U.N. Ambassador Rice Criticized for the Wrong Reasons
By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III
NEWS ANALYSIS
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Senate Republicans led by John McCain, (R-AZ), Kelly Ayotte, (R-NH), and Lindsey Graham, (R-SC) continue to lead the attacks against the nomination of UN Ambassador Susan Rice even though the Obama administration has yet to nominate her.
They believe that she intentionally lied to the American people in her description of the September 11 attacks on the
The problems with their assertions are that to date they have not offered one piece of evidence to support their claims, only speculation. Senator Graham continues to say, “But I do not believe the video is the cause … I don't believe it was ever the reason for this.” Basing an argument on “I do not believe” is the same a saying “In my opinion…” Their positions should not be based upon what they believe; they should be based upon what they know and can present as evidence to the American people. As a former prosecutor, Senator Ayotte should know the value of evidence and how important it is when making a case.
Graham and others are being very disingenuous and intellectually dishonest as they continue to say that Rice was wrong because there was other information available at the time to contradict her Sunday morning “talking points”. First, there’s a big difference between “information” and “intelligence.” Second, there’s a difference between what Rice was “cleared” to say and what was still considered “secret” at the time she made her talk show rounds.
Graham and McCain are also incredibly hypocritical in attacking Ambassador Rice. Her misstatements about the
Graham and McCain did not say one word when President George W. Bush said on May 29, 2003, that weapons of mass destruction had been found. "We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological laboratories…For those who say we haven't found the banned manufacturing devices or banned weapons, they're wrong, we found them." Well President Bush, where are they? Also, lest we forget VP Cheney and the yellow cake uranium lie (just to name a few). UN Ambassador Rice misspoke about the deaths of 4 Americans; the lies of the Bush administration caused the death of more than 4400 American soldiers and countless Iraqi’s.
If Republicans are going to attack Ambassador Rice, attack her on substantive policy issues not contrived personal affronts such as McCain saying she’s not “very bright.” Attack her on supporting the assassination of Gaddafi. Attack her on her unyielding support of
To those who will try to defend Rice by saying, “she is merely doing her job as UN Ambassador. Articulating the policy of the Obama administration is what she’s supposed to do,” read her writings before she joined the administration.
Many believe that the Republican attacks on Ambassador Rice are racially motivated. They are. It’s not that she’s an African American; McCain, Graham, et al would have attacked Secretary of State Clinton if she had made the assertions Rice made (why was Rice running point on this and not Clinton?). It’s that their boss is an African American that fuels their ire and distain.
If you are going to criticize UN Ambassador Rice, there’s plenty of policy; no need to get personal.
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