Last week rumors, today Novak's hit piece on Condi: "Mess of State"

[ProSense]

Last week:

Rumors about Cheney and Rice flying

Today:

The Mess at State

By Robert D. Novak
Thursday, January 11, 2007; Page A25

Members of the Senate intelligence committee, Republicans and Democrats alike, were alarmed last week that John Negroponte was leaving as director of national intelligence after less than two years to become deputy secretary of state. By way of explanation, he informed one Republican senator that he did not want to make the switch but that the White House had prevailed on him to do so.

Just how career diplomat Negroponte came to be the new intelligence czar in the first place is puzzling. But to pull him out just as his on-the-job training was completed reflects a panicky desire to fill the deputy secretary post, which had been unfilled for an unprecedented six months. Five other key State Department positions are either vacant or are soon to be vacant.

Republicans in Congress who do not want to be quoted tell me that the State Department under Condoleezza Rice is a mess. This comes at a time when the U.S. global position is precarious. While attention is focused on Iraq, American diplomacy is being tested worldwide -- in Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Korea and Sudan. The judgment by thoughtful Republicans is that Rice has failed to manage that endeavor.

Rice's previous government duties had been as an analyst and staffer rather than as a manager. That made it important for her to name a strong deputy secretary to run the building. John Bolton, an undersecretary in President Bush's first term and an experienced bureaucratic manager, volunteered. Rice instead picked him to be ambassador to the United Nations. The conservative Bolton ran afoul of a liberal Senate vendetta that blocked his confirmation for any post.

more...

She's always been a liar, now she's a scapegoat too. She's even getting blamed for the screw up Bolton.

[zulchzulu]

1. It's time for Condi to leave and then expose Bush for his lies...

She could redeem herself somewhat in the manner that Colin Powell has done by exposing Bush for being a manipulative, close-minded, inept power monger.

You can bet she would make a lot of money if she wrote a tell-all book...it would make a nice companion piece to the many splendored impeachment trials of Bush and Cheney.

[speedoo]

2. But.... but.... she's still a rising star. Right?

She's gonna be our next president.

Right?

When's her next "No one could have imagined..." moment?

:puke:

[Benhurst]

5. You incorrectly assume there is more substance to her than just a pair

of expensive boots and a silly made-up name.

[jbonkowski]

7. HA! I thought you were going to say "of teeth"!

[yardwork]

3. Novak is a complete ass

"liberal Senate vendetta" Puh-leeze.

[kenny blankenship]

4. Hasn't State been an unholy mess all the time that Bushler has been usurping the Presidency?

Under Powell prior to Rice's takeover it was often questionable whether there was any State Department at all. They were not even a distant second in importance to the Empire War Defense Department. They were silent and irrelevant. How would anyone expect quality personnel to stay on through such degraded circumstances, or expect morale and efficiency to keep up?

[jbonkowski]

6. I imagine there is an ideological litmus test for these jobs

They can't find people for these jobs who agree with them. Rats deserting a sinking ship.'

jim

[Divine Discontent]

8. SHE IS USELESS IN GOVERNMENT

she was horrible in her last role, where she was partially to blame for 9/11 and ignoring the warnings and telling georgie boy to wake the F up, and now she's botching her role as sec. of state... what a crock of shit she is!



www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<-- antibush prodem stickers/shirts

[KingofNewOrleans]

9. Explains why Richardson

ended up in Darfur this last week, there wasn't anybody in State to send there.

[calimary]

10. Welcome to DU! Wouldn't surprise me. She's so far in over her head

that she doesn't even HAVE a head anymore. The vast volume and weight above her has crushed it to powder.

[Supersedeas]

11. the list of cronies is growing thin