After Drudge reported that Mitt Romney’s VP short list included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, it didn’t take long for the conservative blogosphere to react.
The anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony’s List, which helps pro-life women get elected to Congress, came out with strong objections to Rice’s possible spot on the GOP ticket:
Reacting to the eruption of Condi-for-veep speculation, SBA List president Marjorie Dannenfelser pointed out that Romney has pledged to choose an opponent of abortion as his vice president.
“Former Secretary Rice’s position on the sanctity of human life makes her an unqualified candidate for Governor Romney to choose as a running mate. Throughout the campaign, including at the Palmetto Freedom Forum last September, he has pledged to us in no uncertain terms that he would choose a pro-life running mate,” Dannenfelser said. “We have taken Governor Romney at his word and therefore believe Secretary Rice will be ruled out of consideration. Secretary Rice’s position violates criteria that Governor Romney himself has laid out.”
As Eddie noted below, Red State’s Erick Erickson wasn’t thrilled with the possibility either, and Hot Air’s Allahpundit shares Erickson’s concerns about employing anyone related to George W. Bush: “As I’ve said before, Jeb Bush can’t run for president because he’s related to Dubya but Dubya’s handpicked NSA-turned-Secretary-of-State is A-OK as number two?,” Allah wrote. “Why not double down and promise that Hank Paulson will be back at Treasury if Mitt wins?”
Bush and abortion aside, libertarians also howled about Rice’s performance as Secretary of State, noting that the legacy of Bush’s foreign policy leaves much to be desired and hardly lends foreign policy credentials . Writing for the American Conservative, Daniel Larison argued earlier this week that Rice would be a “uniquely poor choice for VP”:
Rice did a lousy job as National Security Adviser and Secretary of State, and she has the unusual distinction of being distrusted and disliked by many neoconservatives, most realists, and all non-interventionists in almost equal measure. She is closely associated with an administration that was widely regarded as incompetent in the conduct of foreign policy, and she helped to craft one of the least successful foreign policy records of any postwar administration. Those are her qualifications in the area in which she is considered an expert. On everything else, her policy views are either out of step with the majority of her party or unknown, and she has never run for office at any level. Romney certainly needs someone to make up for his lack of foreign policy experience and knowledge, but Rice would be one of the worst conceivable people to have in that role.
What do you think? Over on the front side of things, Billy is looking to get your thoughts on Rice’s stance on abortion — click here to take the poll. Share your other thoughts with us by leaving a comment!






















































































































mruspm
Jul. 15, 2012 at 1:42pmThe bottom line is not all these accusations, it is that given the demographics of Obama’s 2008 win, we can’t run two white middle-aged men, it will play into those who throw the race card out there. I like Ms. Rice but would think Allen West is an equal for this VP slot. Remember Hillary is in the corner in 2012, waiting for 2016 (I mean Hillary and BILL). As for the Abortion issue, it’s been 39 years and just polarized making money for both sides. Ms.Rice atleast broadcasts she has Pro-Life sentiments for parental notification etc….. why is it that we’ve been ‘fighting abortion’ for 40 yrs and we can’t even agree that my daughter who requires my signature for med/dental/vision coverage and attention, should have my signature as well to put a vacuum up in her most personal area and take my grandchild???????? MONEY, follow it….. The best the pro-life movement, which I am aligned with, can do is fund advertisements showing ultrasounds and operations on the unborn….. but they have to cover the expenses of their organization outposts, and 501c3 salaries… I was there, I know.
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Xcusemybut
Jul. 14, 2012 at 5:29pmExcuse my but, but I gotta go with Rummy on this one:
“She’d been an academic. And you know, a lot of academics like to have meetings, and they like to bridge differences and get people to be all happy.”
Okay everybody, group hug. Come on now. Okay, are we happy now?
NO!
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SocialistSlayer
Jul. 14, 2012 at 3:22pmRice Rice is a smart and nice lady I’m sure – but no personality what so ever. Don’t see her as a VP. Have some balls Romney and pick Allen West!
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blackyb
Jul. 14, 2012 at 2:13pmMrs. Rice clearly does not want to do this. God even loves a willing heart. It is not wise to choose someone who clearly wants to leave politics alone to this extent. Rick Santorum, West or Marco Rubio would be best. I think Rubio would be a good bet to help with the Latino vote. I believe Romney will go with someone he thinks will not outshine him, ( he is so vanilla that would not take much.) He needs a balance. Rubio has plenty enough experience for what he needs. I just do not want a couple of guys in the White House who seem like they are so (bland?.) We need some panache at the very least.
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jcizarter
Jul. 14, 2012 at 12:57pmShe is a traitor. And she is not as smart as the sheeple think. She repeatedly pressured Israel to release Marwan Barghouti, the mastermind of several Palestinian terrorist homicide bombings. These bombings killed Jews. After Blackwater contractors were burnt to a crisp and hung to the cheers by Iraqi Muslims in Fallujah, Condi forced Blackwater to institute a “cultural awareness and sensitivity training” course on Islam. That’s not to mention the award Condi Clueless gave to Hezbollah official Nibal Thawabteh. There is much more. She is pro gay marriage and affirmative action. There is nothing conservative about this woman. Condi repeatedly denounced the right of Jews to live where they want in Israel. She repeatedly called for the dismantling of settlements, demanding that Jews living in Jerusalem (for thousands of years) and its suburbs leave. Would whe do the same here? Would she demand that US citizens leave Washington, DC and turn it over to the muslims? Condi got her jobs as National Security Advisor under Bush daddy and Bush son and Secretary of State not because she was qualified. In fact, her expertise–her only expertise–was as an expert on the Soviet Union, which fell ages ago. She had zero knowledge or experience on the Mid-East. Yet, she was picked over many more qualified White men who had lifetimes more experience on the world’s hotspots–primarily the Mid-East and Africa. What has she done that is conservative?
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billrow
Jul. 14, 2012 at 11:05amCondoleeza is not a conservative by a long shot. She is a RINO, she believes in big government and she voted for Obama because he was black and it was historic.
Condoleeza is an opprotunist and not good for the Republican ticket.
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Chickiedumplin
Jul. 14, 2012 at 6:30amCONDI is a wonderful woman and has served us well under GW BUT, WE NEED A TEA PARTY TYPE CANDIDATE To solidify the party. I think many, HOPEFULLY, will vote for Romney just to get rid of the BAD case of BO that the US has, but a tea party candidate will hit the grand salamie!!!
PS, It is going to take more than one Presidential cycle etc. to CURE what ails this country and get rid of Big Government….
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lylejk
Jul. 14, 2012 at 12:18amCondi is smart but Romney made a promise to have a pro-life candidate for VP so we shall see if he keeps his word or not. Not that it matters this time since my sole job is to make sure we rid ourselves of a dictator but should Romney win and have a pro-choice lite VP, I will be voting a 3rd party candidate the next time (might do so anyway; both Dems and Repubs are full of traitors and it’s time to have a viable third party period). :)
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Timothy Bladel
Jul. 13, 2012 at 11:57pmI am conservative, and I really like Rice. She is smart, and they cannot Sarah Palin her. Conservatives need to remember that in the general election, the far right and the far left candidates will always lose. Reagan is often brought up as proof this is not true, but Reagan did not run as a far right candidate, nor did he govern as one. Time and time again, Obama has tried to sound like he is in the center of American Politics, or sometimes to the right of center. They are smart to not run as themselves, and conservatives would be smart to realize that they cannot have everything their way. If we want to win, Rice as VP would be a very wise choice. Conservatives should not box Romney into a corner, they only help Obama by doing that. It is hard to cope with the idea that it takes a Mitt Romney type candidate to win in the gen, but this is true, and this is what the voters gave us.
I think Rice would drive the media and liberal bonkers, because they will have to stop talking like the Republicans are against black people and women. She is smart, well respected, and as for the Bush foreign policy, lets remember that both Cheney and Rummy have been attacking he for not following along with their grand scheme of things. Huckabee thinks it would be a bad pick, but he is on the side line, and if he would not help a Romney/Rice ticket, then he is helping Obama.
Conservatives, I want Obama gone, so do not force Romney to blow this. He has to defend free markets.
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TheodoreRoosevelt
Jul. 14, 2012 at 11:05pmlol you think the people who comment on here respond to reasonable arguments.
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sagacious712012
Jul. 13, 2012 at 4:11pmI am a believer in Ronald Reagan’s 11 Amendment, “Thou shall not speak ill of another Republican.” So, to my fellow conservatives who are now bashing Condi Rice as a possible VP choice, I say this, be a part of the solution instead of being part of the problem. If not, then follow Reagan’s sage words! I’m a conservative and I will be voting for Romney.
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BenzinVasser
Jul. 13, 2012 at 4:36pmSir/Madam, It is strongly implied and she does not negate the fact the she voted for Obama. Why would we want to have anything to do with a traitor.
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lylejk
Jul. 14, 2012 at 12:21amForgot about that one Ben; thanks for reminding my. Definitely she should never even been considered for the VP; once a traitor to the party, always a traitor. I mean, if you know she voted for BO and you choose her as a VP candidate, how stupid is that? :)
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