Susan Rice: Statesmen needed

The players: President Barak Obama, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, Senators John McCain, and Lindsey Graham. The issue: What is the truth surrounding what happened in Benghazi, Libya on Sept.11, 2012? Why did Ambassador Rice say during a round of Sunday Talk Show interviews that the attack on the Embassy was caused by a video critical of the Islamic religion?

The President will soon announce a decision as to who will be his choice to fill the post of Secretary of State. The current Secretary-Hilary Clinton- has announced that she will step down in the coming year. Two people are viewed as realistic candidates for the post: Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts and Ms. Rice.

Based on her talking points to the press, Senators McCain and Graham, both of whom opposed the President four years ago and lost, have made it their cause of the month to block any consideration of Rice based upon her talk show talking points in September.

Despite all evidence, including what was gathered at a Senator Foreign Relations Committee meeting recently, (a meeting that included testimony from outgoing CIA Director David Petraeus) these two Senators have continued their campaign to essentially tell the President of the United States that they don’t want her(Rice) in his cabinet.

As more Republican Senators join this duo in opposing Rice, what is emerging is a consensus (among Republicans) that they would support the nomination of Senator Kerry.

But not so fast, say Washington observers. If Kerry takes the nomination and is confirmed, wouldn’t that open up his “safe” Senate seat for another run by a well known Republican named Scott Brown, who just lost his bid for reelection to a Democrat?

There is no valid reasoning for the opposition to Rice who has not been nominated for anything. It is clear that Ambassador Rice was carrying out her duties by using the “talking points” cleared and given to her by the Obama administration and the CIA.

While McCain and Graham claim they want to get to the truth of the matter, what is equally clear is that they have avoided all opportunities to gather information that is contrary to their current positions.

This issue will be over soon, McCain and Graham can find another finger to stick in the President’s eye. But whatever they do next, historians will never be able to bestow upon them the title of “statesmen.”