E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSNational Journal notes: “U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice has failed to ease the concerns of Senate Republicans she met with this week, which could hinder a potential nomination as Secretary of State.”
Yesterday, it was Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Bob Corker (R-TN), who appeared no less critical after meeting with Rice.
National Journal has a graphic explaining the moving parts in Obama’s national security team.
Politico contends: “In just two quick meetings on Capitol Hill, Susan Rice may have blown up any goodwill she had with the very senators she’ll need for confirmation if she’s ever tapped as the next secretary of state. … It’s not clear what Rice said behind closed doors to anger all these senators, but it’s obvious the meetings went badly and this was hardly a nominee-in-waiting charm offensive. … [O]ne GOP senator told Politico Wednesday that McCain, Graham and Ayotte were so incensed after their powwow with Rice because they felt she was not being straight or candid with them about Benghazi.”
But, not so fast, The Hill writes: “Susan Rice’s bridge-building visit to Capitol Hill this week left Republicans divided on her possible nomination as secretary of State. While some Republicans appear outright opposed to Rice replacing Hillary Clinton, there are enough GOP senators who are open to voting for her. Should President Obama nominate her, Rice would need only a handful of GOP votes to overcome a filibuster if all Democrats back her… Privately, some Republicans say they'd prefer to avoid a bitter political fight over Rice, an African-American woman who is viewed as qualified and competent.”
For one, Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) on CNN called Rice a “very smart, very intelligent woman” who's been “upfront,” adding that “you don't want to shoot the messenger.”
More: “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has not made Rice a top priority. That is an early signal that the GOP conference will not go to the mat to thwart a Rice nomination.”
Similarly, McConnell’s office did not express the outrage at a potential Rice nomination in the same way McCain, Graham, and Ayotte have, and it deferred when asked by First Read if the minority leader would go along with a filibuster if Rice is nominated.
McConnell “typically doesn’t take positions on the nominations of people who haven’t even been nominated—or had their hearings, etc.,” McConnell spokesman Don Stewart told First Read.
Leave a Comment:
Have Republicans come up with a legitimate complaint about the administration in, oh, forever? Fast and Furious? Nothing. Solyndra? Nothing. Union favoritism? Nothing. Now, we see a doddering old fool - John McCain - followed by a pack of idiots trying desperately to make something from nothing. Always. Nothing.
Susan Rice did not tell the truth ....many times. We know Dems are not concerned with that, many American citizens ARE concerned. The REASONS for her fairy tales remain to be seen and she seems to be in no hurry to reveal them.
It could be that the GOP is tired of losing, repeatedly, and being blamed for everything bad that happens in the country.
Word is out that many in the Party are willing to shed the ultra-conservative "base", which makes up just 30% of the party, in favor of having a moderate group that can win national elections.
Part of that may very well be tossing the old guard (old fools ?) under the bus in favor of actually starting to govern.
Many of these Senators will be up for election in two years and they won't win if the only thing on their resume for six years is the ability to say NO.
Isn't it amazing how the fools on the right never learn. Your hate, lies and conspiracies were rejected at the polls move on. Nobody but the wackos of your party are listening to you anymore.
You should be ashamed. Do you know what John McCain has suffered for this country? Can you compete with him in personal sacrifice for America? How many years were locked in a prison camp? How many times have you been beaten unconciouss by enemies? How many times have you had your arms broken by captors?
And the examples of bad politics that you appear to appluad are an indication of your partisan ignorance. Holder held in contempt of Congress - not Republicans, Congress. You don't mind $500,000,000 pissed away on Solyndra? Did the US get anything from that deal? And union favors - didn't listen to Joe Biden talk to unions about the "contract" between Dems and unions, huh? Remember that the deal with GM gave 100% funding to the union retirement funds, and took 80% away from the salaried workers retirement funds?
I understand the futility of my response to you, as I have learned over the years it is impossible to have intelligent discousre with those not equipped.
@ David.....what is your definition of "legitimate complaint"? Millions were wasted on Solyndra........liberal media turned a "blind eye"and refused to investigate and Republicans refused to stand up to media criticism , millions of Stimulus(taxpayer money) given to bail out GM Union pensions(and GM is still teetering on bankruptcy), again story buried by liberal media.
And "fast and furious" , Holder and Obama thumbed their noses at Congress and its investigation, truckling out documents, most blackened out, and again the WILLING liberal media refused to report.
And now we have 4 Americans killed, and despite the FACT that there was a drone, sending back real time video of the TERRORIST attack on our Embassy in Libya.
The liberal media and the White House, STALLED, COVERED UP, DRUG ITS FEET, until AFTER the election to explain why they ADVANCED a LIE that it was demonstrators not al Qaeda responsible for the attack.
WHY the LIE, because Obama and Democrats were spiking the ball about Bin Ladens death, claiming Obamas foreign policy had al Qaeda on the ropes, when in reality Libya, with Obama at the helm, had become an al Qaeda STRONGHOLD.
And so the liberal media goes on FULL SPIN MODE, and now is advancing Democrat claims, it was a simple case of mis-information(but refuses to report that there was real time drone video that PROVES it was al Qaeda fighters within minutes of the attack).
Or it is a simple case of and old Republican White men, picking on a poor defenseless black woman(not defenseless, is suppose to be a Rhodes Scholar, capable of understanding that she was advancing a LIE, when she went on several interviews claiming it was a "spontaneous demonstration".
But (again those pesky real time drone video's sent to the WH "situation room"), again liberal media refusing to inform the American public of the truth about the drone video feed.
And last but not least, the now TEMPLATE this is an attempt to get Kerry to give up his seat in the Senate and sneak a Republican in there, though the reality it would do nothing as far as majority goes.
No what this is about is just like during the election, Democrats through out all these baseless claims, diverting attention away from Obama, Rice, and Hillary lying, stalling, and mis-informing to win an election.
And liberal medias willing complacency to go along with the conspiracy to ADVANCE liberal agenda, and keep INCOMPETENCE in control of the White House.
And SPINELESS Republicans(yes Romney TOO) to stand up and play hard ball with these crooks and liars.
Jamie and mruserhead,
What you have posted here is, well, all over the barnyard.
Yes Alder...... I know, as a liberal you chose to see only the narrow optics of the reality "chosen" for you by Obama, and his willing liberal media propagandists.
How sad and pathetic of a life you have chosen for yourself, lived through "rose colored glasses" of the never to be realized dream, and unsustainable lie of liberal utopia.
Nothing I posted was B/S as you want to believe.....but I know you don't care.
There WAS a drone flying over the Embassy sending back real time video of the attack on Benghazi.
Spontaneous demonstrators do not carry AK 47's and RPG's.
Everyone in the Obama Administration KNEW within minutes of the attack these were al Qaeda fighters.
But for you on the left you chose to deny the fact that, you too were lied too.
But partisanship is far more important to you than patriotism, and as long as a Democrat remains in power, despite the fact it was based on a LIE, you are satisfied and willing to close your eyes to the TRUTH.
Again how pathetic, and how Democrat of you. When facts get in the way...spin them to fit the optics chosen by your leaders......spin and deny....its not facts its....racism or whatever newest template being advanced by liberalism.
At all cost, .........even at the cost of living a lie....liberalism must remain.....constant.
Mruseurhead
You are absolutely sure about a lot of things that the intelligence community is not sure of. Why don't you go over there to Langley and tell the CIA what the facts are, and while you are there; ask them why they edited the talking points to help the president cover up the facts. I'm sure they would be interested in what you have to say before they toss you out on your partisan butt.
BTW This "liberal media" fantasy is getting old.
SINGLEUP.......NO NEED TO GO TO LANGLY ( a drone was beaming back real time video back to the "situation room" AT THE WHITE HOUSE, so lets ask Obama these questions OKAY? )...
The only "fantasy" is your "liberal interpretations" of known facts and your pathetic partisanship to close your eyes to the evidence of a "calculated" cover-up.
All in an attempt to miss-inform voters of the impending danger of al Qaeda's take over of Libya.
How could the facts, when a drone was beaming back, live video feed, possibly be "misinterpreted" by anyone?
And why then after knowing these facts did Rice go on to at least 5 interviews, saying this was a "spontaneous demonstration"?
Why then did Obama, who also knew about the "drone video" go before World leaders at the UN and apologise for "the video"?
Why then when the Ambassadors body and the others killed were returned, why then did Obama and Hillary, say to the GRIEVING families that an investigation to find out who was responsible for "the video", which was responsible for this attack be brought to justice?
So tell me then how is it FANTASY, since the attack was being watched in real time(beamede back to the "situation room" at the White House, why then was there confusion that would caused anyone to think this was a "spontaneous demonstration" OVER A VIDEO, gone amok?
Demonstrators do not carry AK47's and RPG's........... So why then claim, CIA miss-information and confusion?
Mruseurhead
You saw this video in it's entirety, did an analysis of it and came to your conclusions?
You really are not interested about the reason for this security failure, or about the people who died. all you are concerned about is catching the president in a cover up. How do you know it was Al Qaeda? the CIA is not as sure as you are. You really think the president would try to hide this after he came out on day one and said it was an act of terror. Doesn't make any sense to a rational person.
Like I said before, you have expertise in this area and are more proficient than the analyst at the CIA because they only suspected, and were not absolutely certain about who was involved.
Rice was only regurgitating what was given to her after being reviewed edited and declassified by the intelligence community. She didn't see any video. If you can't have faith in the well established intuitions of the government, then we are in real trouble. THIS IS A RED HERRING.
You have a very distorted view of what an apology is. I would call it more of an explanation of what he thought of the video.
On day one Obama said that he would do what ever it took to find the people who were involved in the attack. He didn't even mention that video. Can't explain why they would mention the video at the ceremony.
Now you are a mind reader. How do you know that the perpetrators didn't see the unrest in other places as an opportunity to organize the attack under the guise of a demonstration.
Like I said before; ask Langley why they edited the original findings before declassification.
On top of all of that, the three stooges are not interested in finding out what happened, They are like you, only trying to get the president or bring him down a few notches.
single up, you are so wrong in so many ways it is impossible to point it out. And your partisan unwillingness to actually attempt to distort the obvious, pathetic.
As long as the facts, exonerate Obama, Rice, and Hillary whether it is necessary to twist and distort the obvious, to you redemption of the current Administrations handling of this, is all that matters to you leftists.
But facts are facts and truth remains. You are not above claiming that even now(the ATTACK occurred on 9/11), the most powerful Nation on Earth, was then and is STILL confused, about who was responsible? REALLY?
Family members of those killed have given interviews and said that Obama and Hillary(before the photo-op of Obama eulogizing on the tarmac when the caskets arrived).......
both came up to them claiming that they were told by both an investigation into who was responsible...for the video was under way, for the VIDEO...not al Qaeda.
And last but not least is one undeniable FACT....your PATHETIC LIE that this was a failure by the CIA to properly EDIT , and was a simple MISS-COMMUNICATION...........
ONE LAST TIME OKAY....and then I will discontinue to try to explain the OBVIOUS.........there was a DRONE.....flying over the consulate......beaming REAL TIME video......back to the "situation room" at the WHITE HOUSE.....during the attack ON 9/11.
YOU KNOW the "situation room" that all of AMERICA has seen the FAMOUS picture of............Obama (dressed in a flight jacket to cover up his golf clothes, as they had to drag him off the golf course minutes before they took the picture).......
............ watching REAL TIME VIDEO of the RAID on Bin Ladens compound?
It was not necessary to have a CIA agent EDITING what Obama was watching and having to INTERPRET and EXPLAIN to Obama what was transpiring.
SO WHY THEN WAS IT NECESSARY or POSSIBLE for ANYONE including Obama to MISS-INTERPRET BENGHAZI??????????