Rice Congratulates Obama Tearfully, Says She Is "Especially Proud" Of Obama's Win (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- An emotional Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reveled Wednesday in Barack Obama's election, calling it an "extraordinary step forward" for the nation.

A child of the segregated deep South who became the highest-ranking African-American woman ever in American government and was once considered a potential Republican presidential nominee, Rice called the Democratic president-elect "inspirational" and said his victory was proof of America's promise.

"This was an exercise in American democracy of which Americans across the political spectrum are justifiably proud," she said.

"As an African-American, I'm especially proud," said Rice, her eyes glistening with emotion, "because this is a country that's been through a long journey, in terms of overcoming wounds and making race" less of a factor in life. "That work is not done, but yesterday was obviously an extraordinary step forward."

"One of the great things about representing this country is that it continues to surprise," she told reporters at the State Department at a hastily arranged briefing just hours before leaving Washington for the Middle East on a peacemaking trip. "It continues to renew itself. It continues to beat all odds and expectations."

Born and raised in Birmingham, Ala., at the height of the civil rights struggle, Rice herself overcame numerous obstacles and stereotypical low expectations. She speaks frequently about how improbable her rise to the corridors of power may seem. But she also notes that she succeeded the first black secretary of state, Colin Powell, and the first female to hold the job, Madeleine Albright.

"You just know that Americans are not going to be satisfied until they really do form that perfect union," she said, referring to the preamble of the Constitution, which begins: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union ..."

"And while the perfect union may never be in sight, we just keep working at it and trying," Rice said.

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Aides said Rice would likely call Obama, as well as vanquished Republican presidential nominee John McCain, later Wednesday.

She said McCain had been "gracious" in defeat and called him "a great patriot."

"I want to note that President-elect Obama was inspirational and I'm certain he will continue to be," Rice said.

She never said who she planned to vote for, but had hinted broadly that she would support McCain by repeatedly stressing that she is a Republican.

WATCH:

Comments

[partyofone]

Sorry Dr.Rice, in my opinon, you have disqualifed yourself from any valid public comment on matters of signficance to the nation and the world because of your blind loyalty, service and eanablment of George W. Bush, the worst president in US history. YOu have not stood above politics, and actively campaigned for Bush's rre-election, violating all standards of State Dept. protocol. You sold distortions to justify a needs, reckless, costly war. Why would anyone believe anything you say?

You stood silent throughout this campaign, as members of your party attacked Obama's character, record, patriotism. It is beyond hypocracy to step into the limelight now and state your personal pride in the outcome.

If there is justce in history, you will be indicted with Bush and Cheney on international war crimes. Though never likely to be convicted, it would be a fitting punctuation about the consequences of your record of public service.

[ohrly]

that sums it up nicely.

I cringe every time I see this headline.
pathetic.

[karmagirl1061]

Whatever, she's a Booshie!

[Pacojam]

It is inspiring to see someone on the side of light, peace and fairness, isn't it Condi??? To bad you can't have it because you chose the dark, ugly side of opression.

[Ged2012]

Roger Ebert firmly believes that when Condoleezza was in the voting booth, she voted for Obama, since she, being an intellectual, could not stomach Palin ending up as a VP.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/11/but_im_waiting_for_that_mornin.html

[moodigirl]

I have been saying this all along. Love her or hate her, she is an intellectual female. Palin would never secure her vote.

and I'm sure it had to be especially profound for her to see Barack do what he has done.

I am not a fan, but maybe those tears were not all for Barack, but also for what she knows she has lost in the public's perception.

[Whinger]

One wonders why John didn't choose a woman like Condoleezza Rice for running mate!

She had experience, a brain, maybe Karl Rove can explain, he's so good at that..

[partyofone]

Rice is a Bush crony and enabler. I see nothing to admire about her.

[hopefulinflorida]

John McCain didn't want a woman with a brain. He wanted one who looked good. Kind of like the car ads with a woman laying on top of the car. He thought the people would buy his old car with her on top of it. What a mistake. Glad he made it.

[HST]

Condi SUCKS!

[Pacojam]

What she said was nice, but big deal. That and $2 wiil get you a cup of coffee.

I am cynical because Rice has been a force for division, intolerance, and the rapid erosion of our rights as citizens of this country. She was a mouth peice and enforcer of the oppressive, intolerent ideals of Bush. She represents the polar opposite of what Obama represents. No tearful praise will change her brutal record.

[LemonMeringue]

She told Bush what he wanted to hear for years just to worm her way into power.

And tens of thousands died.

I cannot bear to hear that she isn't evil. If that's not evil, what is?

[dadw5boys]

I hope RICE stays on as an Advisor.

Rice is a great woman and very smart.

Rice could get the things done that Bush prevented her from doing.

She really is a great American not a Republcain hack .

People like Bush should never have had a say in Forgien Policy !

We need Americans like Rice.

[RoloTomassi]

Sorry, but you are all wet on this one; she is a CRIMINAL, and like all BushCo Criminals, needs to be--but won't be--prosecuted and sent to JAIL.

[fedupinfla]

Wait a minute....is this Condi?? C'mon fess up!!!

I didn't know you had taken your head out of Bush's lap long enough to type!!!

[XME]

There certainly are a lot of hateful things being said about Rice on here. Like Colin Powell, she made some huge mistakes and errors in judgement. However, I personally don't feel there is a need to demonize her. It's not helpful...and coming from so many who've voted for Obama because he is inspirational and not hateful towards anyone, and who wants to try and bridge the divides in our country, I hope that eventually all of his supporters we begin to follow his example. To bridge divides, you must be willing to seek common ground, and Rice said some very positive things that seemed heartfelt. If for not other reason, she deserves credit for that.

[Kerris]

I agree with your sentiments and will add that ..... while I disagree with Rice on a lot of her judgements, as a Black-and-Hispanic American I have been immensely proud that I had the opportuntiy in my lifetime to disagree with a black woman politician the same way I have been "allowed" all my life to disagree with white male ones.

I am proud that Obama is president, but in no way deluded in thinking just because we share the same skin tone that he will be a perfect president or person with whom I will never disagree (already royally pissed off at him re his stance on gay marriage!).

But that is not the point in what Rice was saying (and feeling) in this press conference.... we have come a long way from segregation, a long way from my days in kindergarten in the early 70s when white kids still wouldn't hold hands with the brown/black ones when you lined up at recess "in case the nasty black rubbed off" -- and she took a moment to honour that new step in America's joint history.

That was a good thing for which she is to be commended. Not attacked.

[stop the spin]

Well said! I've found members on this website to be intolerant, divisive and hateful.

[partyofone]

It is not intolerant to hold public officials to account for their actions. Rice enabled Bushes worst qualifies, slept through the warnings of 9-11, crafted the lies to justify invastion of Iraq, and has presided over the worst foreign policy disasters in American history.

We will not have change in the nation and in Washington until citizens let those in power and control know that we do not accept what they are doing.

[fedupinfla]

Oh REALLY?!? I suggest you go to some right-wing blogs. Over there, she's still called a "N"

[Pacojam]

At least Colon Powell eventually disagreed with Bush and quit over it. Rice relished in her role of lies.

[partyofone]

Powell should have resigned in protest over the decision to invade Iraq. His reputation will never recover after his UN presentation of Bush lies.

[Mattie]

Powell still lied us into war, and should spend the rest of his life feeling shame for is role in this horrible war. He isn't a hero, and he should be tried along with Bush and Cheney for war crimes. Just because he endorsed Obama doesn't change the facts of what he did, and he is still responsible for the deaths of thousands. How quickly here people forget that!

[LemonMeringue]

I dunno, 100,000 dead people is something only a demon would knowingly create.

[nakedhand]

Despicable behaviour from a historically cynical neocon. What a sad spineless and indecent individual she is.

[StillAmused]

No one cares, Condi. Too late to cop a 'contact high'... you're already in the books as a war-crimes enabler.

[LemonMeringue]

She did not help make this wonderful thing happen, Why is SHE proud?

She and her neocon cabal are what the world is thrilled to be rid of. Doesn't she know?

[RoloTomassi]

Apparently not, and there also seems to be plenty of clueless enablers here at HuffPo willing to just roll over and forget all that Rice has done in the last eight years...and apparently that has something to do with the color of her skin...which is quite ironic, and completely absurd.

[SentientBiped]

When will the day arrive when we commend an individual solely on their merit and accomplishments, without feeling it necessary to factor in the origin of their DNA? Only then will we truly be a non-racist society.

[HelloooCanada]

And what happened then...?
Well...in Screw-ville they say
That the Rice's small heart
Grew three sizes that day!

[Rosey]

Condi Rice should be hanging her head in shame. She was a kiss up to Bush and followed his rule blindly even when someone of her intelligence should have known better. What a crock Condi.... How can you be proud of something you fought against? Another example of the sanctimonious pomposity of a Bushie groupie! She voted for McCain and is now trying to explain it away.

[swbks]

Do you realize how "sanctimonious" you sound? Who are you to know what she is thinking? Rice has a different political viewpoint than you do...along with 56 million others. She doesn't have to "explain it away".

[Ricktay]

Beware the coming of the Bush revisionists and apologists.
Popularity does not make right. The many millions of people who fell in line with Mao, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot had a different political view point than mine. And they cannot explain it away. The South fought for slavery in the American Civil war. Hard to explain that away.
George W. Bush attacked and occupied a country for NO GOOD REASON. He lied and denied about it. Condi Rice joined him in trying to build the trumped up case. Torture and waylaying constitutional rights were also part of the administration's politics.
You see (actually you probably don't see) it is not just different political viewpoints. It is about recognizing good and evil and acting appropriately. Rice supported an evil political viewpoint. It wasn't just different. It was and is evil. Wars of aggression are evil and she worked hard to sell one. Now, millions of Iraqis are refugees and tens of thousands are dead because of that war. Thousands of American soldiers have died as well.
The administration Rice was an integral part of worked very hard to divide this nation to further their political goals. So her comments about Obama are hypocritical to her actions and words prior to his election. When she admits to, and apologizes for, her transgressions, then we can consider her rehabilitation has begun.

[HST]

Hey swbks preachy much?

[Pacojam]

You are right, we don't know what she is thinking, but what we do know is what she has done and said in the past. She has a record that is clear for all to see. She knows she doesn't have to explain anything to us, as she has never explained to us -- just dictated. However I strongly hope she has to explain to a war crimes tribunal.

[partyofone]

swbks, we do not need to know what Rice is thinking. We see the consequences for her actions and inactions. She has supported Bush at every stage of his disasterous presidency, and been rewarded with increasing responsibilty. As a result, SHE IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE for Bush's horrendous legacy. If she is a person of character, she would have resigned long ago.