New at Reason

There's a burgeoning movement to draft Condoleeza Rice to run for president; Jeff Taylor would like to see her get the hang of this whole "Secretary of State" gig first.

Comments

theCoach | February 16, 2006, 9:42am | #

As a Democrat, I would like to see that as well. From a strictly strategy perspective, the Republican party has substantial constituencies that would have trouble with:

Ambiguous religiosly
Unmarried (ambiguous dating circumstances)
African American
Woman

The last two might garner some support from the other side, but it is hard to imagine it being more than she would lose. In an era where elections are won or lost by a single close state, she does no have a chance.

Jason Ligon | February 16, 2006, 9:46am | #

As always, how attractive she is as a candidate must be viewed the the context of her opposition. I'd vote for her over Kerry or Clinton but probably not over Bayh. Against Edwards I'm not sure at all who would be more appealing, and I use that term loosely.

SR | February 16, 2006, 9:51am | #

While I understand the logic that Rice might be able to win the general election, I've never seen anyone explain how in the hell she would make it through the Republican primaries: a never-married, middle-aged woman who is reportedly pro-choice and pro-gay rights (and has never taken a position against gun control that I'm aware of) does not seem likely to make it through Super Tuesday.

quasibill | February 16, 2006, 9:56am | #

It seems to me the non-married thing is a deal breaker. Name the last President who wasn't married?

I think you can break one barrier, but trying to break two or three in one fell swoop is probably too much.

That said, I don't see how she'd be any worse than anyone else that is likely to get elected. Which I guess means anything can happen.

James Feldman | February 16, 2006, 10:09am | #

Jason: I think most people here would happily vote for you over Clinton or Kerry.

SR | February 16, 2006, 10:37am | #

"Name the last President who wasn't married?"

Grover Cleveland, when he was elected to his first term in 1884. He got married after he was in office, however. James Buchanan, elected 1856, is the only president to remain unmarried for his entire time in office.

c | February 16, 2006, 10:39am | #

I really don't see the female or african-american thing being a turnoff for (a vast majority of) republicans. Frankly, I think they are both big pluses. Imagine the how much Republicans would relish gloating about how it was they, and not the Democrats, who got the first woman AND african american elected president! And I don't even want to speculate what would happen if she turns out to be a lesbian.

Colin | February 16, 2006, 10:42am | #

I don't think being unmarried is the same kind of obstacle for a woman as it would be for a man. As unfair as it may be, I think a large portion of the US thinks a man should have both a career and a family, a woman should have either a career or a family. (By the same token, Hillary's independence of Bill is a necessary precondition for her to be taken seriously as a candidate.)

----
I also don't think Condi's african ancestry will be an issue either. My gut feeling on this one is that any concerns over race have nothing to do with "skin color"; rather they are converns over culture... whether someone shares the certain values. In her case, I don't think there is any concern that they don't represent very mainstream, traditional anglo-american values.

citizengnat | February 16, 2006, 10:43am | #

I don't care if he/she is married but I want to be assured that my president is getting laid. Horny people + nuclear weapons = scary.

SR | February 16, 2006, 10:45am | #

"I don't care if he/she is married but I want to be assured that my president is getting laid."

So that explains why Bill Clinton's presidency was a time of relative peace and prosperity?

keith | February 16, 2006, 11:01am | #

My mother, a generally apolitical, not-quite-a-soccer-mom Democrat, surprised me a few weeks ago by proactively saying she hoped Dr. Rice would run for president, and that she'd vote for her if she did. It leads me to believe that there is a latent river of boomer women across party boundaries who are ready to step up and vote Rice if she made it to the general election.

Ed | February 16, 2006, 11:08am | #

Last time I heard, she wanted to be NFL commissioner.

But the "doomsday" scenario of Hillary vs Condi sure would be interesting. It would obviously guarantee our first woman president, and for good measure place the NAACP and other tribalist organizations in a real pickle.

I for one welcome our new menopausal overlords.

thoreau | February 16, 2006, 11:14am | #

I would take Rice over Hillary for the simple reason that I'd take almost anybody over a Presidential relative. Sorry, but this isn't Saudi Arabia or North Korea.

Yogi | February 16, 2006, 11:25am | #

Anybody think that the Republican senators attacking her might have more to do with Presidential politics than actual concerns over the handling of her job? Maybe some in the party want to quash some of her popularity to ensure a grassroots effort to get her to run doesn't take off. Just a thought, absolutely no evidence do I have.

amazingdrx | February 16, 2006, 11:35am | #

Come on you skeptics! Condi had an exxon oil tanker named after her, that's good enough for america!!

When the oily multinational fundamentalist empire gives you that kind of endorsement, the oil (and blood)will surely flow easier with condi in charge.

Who all wants to invade, occupy, and mation build Iran and Syria? Certainly the majority of faithbased patriotic gawwwd fearing americans!!

President Condi is a sure thing. The good folks at Diebold surely agree, and that is good enough for all of US, like it or not.

happyjuggler0 | February 16, 2006, 11:38am | #

I fearlessly predict a man will be the next president of the US. Although it may be a girlie man.

I also fearlessly predict that if both the Republicans and the Democrats somehow manage to nominate a woman then the Libertarian party will gain more votes than it has in its history by old people who don't really think a woman has what it takes.

Rice won't run for president. She is too smart to do something so stupid.

Jeff | February 16, 2006, 11:39am | #

Apart from the pros and cons of her various identity issues-- ambiguous sexuality, black, female, etc.-- am I the only one who thinks she is not that great at her job, or good on TV? She has never seemed that quick on her feet-- seems like she would get killed in a political campaign. Of course, Bush got elected, so who knows.

E. Steven | February 16, 2006, 11:42am | #

Everybody's crazy for those kinky boots, kinky boots,(Boop boop)Kinky boots,
And whether you're in evening dress or bathing suits,
You wear boots, boots, kinky boots.

Ed | February 16, 2006, 11:44am | #

Yes, Bush got elected. The bar is way low now.

arthur | February 16, 2006, 11:54am | #

If Rice gets the promotion, I hope a white man will be considered for the position of Secertary of State. There hasn't been a white man in that job for a decade, and speaking as a white man, I find the absence of role models at Secretary of State disheartening.

wellfellow | February 16, 2006, 12:01pm | #

Ed,

"place the NAACP and other tribalist organizations in a real pickle."

No, it really wouldn't.

linguist | February 16, 2006, 12:03pm | #

When the oily multinational fundamentalist empire gives you that kind of endorsement, the oil (and blood)will surely flow easier with condi in charge.

Wow, dude. Just wow.

Can I ask you a question, seriously? Do you ever feel like there's a tightness around your head, almost like a rubber band?

Don Mynack | February 16, 2006, 12:04pm | #

In the fast food drive-thru the other day, I noticed the security glass cage thingie the order taker dude stood in was built by Diebold. How this can effect the outcome of a presidential election, I have no idea.

Yogi | February 16, 2006, 12:16pm | #

In the fast food drive-thru the other day, I noticed the security glass cage thingie the order taker dude stood in was built by Diebold. How this can effect the outcome of a presidential election, I have no idea.

Makes perfect sense. Protesters in foreign countries torching American fast food restaurants. -> They break whatever it is Diebold makes for them -> Restaurants buy more Deibold products to replace the ones the rioters broke. -> Diebold lobbies and supports presidential candidates that will turn the 'Middle East' into 'United States East'. -> Those actions cause protesters to riot further -> etc., etc.

It's all a big money making scheme and KFC is at the heart of it.

kmw | February 16, 2006, 12:23pm | #

I would think that Colin Powell would be more likely the GOP primary winner than Rice.

Whatever traits Bush may be lacking, he has the folksy charm act down pretty good. Condi... not so much.

Rich Ard | February 16, 2006, 12:23pm | #

Comment by: amazingdrx at February 16, 2006 11:35 AM

Are you hilarious in person, too?

johnl | February 16, 2006, 12:42pm | #

I think she should have gotten that National Security thing down before getting the job at State.

ed | February 16, 2006, 12:43pm | #

Wellfellow,

Yes, it really would. Wife of the "first black president" vs an actual black person. The mind boggles. Who will the witch doctor endorse?

wellfellow | February 16, 2006, 12:46pm | #

Ed,

Oh, it would be entertaining, but the tribalist groups would just say that Rice isn't 'really' black and shun her. Party lines run deeper than blood lines. Not that either is OK, it just is.

Barbar | February 16, 2006, 1:24pm | #

Imagine the how much Republicans would relish gloating about how it was they, and not the Democrats, who got the first woman AND african american elected president!

But that's exactly the reason she's even suggested as a Presidential candidate! Are there any other reasons? Seriously.

Pro Libertate | February 16, 2006, 5:24pm | #

Will Condi appoint fellow Alabamian, Janice Rogers Brown, to the Supreme Court? If so, she's got my vote. Fits my politics and my native Alabamianism.

Thomas Paine's Goiter | February 16, 2006, 6:37pm | #

"Name the last President who wasn't married?"

Andrew Shepherd

Syd | February 16, 2006, 6:46pm | #

Cleveland was the last president to be unmarried when he assumed the office. Wilson's first wife died while he was in office, and he remarried before the 1916 election.

thoreau | February 16, 2006, 6:53pm | #

David Palmer was divorced. He dated his doctor.

Kahn | February 17, 2006, 3:46am | #

While I understand the logic that Rice might be able to win the general election, I've never seen anyone explain how in the hell she would make it through the Republican primaries

Funny isn't it, whether you can win and whether you can get the nomination are two different things. "Most likely to win" is not the top criterion of either party at this point, I swear.

Don't worry about gun control and sex. She's a professional politician even now. She'll become whatever she has to become, at least long enough to get the job. Later we'll learn the truth.

Condi being married could actually be a negative. What would we get, "the First Man"? Who besides Bill Clinton is going to volunteer for that role? Who else could be in that role?

But I think she won't get it because she isn't fascist enough to ride the current Republican wave. That's why they'll kill her in the primaries, if she gets that far.

Too bad. Billary could get the nomination. It'd at least be interesting to see a Rice-Clinton show down. "Interesting" is a lot more than we've gotten out of presidential elections in a very long time.

It'd also be interesting to see a presidential date taking the headlines....

Kahn | February 17, 2006, 3:48am | #

btw, can anybody see George Bush "getting the hang of this secretary of state thing?"

Now PLEASE stop laughing.