Reuter's has this morning offered an impressive hagiography of UN Ambassador Susan Rice in the context of the still unofficial campaign to have her step into Hillary's shoes as the next Secretary of State.
That's a position, referred to as "foreign minister" in most countries, that presents the second most visible face of a nation to the rest of the world, next to the head of state.
That's why a certain amount of scheming inevitably goes into the selection of a foreign minister, or secretary of state. It is no accident that Israel chooses to send the raving lunatic Lieberman into the world on it's behalf. He makes Netanyahu look calm and reasonable by contrast.
And that's why Canada employs the oafish dolt John Baird in the same office. It is utterly impossible not to underestimate the man, which immediately gives the Canadians an advantage when engaged in any kind of bilateral negotiations. The other side immediately concludes that this will be a cake-walk, and only later realizes that the rest of the delegation are serious people with above average IQs.
There has been a preference in America for female secretaries of state in recent years, and it's not because the job title is "secretary". It's because of that same disarming effect that Baird has on his opponents. The hapless Milosevic could never take Albright seriously for the simple reason that she was a woman, and look where he ended up.
Susan Rice could very well be a highly effective Secretary of State, and the Reuter's article gives a good overview of the reasons why. It also debunks the "Benghazi affair" as the fabricated wedge issue that it is. They do not, however, broach the real reason why Susan Rice will never be America's face to the world.
She's black.
There are too many bitter old white guys in Washington chafing at the reality of a black President. Susan Rice has zero chance of getting past the Senate confirmation hearings.
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