Condi Rice Impugns Her Own Integrity

January 18, 2005

A Congressional confirmation hearing was started today for Condi Rice who is being considered for Secretary of State. Committee members are asking her about her positions on various issues worldwide.

Her responses have been okay, somewhat defensive, but not detailed and show she does not have the broad background Bush says she has; it also shows she is ignorant of many issues brought up so far.

The questioning turned tough when Barbara Boxer, Senator from California started by repeating the words Condi Rice used in the past to help make a case for the Iraq War. Boxer said is seemed Rice changed her story depending on political circumstances. The result was that her own words show she was and is inconsistent and prove she lied about the justifications for the military action in Iraq.

In response Rice refused to acknowledge inconsistencies and tried to deflect focus on her past statements/lies by saying Saddam's regime was a good thing to over throw. Of course she was right about that, but the reasons she gave to help start the Iraq war were not addressed by her. Obviously, she doesn't want to admit she lied, who would?

Boxer kept pressing. Repeating Rice's own words against her.

Rice then angrily asked Boxer to refrain from "impugning her integrity". There was no need for Boxer to respond. It was clear Rice's own words in the past and today impugns her integrity. When she speaks you never know whether she is lying.

Boxer got her point across and Rice knew it.

This does not speak well for Rice's character nor her effectiveness as a Secretary of State.