Condi's Confirmed and the Senators Place Their Bets

Posted on January 26, 2005

Bruised but not battered by the fractious confirmation process, Condoleeza Rice was confirmed by the Senate as the next Secretary of State. The vote was 85-13. It was the first time that a Secretary of State was not unanimously confirmed since 1981. There was nine hours of debate on the Senate floor yesterday, in which a number of Democrats blasted Rice for her handling of the Iraq war and her cavalier attitude towards the truth. What's most interesting about the Rice debate is what it reveals about the 2008 presidential election. Senators are placing their bets now about how President Bush's Iraq policies will be viewed by history and the voting population.

Will the American public be sick of Iraq and angry about the troop casualties in four years? Or will Bush go down in history as a liberator of Iraq? Or as someone who meant well and just made some mistakes? Barack Obama (D-Illinois) voted yes on Rice. Senator Finestein (D-California) voted yes and gave Rice a glowing recommendation in front of the Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas) said during the floor debate that we shouldn't hold Rice accountable for things that aren't her fault. But Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) had a different take. She flat out says that Rice is a liar and should not be confirmed.

Senator Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) said Rice "has been a principal architect of policy errors that have tragically undermined our prospects for success" in Iraq. "The list of errors is lengthy and profound, and unfortunately many could have been avoided if Dr. Rice and others had only listened to the counsel" of lawmakers from both parties, Bayh said. "This is no ordinary incompetence. Men and women are dying as a result of these mistakes."

Freshman Colorado Senator Ken Salazar tried to split the baby. He talked about Rice's accomplishments but then said he was concerned "about what can only be called a lack of candor" that contributed to "the massive intelligence failures that preceded" the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Although Rice was assured of confirmation, she got the most "no" votes since World War II. Seven senators voted against Henry Kissinger and six each against Dean Acheson and Alexander Haig. So, how did the two New York Senators vote? Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer voted "yes."