State Depart under Condi is a MESS says R. Novak

[rodeodance]

January 11, 2007
State Department in Chaos
By Robert Novak

WASHINGTON -- Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Republicans and Democrats alike, were alarmed last week that John Negroponte was leaving as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) after less than two years to become deputy secretary of state. By way of explanation, he informed one Republican senator that he did not want to make the switch but that the White House prevailed on him.

Just what career diplomat Negroponte was doing as the new intelligence czar in the first place is puzzling. But to pull him out just as his on-the-job training as DNI had been completed reflects a panicky desire to fill the deputy secretary's post that had been unfilled for an unprecedented six months. Five other key State Department positions are either vacant or soon to be vacant.

Republicans in Congress, who do not want to be quoted, tell me the State Department under Secretary Condoleezza Rice is a mess. That comes at a time when the U.S. global position is precarious. While attention focuses on Iraq, American diplomacy is being tested worldwide -- in Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Korea and Sudan. The judgment by thoughtful Republicans is that Rice has failed to manage that endeavor.

Rice's previous government duties had been as an analyst and staffer rather than as manager. That made it important for her to name a strong deputy secretary to run the building. John Bolton, an under secretary in the first term and an experienced bureaucratic manager, volunteered. Rice instead picked him as ambassador to the United Nations. The conservative Bolton ran afoul of a liberal Senate vendetta, blocking his confirmation for any post.

[Eurobabe]

1. How comforting...

I will never understand how this CondiLiar EVER got her position in the first place. She hasn't got a fucking clue as to what she is doing, except spinning for Asshat. She is the penultimate charlatan for BushCo.

[jaysunb]

2. Condi is a goner....

should have never been any where near the white house in the first place.

[rodeodance]

10. i wonder if she will leave her hubby soon?

[underpants]

3. Why does Novak right this?

or why is he asked to right it?

It is true....okay probably not let's not fly off in the face of history

This justifies the strange LATERAL PROMOTION of Negroponte

Condi has had it and is on the way out (this would explain where she has been for most of the last 5 months)

Good excuse given that the Govnernor of New Mexico was able to negotiate a ceasefire in Darfur and State didn't seen the least bit interested in it.

[HereSince1628]

4. Is it or is Novak just putting an attack on Rice for his NeoCon buddies?

Rice is reported to have pushed for diplomacy. We know damned well the Big Dick wants to kill more people and drop more bombs.

I'm not sure I can take anything Novak says at face value after his antics in Plamegate--all the damned Aspens turned together.

[rodeodance]

8. not much has worked for Rice

[yellowcanine]

5. Novak finds an acorn! Proving once again the old adages about blind pigs and stopped clocks.

[zulchzulu]

6. Consider Novak as the White House Press Release Department

Rice is certainly on her way out...she'll leave to spend more time with her family...which she has none.

[baldguy]

7. Novack should be in prison for treason.

Just saying.

[rodeodance]

9. in the meantime i am glad to see him dissing condi/repug

[Toots]

19. Still gets his digs in though as in "of a liberal Senate vendetta,"

:shrug: He should be tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail...

[Jack Rabbit]

11. I guess Cheney wants Condi out

His press agent is dissing her.

[Miss Chybil]

12. She went shoe shopping during Katrina.

How could it be anything other than a mess? What's surprising is Novak doesn't seem to be polishing all those shoes she bought anymore.

[progressoid]

13. Why are we listening to what Douchbag Novak has to say?

[Jai4WKC08]

14. Just goes to show ya

You can't just walk in off the street and run a large organization effectively. It takes a lot of experience in running smaller organization first.

Condi Rice may be a bitch with all the wrong ideas about the world and Bush and this administration. But she's not stupid or uneducated and she certainly has every reason to want to be successful in her job. I'm sure she's doing the best she can. It's not an easy thing.

Executive experience counts.

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

15. Who reads Novak anymore? n/t

[halobeam]

16. Can't remember which thread it was on yesterday,

but someone noted she will be out and replaced and unless, I'm tired, crazy or both, was it Fallon they were suggesting for the role?

Hard to keep track, unless you make it a full time job.

[kskiska]

17. Isn't Novak under contract to Faux?

They don't seem to be making much use of him. I can't remember the last time he even appeared on a Faux program. In the beginning, they tried to put him on the news panel with Brit Hume and his pals, but Novak seemed to be an oddball amongst them and didn't share their views. As far as I know, he's never been on that show since.

[alfredo]

18. Condi is going to be kicked upstairs. If Cheney leaves

because of his "health" or because Fitzpatrick has him by the balls, Condi will become Veep. Negropointe will be briefed and ready to take over the SoS position.

Loyalty is much more important than competence.

Of course the State Department under bush is where careers go to die.