Condoleezza Rice: Newt Gingrich's Anti-Obama 'Kenyan' Comments 'Over The Top' (VIDEO)

In an interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice took aim at incendiary comments made by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich about President Obama last month.

Speaking with the National Review, Gingrich asked, "What if [Obama] is so outside our comprehension, that only if you understand Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior, can you begin to piece together [his actions]?" He added, "That is the most accurate, predictive model for his behavior."

Rice criticized the remarks as "over the top" when asked about their relevance to public discourse on the issue of race. She said, "I know Newt Gingrich, he's a friend, but that's over the top and I think -- I don't think very helpful."

Rice appeared on the cable news network to discuss her new memoir "Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family," which sheds light on her experience growing up in Birmingham, Ala. during the early stages of the civil rights movement.

WATCH: [h/t ThinkProgress]

Comments

[diddleydee]

01:52 AM on 10/15/2010

Not a Newt fan, but definitely not a fan of a person who sends troops to get killed for a fake war. Condi, spare me the "holy than thou" bs..

[liberaldawg]

10:13 PM on 10/14/2010

It's a mantra of YOUR party Dr. Rice.

[robeson]

08:59 PM on 10/14/2010

They weren't 'over the top', they were nonsensical as colonialism is only fashionable in the highest GOP circles.

[AContrario]

07:47 AM on 10/15/2010

F&F.

[IfIonlyknew]

08:25 PM on 10/14/2010

Condi,You finely gave me something good to say about you.

[polkarde]

06:52 PM on 10/14/2010

'Over the top'...C'mon Condi you can do better than this..you make it sound as if it was merely an infringement on the football field.

Newt Gingrich's language was incendiary and bigoted (and that's putting it lightly), and with Ms Rice tip-toeing around the issue like this, it just makes her look weak, in the face of an unhinged bully like this.

[siamao]

05:45 PM on 10/14/2010

Condi Rice's "over the top observation" about Newt's Kenyan rant is an understatement.
Why would anyone in her right mind want to pal around with Newt Gingrich?

[ELIALI]

04:41 PM on 10/14/2010

The Republican party is so polarized because they are still looking for a leader that stands on top of the heirarchy. So, they are hitting one another to be on top....keep it up...it's good for the democrats!!

[Darren2Be]

07:15 PM on 10/14/2010

Very deftly stated! You are going to be a force. Congrats!

[wooper]

04:02 PM on 10/14/2010

ALL of Newt's comments on anything are over the top...that's how he successfully remains in the news. The thing that I remember most about Newt...he attacked Bill Clinton about his morals for his Lewinski affair, pushing for impeachment...while he was having an affair and his wife was in the hospital undergoing cancer treatment.

Now that, my friends, is a Republican we can believe in.

[wecanonlyhope]

03:09 PM on 10/14/2010

Looks to me like Condi is positioning herself for a 2012 run.

I'd never vote for any Rethuglican, especially the outdated NeoCon kind, but perhaps we'll see a good ole smart African-American vs. dum-dum TeaBag CAT FIGHT.

Maybe they can arrange for Linda McMahon to put them in one of her women's mud wrestling match-ups? Whether it's a match-up of brains or brawn, Condi would tear Mama Grizzly apart.

[Boomer946]

02:16 PM on 10/14/2010

Ms. Secretary, even though I am a liberal, I can respect your honest take on Newt's comments. I agree Newt's comments have no real relevance to what the issues are that face our country. I wish more Republicans and conservatives had guts enough to point out wrongs perpetrated by their fellow conservatives. I certainly have no compunction pointing out liberal faults.The sad truth is you are one of the few conservatives who have voiced concern. I congratulate you!

[dfranz]

01:57 PM on 10/14/2010

Hasn't anyone been paying attention? Gingrich is so irrelevent the only way he can get attention is by making outrageous statements. His ego won't let him accept the fact that his time has come and gone. He knows what's best for everyone because he's the smartest man in the world.

[maab76]

03:17 PM on 10/14/2010

Gingrich has noticed the adulation which many of the female tea-baggers have received and he is acting and speaking as if he feels left out of the party. His credibility is largely lacking, and this desperate bid for attention is very telling.

[fredly2]

01:54 PM on 10/14/2010

The more good news from President Obama's administration the more mud we see flung.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/14/rosen.economy.gop.fault/index.html?npt=NP1

[Catch 22]

01:43 PM on 10/14/2010

"What if [Obama] is so outside our comprehension, that only if you understand Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior, "
Ms Rice, please don't patronize us. When he said, Kenyan, anti-colonial Behavior, it was about race.

[ArjenBoatsma]

05:22 PM on 10/14/2010

about race, and to court the birthers

[ohiotechie]

10:37 PM on 10/14/2010

Yup - 2 birds with one stone.

[garagenoir]

01:21 PM on 10/14/2010

A careerist enabler useful only to herself and the party that owns her.

[Milhouse901]

02:20 PM on 10/14/2010

wow...you nailed that one.

[springsm]

01:05 PM on 10/14/2010

Condi is a 'hasbeen'. She had to say something in order to get on O'Donnell's show to push her book. Sorry Ms Rice..you had your chance and you blew it.