of business.

vote no to mccain and all his cronies, the republican party!!!!!!!!

[loisinthepink]

Barack Obama is running against John McCain. Stick to the candidates at the top of the ticket and stick to the issues. The rest is just voter distraction....divide and conquer....plain old GOP (Rove) tactics.

[Ginger5]

well said

[neurogrl]

Normally I would agree (and I do when it comes to voting on the issues). However, the average life expectancy in the US for a white male is 75.4 years (data from the CDC in 2005), which would fall during McCain's first term. In addition, the enormous number of injuries and the bouts of cancer in his lifetime further reduce his life expectancy. While I would agree that he seems to be in relatively good health, the statistics are scary when considering that his death would result in having Sarah Palin in office. Since this is how I'm looking at the McCain/Palin ticket, her positions on the issues are very much relavent to me.

[JubilationLeigh]

I agree neurogrl. We really have to consider McCain may not be up to 4 years if elected and that Palin could be our next president. Scares me silly to be honest.

[youngsenior]

Stastically, there is an 8 year difference from one melanoma cancer occurrence to the next. Mc has been (supposedly) cancer free for just over 6 years. In just about 1-1/2 to 2 years, we will have Pres. Palin.

[chiefeditor]

Well, that's embarrassing: http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2964/Condoleezza-Rice-On-Sarah-Palin

[samandally]

I don't need an Condy to give me a nod on my vote, McCain/Palin already have it.

[GoCheneyYourself]

Maybe with all of the money you'll save from the lower taxes they've promised, you could go to night school and learn how to write.

[Aabby]

LOL and eventually make 20K :) and those of us making 10 times that much will continue to vote in your best interests and strategizing on what can be done to wake your as$ up from the greasy food induced slumber you are in! LOL

[LevLandau]

I think the best defense against Palin is to portray her as George W. redux.

Imagine a commercial that begins talking about a governor with little knowledge but a lot of folksy charm capturing the White House. Then show images of George W. in 2000 and Palin in 2008. Maybe even show Palin's face morphing into George W.'s, as is done on the Huffington Post web site.

Finally, every tine Palin makes a gaffe, or merely seems inexperienced, connect her cluelesness to George W.'s.

[SouthFloridaDem]

I think the best thing is to ignore her.

[ojim]

I think the Re'publican party is divided into 2 layers of really smart ones who use a third layer of really d u m b ones to carry p r o p a g a n d a, and garner votes. Condi is among the 2nd layer of smart ones. The crowd during the RNC was a showcase in s t u p i d i t y, from their a n t i c s to their interveiws, but they get their guidance from a highly intelligent core that also pulls the strings of the Condoleeza Rices. Howbeit smart ones like Rice are used for much more "important" tasks.

[ojim]

I think the Republican party is divided into 2 layers of really smart ones who use a third layer of really dum'b ones to carry propaganda and garner votes. Condi falls among the 2nd layer of smart ones. The crowd during the RNC was a showcase in stupi'dity, from their antics to their interveiws, but they get their guidance from a highly intelligent core that also pulls the strings of the Condoleeza Rices. Howbeit smart ones like Rice are used for much more "important" tasks.

[ojim]

I think the Republican party is divided into 2 layers of really smart ones who use a third layer of really dumb ones to carry propaganda and garner votes. Condi falls among the 2nd layer of smart ones. The crowd during the RNC was a showcase in stupidity, from their antics to their interveiws, but they get their guidance from a highly intelligent core that also pulls the strings of the Condoleeza Rices. Howbeit smart ones like Rice are used for much more "important" tasks.

[MagisterLudi]

Of course not. Rice is hustling for a position in B.O.'s cabinet. .Afterall, B.O. endorsed her for Sec. of State; they chat weekly.... It's a tribal thang....

[mcostello]

OMG
Rice is the poster child for failed everything in the Bush admin

[DrVandy]

You are an #ss. It is likely that having served as Secretary of State, she knows when someone is qualified to be VP and Palin isn't. Rice has never suggested that Dick Cheney lacked the qualifications to be VP.

Sane GOPers are running in the other direction.
Rice-- lukewarm response [loved the Biden pick]
Hagel- no response to Palin, [loved the Biden pick]
Lugar-no response to Palin, [loved the Biden pick]
Arlen Specter- no response, [loved the Biden pick]

Why would three Republican senators and the Secretary of State each release glowing statements about Biden and either no comment or lukewarm response to Palin. Because these are each serious students of foreign policy (whether you agree with them or not and they can see she is barely qualified to be governor of one of the least populated states in the country.

Or is it that you believe that Hagel, Lugar and Specter are part of some share tribe with Senator Obama.

[coloradosiren]

...and you know this to be true because or better yet who is your source?

[MyThoughts2]

Remember Condi, they can't force you to say anything. Just give then you name, rank, and serial number!!!!

[whimsal]

Do not tell me that Rice is developing a backbone at this late stage of the game. What are you supposed to say about a candidate who has absolutely no foreign experience outside of Alaka! Poor Condy and the Bush team are in a catch 22. Guy who shared their communal bed is now dissing them left right and center and his world class pick,Sarah come lately joins in the so called maverick feasting! My friends what do you think?

[Triciann]

Don't tell Palin about the Large Hadron Collider which is ready for use on September 10 as she may order an invasion of Switzerland (when did that last happen?!!) to stop it. With her ideas about science and the "creation of the World", I'm sure this would be her first response and McCain would agree and then check the facts!

[LetMeUnderstandThis]

She wouldn't know a Large Hadron Collider from a big Wonder Wheel.