Interesting editorial in The Lima News (Verry Conservative)

[madinmaryland]

They elect Oxley by large margins every two years, and even these folks are confused as to what is going on.

Foreign policy will be Bush’s

Beyond well-phrased generalities, it is difficult to glean from Condoleezza Rice’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee just what kind of foreign policy a second Bush administration is likely to pursue — except that it will be what the president wants it to be.
Unfortunately, few of the senators questioning the secretary of state-designate came close to asking the kind of fundamental questions many Americans watching American lives and treasure being spent in dubious foreign adventures would like to see explored.
Rice had soothing things to say about a new emphasis on diplomacy and seeking support from allies for the many challenges the United States faces abroad. But she offered little evidence that she or the president have learned much from any of the mistakes of the first term.
She acknowledged “big tactical challenges” in Iraq, but offered few hints as to what U.S. policy will be beyond the election slated for the end of this month. She declined to entertain the idea that the United States was less than fully prepared for the war and its aftermath and was vague about when troops might come home. An exit strategy depended on Iraq’s ability to defend itself, she said — which might be next week, next month or never, depending on the criteria, which were not spelled out.
The fact that California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced her in glowing terms is only one indication that Condoleezza Rice will be approved as secretary of state. The fact that California’s other senator, Barbara Boxer, failed to lay a glove on her in a testy exchange shows that Rice is cool enough and well-informed enough that many Democrats will give her the nod.
Will she be the kind of person who has the knowledge, the fortitude and the confidence born of personal closeness to be able to tell the president, at some crucial moment, that a plan for conflict being pressed on him by other advisers — perhaps in Iran? — is a bad idea? The hearings offered little evidence.

http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=11120

[izzie]

1. Well I think it is great that the President has done this

Every one that did a bad job either stayed in place, went up a grade or got an award.Can not beat that for a second class country/

[electropop]

2. Surprising the righties can see ot too.

I disagree that Boxer 'failed to lay a glove on her'. Boxer drew serious blood. Rice's desperate 'impugning my integrity' remark demonstrated that. All Boxer did was read Rice's words back to her. If Rice was ashamed of her own words, it would indeed feel like her integrity was being impugned. Which it was, and correctly so. It is entirely reasonable for a Senator to inspect the integrity of a nominee for high office. That's the main job of 'advise and consent'.

[zbdent]

3. What? They're complaining that the Senators didn't actually ask

pointed questions???????

But, but, but that's UnAmerican and unpatriotic, and anybody who even has any questions in their head should be shot!

;-)