CMB as UN Ambassador?

[mouse7]

I'd really like to see CMB get the chance to continue to advance her political career. I think she has done as well if not better than most of the candidates in the campaign and continues to make a case for herself to have a major role in either Party leadership or the next administration.

I think UN Ambassador would be a good role for CMB. It would place her in a position to continue to mature and work toward being Secretary of State later in the next Dem Administration.

Your feedback?

[hellhathnofury]

1. Bill!

HHS maybe?

[mouse7]

5. I've always thought of HHS as "almost a slap" at minorities

HHS is the designated "minority" cabinet position slot. People do not advance after appointment to the position.

I think it's time for the Party to step up to the plate and do the things necessary to allow a real Minority executive candidate to develop.

CMB should be developed to be the next Dem Administration's Secretary of State, in the same way Madeline Albright was by Clinton.

[hellhathnofury]

7. Health and Human Services is not a slap.

Tommy Thompson.

We've got much better picks for Sec of State and other foreign policy positions. I like Carol but it's true.

[mouse7]

8. Yeah... lots of white guys...

The Democratic Party is NOT doing the job it promised to do in developing minority leadership.

In almost 4 Decades since the Civil Rigts Act was signed, the Democratic Party has developed...

Ron Brown as Commerce Sec'y, CMB in the Senate, and a long string of HHS Sec'y's that never developed beyond the position.

I WONDER WHY African-Americans feel betrayed and don't show up to vote.

[hellhathnofury]

9. I just think we can do better on foreign policy positions.

I don't want to argue the Democratic Party's commitment to minorites and I don't want CMB to go off the radar.

[mouse7]

10. You don't want to argue it because you cannot.

The Democratic Party has not lived up to it's committment to minorities.

cynicalSOB1, are you a white guy?

[hellhathnofury]

11. I've got other things to do right now.

I think we could be doing better on getting minorities involved in the Democratic Party. I evaluate people on their merits. Tell me why she'd be better than Bill Clinton, Anthony Zinni, Wes Clark or Al Gore. We've got alot of foreign policy talent with better resumes than CMB. I like her alot and wish she had kept her Senate seat and would like to keep her in government offices.

I won't dignify your question with a response because it implies I'm a racist.

[mouse7]

12. Zinni and Clark are GENERALS. Know nothing about diplomacy.

Zinni or Clark as VPs, fine. Not as chief diplomat.

Isn't watching Colin Powell's disaster as Sec'y of State enough? How about Al Haig's?

Generals are not qualified to be diplomats.

Bill Clinton will be involved in US diplomacy plenty. I think the title of former President carries as much if not more weight as Sec'y of State. Matter of fact, having Clinton and Carter around gives us the opportunity to have someone like CMB have a heavyweight like Carter or Clinton to have on the other side of a phone line to pick their brain.

Gore could pick and choose any slot he wanted I think. I think the question is more one of whether he would want a slot, or whether he'd rather be similar in stature to a formerly elected President, as he is now.

Don't you love when white guys start throwing the racist word around? There's a difference between being a racist and being clueless and insensitive. Racists don't hang around DU long. However, there a lot of white guys around that just gon't get it on how important inclusion is. I would suggest that you are in that category.

[hellhathnofury]

15. Colin Powell is only a disaster because of the admin.

You find me a minority with Colin Powell's resume and theyre in.

What makes CMB remarkable? I like her fine but she's a one term senator who won in an anti-incumbent year. I'm not aware of a strong foreign policy base in her resume. I care more about people resumes than their skin color sorry. Right now the world is such a mess that resume's do matter.

Prove to me that CMB has the resume and I'll advocate for her with zeal.

I do understand inclusion is important but it's not at the top of my list of criteria when I draw up the short list for Amb to the UN.

[mouse7]

17. Very nice. African-Americans almost NEVER qualified by you

Under your rules, only an African-American General can become qualified for the White House.

CMB has already served as an Ambassador (New Zealand, I think) after she lost her Senate seat. She therefore knows the rules of diplomatic protocol. UN Ambassador is the next step. From there, CMB could be the next Sec'y of State. There's usually a couple in every 8 years administration.

[hellhathnofury]

20. Susan Rice would fit my criteria and she's advising Dean.

Condi was in the Bush team before election.

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10994

* Susan E. Rice is Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy and Governance Studies at The Bookings Institution and served as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.

My rules are foreign policy backgrounds are needed for foreign policy positions. New Zealand isn't that great of a jumping point. She could easily get an ambassadorship to a major country (England, Russia, France). That would be a jumping point.

[mouse7]

22. Fair enough... Rice is very qualified.

Dr. Susan Rice bio...

Dr. Rice is currently a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. At Brookings, Dr. Rice is affiliated jointly with the Foreign Policy and Governance Studies Programs where she is examining the national security implications of global poverty and inequality, transnational security threats, new strategies for corporate social responsibility investing. She also serves as an independent consultant and speaker.


Prior to this, Rice was Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 1997-2001. In this capacity, she formulated and implemented overall US policy towards 48 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, including political, economic, security and humanitarian issues. She oversaw management of 43 US Embassies, over 5000 U.S. and Foreign Service national employees, a Bureau operating budget of over $100 million and a program budget of approximately $160 million, annually.


From 1995-1997, Dr. Rice also served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council (NSC) and, from 1993-1995, as Director for International Organizations and Peacekeeping at the NSC. Prior to her White House tenure, Rice was a management consultant at McKinsey and Company in Toronto, where she served clients in oil and gas, steel, transportation, retail, public/non-governmental and pulp/paper sectors.


Dr. Rice was the co-recipient of the White House’s 2000 Samuel Nelson Drew Memorial Award for distinguished contributions to the formation of peaceful, cooperative relationships between states. She was awarded the Chatham House-British International Studies Association Prize for the most distinguished doctoral dissertation in the United Kingdom in the field of International Relations. Dr. Rice is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on several boards including the National Democratic Institute, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF and the Internews Corporation.


Rice received B.A. in History from Stanford and an M.Phil. from Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. She also received a D.Phil. (Ph.D) in International Relations from Oxford. She is married to Ian Cameron and has two children.

[Toucano]

14. I think you missed a few people.

Among them: Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy, Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, Labor Secretary Alexis M. Herman, Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary, Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jesse Brown and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Susan E. Rice. His only appointments for the position of Surgeon General have been African Americans (Jocelyn Elders and the current surgeon general, David Satcher).

These are all Clinton appointees.

[mouse7]

16. Fine. Which one considered a legitimate candidate for President?

None of them, huh?

Not one of theose positions is considered a position that "grooms" one for future leadership at the executive level.

DoD, State, and Treasury are still the only Cabinet Positions that are legitimate paths to the White House.

[Toucano]

21. What's your beef, again?

When was the last time a president came from ANY cabinet position? Is Madeline Albright running for the presidency? Or Warren Christoper?

You complaint was that HHS and Education were the only cabinet positions available to African American. You were just misinformed. No big whoop. I don't think a person can say that Dems aren't doing enough when they don't know what's been done, however.

CMB can bring her talents to a great variety of important roles in our new administration.

[mouse7]

23. When was the last time a Sec'y of State ran?

Dean Rusk didn't advance thanks to being associated with Nam and LBJ. Albright isn't eligible for the Presidency. Wasn't born in US. Neither was Kissinger (THANK GAWD!). Powell could have been a leading candidate before he ever became Sec'y of State. Warren Christopher and Cyrus Vance never seemed intersted in higher positions.

Haig ran. Yuck. He wasn't considered a "vanity" candidate when he ran, though.

I think it's safe to say that all the above individuals except maybe Vance would have been considered "legitimate"/qualified Presidential Candidates if they had been eligible and chosen to run.

[Toucano]

24. I still don't understand you.

I think it's safe to say that all the above individuals except maybe Vance would have been considered "legitimate"/qualified Presidential Candidates if they had been eligible and chosen to run.

Does this imply that CMB's campaign is not 'legitimate' or that she isn't 'qualified'?


The last Secretary of State to be elected president was James Buchanan, 1857-1861.

The last former Secretary of State to RUN for president was Al Haig, but Jesse Jackson's 1988 bid was more significant. Jackson had never served as Sec. of State.

Yet the office of Sec. of State is a "grooming" position for the presidency. Recent history would suggest we need to get some African American's in the Senate and Governor's seats. :)

[mouse7]

25. The corporate media never gave Jackson, CMB, Sharpton legitimacy

It doesn't matter what I think. It doesn't matter what any progressive thinks. The first African American to be given the blessings of the major media and establishment is going to have to be overqualified.

For the record, I was ready to work for Doug Wilder's campaign in 1992 (1st African American elected Gov. since reconstruction. Great orator. Fiscal conservative.) Got NO FINANCIAL backing whatsoever. It was very sad and frustrating. He pulled out before the primaries started.

[Toucano]

26. So is it fair to conclude

the following:

1. African American's have served in cabinet positions other than HHS and Education. More under Bill Clinton than any other president.

2. Though cabinet positions may represent a political dead-end for many people, regardless of race or gender, they all represent significant leadership positions replete with under secretaries and lots of staff who report to the secretary. All cabinet posts are valuable because they increase the visibility of that leadership role for minorities.

3. The state department, though prestigious, represents no magic road to the white house.

4. Carol is qualified for any number of positions in our government, including the presidency.

5. We need to keep African American candidates in the spotlight at each level of government.

I only differ with you slightly on one more point:
The first African American to be given the blessings of the major media and establishment is going to have to be overqualified.

I think the media blessing will first go to an African American who is a conservative (such as Condi or Colin) or from a law enforcement background, such as attorney general.

Thanks for the interesting dialogue! :)

[KoKo]

2. In a HeartBeat! A wonderful Diplomat. She makes me feel good just

to hear her explain issues in her "down to earth" homey manner, and yet she's quite sharp, doesn't miss a trick, and combines Hillary Clinton and Al Sharpton into one! (I know that sounds bizarre, but that lady is sharp as anything, and doesn't have Hillary's coldness (not trashing Hillary) but has lot's of Sharpton's insight and ability to make large, complicated issues seem "manageable."

[mopinko]

3. always loved carol

she was tarred by the "liberal" media, surprise surprise. i think she did a great job today. i think she would make a great sec of state, but would really like to see her a sec of education. but talk about a candidate that is unelectable because she is seen as unelectable. nobody even has to say it.

[TeacherCreature]

4. VP

I say we take on the lies and smears the repukes told about her. Put her her right on the ticket and make them try to smear a black woman with ten times the class as Bush or Cheney.

[jbfam4]

6. Think CMB

would make a great VP.....big improvement over Cheney, that's a given. Carol is one classy lady who tells the truth and is very bright. I really like her.

[Egnever]

13. Wouldnt that be something!

I dont know if america is really ready for it yet wich in and of itself makes me want to do it.

But my god talk about bringing warmth and true human compasion back into the white house.

Every time I see her speak my heart hurts knowing she has no shot of getting the nod. What a country she would try to make!

Carol is top notch in my mind and has as of today become my number two choice in this race.

[mandyky]

19. I think she would compliment Dean very well

being in the VP slot. They only differ on healthcare (she wants single payer) and she bring international experience from being an embassador.

[saltpoint]

18. If she is not our nominee for P or VP,

-- I think this summer in Boston CMB will step onto the stage to sustained and reverent applause. She would make a terrific Ambassador to the United Nations. And no matter which specific role she plays, we need someone with her smart and serene poise to mend the fences with our allies from damage done by Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, et al.