Dana Milbank jumping on the bash Rice bandwagon: "Susan Rice’s tarnished resume"

[SleeplessinSoCal]

"Obama’s over-the-top defense of Rice was surprising, particularly in contrast to the president’s relative indifference in accepting the resignation of CIA chief David Petraeus, one of the most capable public servants. And it was disappointing, because McCain, even if wrong on the particulars, is right about Rice. She is ill-equipped to be the nation’s top diplomat for reasons that have little to do with Libya.

Even in a town that rewards sharp elbows and brusque personalities, Rice has managed to make an impressive array of enemies — on Capitol Hill, in Foggy Bottom and abroad. Particularly in comparison with the other person often mentioned for the job, Sen. John Kerry, she can be a most undiplomatic diplomat, and there likely aren’t enough Republican or Democratic votes in the Senate to confirm her."

more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-susan-rices-tarnished-resume/2012/11/16/55ec3382-3012-11e2-a30e-5ca76eeec857_story.html?hpid=z2

[grasswire]

1. spank him!

If you tweet, you can do it easily.

[BlueMTexpat]

2. Putz Milbank! eom

[godai]

3. Not to mention...

"Back when she was an assistant secretary of state during the Clinton administration, she appalled colleagues by flipping her middle finger at Richard Holbrooke during a meeting with senior staff at the State Department, according to witnesses. Colleagues talk of shouting matches and insults."

[Vinnie From Indy]

4. These GOP idiots could not be more transparent

Firstly, they truly want Sen. Kerry out of the way in the hope that Scott Brown will replace him. Secondly, this is just the first shot in the ongoing battle after the election by the GOP to be obstructionists douchebags. Milbank is merely a high paid waterboy for the 1 %'ers.

[Enrique]

5. everything he writes about her sounds good to me

Rice condemned Clinton’s Iraq and Iran positions, asking for an “explanation of how and why she got those critical judgments wrong.”

And this is bad why? Same with her pissing off Russia. Wouldn't this look good to the Senators that think we're still at war with Russia?

Anyway, Milbank's reporting makes her sound like a good choice. It also makes it clear that she can take care of herself, and so the one thing I agree with Milbank on is that Obama's defense of her was "over the top".

[spanone]

6. yes, dana, it seems petraeus 'served' the public very well indeed.

fuckwad

[notadmblnd]

7. What are they afraid of?

[Mass]

8. OMG, Dana Milbank is a moron. What's new?

It is fun to see these guys praise Kerry, because they have been Kerry bashers in the past.

BTW, whoever thinks Brown would win is badly misinformed, so that would make them wrong twice.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

9. Milbank seems to say one thing on camera and write something else in print

I recall that he jumped the MSNBC ship in 08. Then when Olbermann was gone, he came back.

It's this that sounds an alarm:

"Back when she was an assistant secretary of state during the Clinton administration, she appalled colleagues by flipping her middle finger at Richard Holbrooke during a meeting with senior staff at the State Department, according to witnesses. Colleagues talk of shouting matches and insults."

Who knows where this power struggle is coming from, but it's there.

[karynnj]

10. this is not the same as what McCain et al are doing

I usually dislike his columns, but he is speaking of far more than the Sunday morning press conference. The question is - is this an accurate - if negative - assessment. I would assume that these are cherry picked, but they are troubling.

[Mass]

12. I dont like Milbank as well, but I have read these same complaints

in articles before McCain and Graham started their circus about filibustering her. I have no clue whether they are true or not (some men have a hard time dealing with women of power), but you' re right that this is not necessarily linked with the twin brothers' circus.

[Thrill]

11. Sounds like she doesn't kiss media ass

That disqualifies her in his opinion

[karynnj]

13. Then why is he implying that Senator Kerry, who he doesn't not like, does not have this problem?

I am not saying that the complaints are true, but this does open a question. There is something to be said for a diplomat actually being diplomatic and personally getting along with others.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

14. Ouch! double negatives make me antsy

Susan Rice seems tough. At this time, with Hillary leaving and the middle east sounding more and more likely to erupt, we need an engaged, tough and honest person. I suspect both Susan Rice and John Kerry are highly qualified and engaged. What makes me nervous is leaving Kerry's Senate seat open for Scott Brown to take.

[BeyondGeography]

15. Sounds like her main problem is she's very often right

which makes her bedside manner issues difficult for some people to take, especially her natural political opponents.

[dsc]

16. You left out the most egregious part

Among those she has insulted is the woman she would replace at State. Rice was one of the first former Clinton administration officials to defect to Obama’s primary campaign against Hillary Clinton. Rice condemned Clinton’s Iraq and Iran positions, asking for an “explanation of how and why she got those critical judgments wrong.”

Clinton got a measure of revenge in 2010 after she worked out a deal with the Russian foreign minister on a package of Iran sanctions to be adopted by the U.N. Security Council. The White House wanted Rice to make the announcement (part of a campaign to increase her profile that included high-visibility foreign trips and TV appearances), but a Clinton aide got Kerry to ask Clinton about the matter during an unrelated Senate hearing.

end of quote

I supported Clinton in the primaries but she was dead wrong on both Iraq and Iran. I have to say I figure Howard is just plain making shit up on that but if Hilary did behave as described in the second paragraph I quoted then shame on her.