Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Condoleezza Rice, who since 2008 has been as absent from the public scene as her former boss, has written a memoir that was released yesterday. On the occasion of the book's release, USA Today ran this must-read profile on Rice. In it, she comes across as supremely likable, thoughtful, and above all, humble.
For instance, when she set out to write her new book, Extraordinary, Ordinary People, rather than focus on her years in politics, as she had initially intended to, she decided to write a book about her childhood, devoted to the people who shaped her into who she is today: her parents.
"People often ask me, 'How did you get to be who you are?' And I always say, 'You had to know my parents,'" she says.
Her humility was also accented in the way her condo, part of Stanford's faculty housing, is decorated. No pictures with foreign dignitaries. No ornate paintings. No gilt. Rather, it is
filled with antiques that belonged to Rice's parents, sports memorabilia and a prominent photograph of her with ... cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The only sign of George W. Bush is found on a hockey-puck-size Lucite disc, which is inscribed with a 9/11-era quote from the 43rd president.
I recommend that you read the whole profile, but if you only have time for a snapshot, here are some key quotes below.
On her move to conservatism and her father's Black Panther link:
Rice's upbringing did not foreshadow her becoming a bastion of modern conservatism.
Though her father was a lifelong Republican, one of his good friends was Black Panther Stokely Carmichael. John Rice also spent his entire life reaching out to disadvantaged youth, while his wife dedicated her days to bringing music to children. She died of cancer in 1985; John died of heart failure in early 2000.
In 1976, Rice proudly voted for Democrat Jimmy Carter. Then everything changed.
"I loved Carter's story, the first president from Dixie," says Rice. "But (in the late '70s) I was studying and visiting the Soviet Union. And when they invaded Afghanistan, Carter said he suddenly understood what the Soviets were all about. And I thought, 'Who did you think you were dealing with?' I knew what that place was. So I found myself attracted to Ronald Reagan's policies, and that's how it started."
Here she is on George W. Bush:
"We talk. We e-mail. About everything, really. He's building his library and I'm chairing the board of his institute. I give him a hard time about the Texas Longhorns (football team), and he usually writes back something snide about the Stanford Cardinal."
On the decision to invade Iraq, the most controversial part of her tenure in politics:
Do I wish we'd known he didn't have stockpiles? Sure. But he had plenty of capacity. I don't blame anybody, including the intelligence agencies. (Iraq) is just an incredibly opaque place. ... If I could have done anything differently, and it occurred to me at the time, that would be to explain better why Saddam was the problem. Not just the WMDs.
And, to end on a lighter note, on golfing:
"I was secretary of State and didn't have much time, so whenever I could, I would head out with a pro. But not to the driving range — they actually had an entire course for me to learn on."
She rolls her eyes, then smiles.
"I guess there were perks to that job," she says. "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
And a fascinating one too.
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May '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Condi Rice deserves to be one of the most celebrated success stories of the African American community, but the political left control this cultural narrative and so she is relegated to right-wing no-man's-land. But I trust we will see her again in public life (she is after all quite a young woman) and I still have faith that history will get her story right.
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
She is a dazzling woman. Speaking of race, there was a little editorial nudging in the profile, though--a little shout-out to Affirmative Action:
I'd like to think that someone like her would have been incredibly successful regardless of race, what do you think?
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
I think history will get her personal story right, but the story of her political legacy may be more mixed--at least, that seems to be the implication of what she says. The "and that's fine," sounds like a bit of a resignation, doesn't it?
Jun '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
She is quite an impressive woman. Jeez, I didn't know she had dark skin. How historical!! She was actually the first African-American-Southern-Woman head of NSA and Secretary of State. One would think a lot of credit must have been bestowed on whoever it was that hired her.
May '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
I agree. But she's a policy wonk and intellectual and diplomat -- not a politician. I'm OK with the nuanced stance. Not everybody can be Margaret Thatcher.
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Me too. It in fact makes me respect her more.
Jul '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Gee, I hate to be the skunk at the garden party....but what, actually, did the woman accomplish?
May '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Don't kid yourself Kenneth, you love to be the skunk at the garden party...
The answer really comes down to how you feel about our activities in Iraq and Afghanistan where you could fairly argue she was instrumental in making the case to get us there and keep us there. And then there's the business of claiming credit for the negative -- after 9/11, no major attacks.
But as a person, she is quite objectively accomplished and that was really the context behind my initial comment.
Jul '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Trace Urdan
The answer really comes down to how you feel about our activities in Iraq and Afghanistan where you could fairly argue she was instrumental in making the case to get us there and keep us there.
But as a person, she is quite objectively accomplished and that was really the context behind my initial comment. · Oct 13 at 9:34am
Well, there you have it: as a purported expert on the Soviet Union, with no understanding of military realties, she influenced Bush with her argument for nation-building.
As for her "objective accomplishments", that resonates with the thread about academic elites: she did the PhD-track thing, became an Associate Professor and then, having served on the search committee for Stanford's new President, was appointed Provost by - the new President. Cozy.
While at Stanford, she was taken under George Shultz' wing, which gave her entree to the Bush dynasty.
Excellent little self-promoter with a mediocre academic career and not a single notable accomplishment - other than being appointed to office - during her public-service career.
Jun '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed. : She is a dazzling woman. Speaking of race, there was a little editorial nudging in the profile, though--a little shout-out to Affirmative Action:
I'd like to think that someone like her would have been incredibly successful regardless of race, what do you think? · Oct 13 at 7:37am
That's the problem with affirmative action, we will never know.
Edited on Oct 13, 2010 at 10:07amAug '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Trace Urdan
Don't kid yourself Kenneth, you love to be the skunk at the garden party...
He doesn't like to let on that he's really just a pussycat disguised as a skunk.
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Kenneth
As for her "objective accomplishments", that resonates with the thread about academic elites: she did the PhD-track thing, became an Associate Professor and then, having served on the search committee for Stanford's new President, was appointed Provost by - the new President. Cozy.
While at Stanford, she was taken under George Shultz' wing, which gave her entree to the Bush dynasty.
Excellent little self-promoter with a mediocre academic career and not a single notable accomplishment - other than being appointed to office - during her public-service career. · Oct 13 at 9:52am
Kenneth, maybe you think that Condi is not deservedly accomplished (and I can't even follow you there), but she is certainly accomplished. Getting a PhD, becoming Secretary of State, affecting major US policy--those are all pretty weighty accomplishments. How she got there may be subject to debate (sure, she got a push from affirmative action, but she also worked hard).
Maybe you don't agree with all of her policies (I certainly don't), but you have to admit that from her starting point in Birmingham Alabama, she went on to do some pretty extraordinary things.
Jul '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Cas Balicki
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed. : She is a dazzling woman. Speaking of race, there was a little editorial nudging in the profile, though--a little shout-out to Affirmative Action:
I'd like to think that someone like her would have been incredibly successful regardless of race, what do you think? · Oct 13 at 7:37am
That's the problem with affirmative action, we will never know. · Oct 13 at 10:00am
Oh, I think we do know. The Bushes made a calculated choice to be the diversity Republicans - Colin Powell, Condi Rice, Alberto Gonzalez.
Race aside, there were far better people out there.
Edited on Oct 13, 2010 at 10:14amJul '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
Kenneth
Kenneth, maybe you think that Condi is not deservedly accomplished (and I can't even follow you there), but she is certainly accomplished. Getting a PhD, becoming Secretary of State, affecting major US policy--those are all pretty weighty accomplishments. How she got there may be subject to debate (sure, she got a push from affirmative action, but she also worked hard).
Maybe you don't agree with all of her policies (I certainly don't), but you have to admit that from her starting point in Birmingham Alabama, she went on to do some pretty extraordinary things. · Oct 13 at 10:08am
Sure, just as I admit that starting from the Bronx, Sonia Sotomayor went on to do some pretty extraordinary things.
May '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Your time is wasted in HR Kenneth, you should be doing oppo research and talking points professionally. I don't have the moxie to go toe-to-toe with you on whether Condi Rice deserves what she has received. But she can bounce a quarter off her butt and that is an accomplishment that is only possible through very hard work. And I daresay no sitting justice on the Supreme Court could make the same claim.
Edited on Oct 13, 2010 at 10:21amJul '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Trace Urdan
Your time is wasted in HR Kenneth, you should be doing oppo research and talking points professionally. I don't have the moxie to go toe-to-toe with you on whether Condi Rice deserves what she has received. But she can bounce a quarter off her butt and that is an accomplishment that is only possible through very hard work. · Oct 13 at 10:17am
She did deserve what she received. She had the wits to embed herself at Stanford, the Vahalla of conservative intelligentsia, and network like crazy, while leveraging the affirmative action thing all the way to the White House. That's no small personal achievement. I don't disparage people who know how to network and self-promote; those are important life skills.
The question is, other than making herself a prominent personage, did she, as a public servant, achieve anything of substance for the Republic?
I would maintain that, if her signature policy "achievement" was to influence the Bush administration to engage in nation-building in a part of the world fiercely resistant to that effort, her record is decidedly negative.
Sep '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Trace Urdan
Don't kid yourself Kenneth, you love to be the skunk at the garden party...
He doesn't like to let on that he's really just a pussycat disguised as a skunk. · Oct 13 at 10:07am
In fairness, I must point out the unreasonable effectiveness of cats when they tangle with snakes. Even a rattlesnake will go down to defeat by a Bobcat.
Jul '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Trace Urdan
. But she can bounce a quarter off her butt and that is an accomplishment that is only possible through very hard work. And I daresay no sitting justice on the Supreme Court could make the same claim. · Oct 13 at 10:17am
Edited on Oct 13 at 10:21 am
You've obviously never been at a bongs-and-Jello-shots party with Clarence Thomas.
May '10
Re: Condi Rice: "All in all, mine is a most implausible story."
Kenneth
Trace Urdan
. But she can bounce a quarter off her butt and that is an accomplishment that is only possible through very hard work. And I daresay no sitting justice on the Supreme Court could make the same claim. · Oct 13 at 10:17am
Edited on Oct 13 at 10:21 am
You've obviously never been at a bongs-and-Jello-shots party with Clarence Thomas. · Oct 13 at 11:11am
Aaaaaand.... another perfectly good thread dies an untimely death.