An 'Extraordinary' memoir: Becoming Condoleezza Rice

[Geee]

USA Today:

By Marco R. della Cava, USA TODAY
PALO ALTO, Calif. — This can't be the right place.

You would expect the home of Condoleezza Rice— the most successful African-American woman in the history of the executive branch — to be festooned with mementos from her tenure under two Bush presidencies, which culminated in her role as secretary of State.

Perhaps some photos with world leaders. Ornate gifts from political counterparts. Lavish furnishings.

Nope. Instead, the decidedly generic condo reserved for Stanford University faculty 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.

But make no mistake: There is no distancing going on. Rice is as proud of her record as ever.

[saveliberty]

That's a nice story, Geee! Thank you for posting it!

[nickydog]

Thanks for posting this, Geee. It was wonderful just listening to and watching her play the piano.

[Casino67]

Condi is going to be on with Bill O'Reilly tonite.

[Guest areafiftyone]

I love Condi Rice. I wish she would become the first woman president! She is on my list of favorites. The woman is intelligent, talented, articulate and experienced. Too bad she's not going to run.

[pollyannaish]

Condi is one of my great heroes. When my now Junior in High School son was in fifth or sixth grade, he profiled her for black history month. They had to write a report, a sonnet and create a bottle doll of the person they researched.

 

He worked very hard on his material, and his teacher was so impressed that she sent a photo of the doll and copies of the rest of his work to Condi's office.

 

A month or so later, my son received a very personal and encouraging note from her along with a photo. (His poem was later printed in a national collection of children's poetry too.)

 

We have always been impressed that the Secretary of State would take time to write a note to a young boy from the middle of nowhere. We've also always thought what a great country we live in that a black woman would be my son's hero.

 

I am looking forward to reading her memoirs. And George's. And Dicks.

[pollyannaish]

I love Condi Rice. I wish she would become the first woman president! She is on my list of favorites. The woman is intelligent, talented, articulate and experienced. Too bad she's not going to run.

 

Amen Sister! Why is it the best ones are always too smart to run?

[Geee]

Condi is one of my great heroes. When my now Junior in High School son was in fifth or sixth grade, he profiled her for black history month. They had to write a report, a sonnet and create a bottle doll of the person they researched.

 

He worked very hard on his material, and his teacher was so impressed that she sent a photo of the doll and copies of the rest of his work to Condi's office.

 

A month or so later, my son received a very personal and encouraging note from her along with a photo. (His poem was later printed in a national collection of children's poetry too.)

 

We have always been impressed that the Secretary of State would take time to write a note to a young boy from the middle of nowhere. We've also always thought what a great country we live in that a black woman would be my son's hero.

 

I am looking forward to reading her memoirs. And George's. And Dicks.

 

 

That is a wonderful story Polly!!!!!!!

[Guest areafiftyone]

I love Condi Rice. I wish she would become the first woman president! She is on my list of favorites. The woman is intelligent, talented, articulate and experienced. Too bad she's not going to run.

 

Amen Sister! Why is it the best ones are always too smart to run?

 

 

Because and I"m sorry to say this, but the U.S. is still stuck on looks - I hate to say it - but Europe is way far ahead of us in that regard. They pick their leaders for their brains - not looks (and I"m not talking about royalty) e.g. Thatcher and Angela Merkel, etc.)

[Geee]

I love Condi Rice. I wish she would become the first woman president! She is on my list of favorites. The woman is intelligent, talented, articulate and experienced. Too bad she's not going to run.

 

Amen Sister! Why is it the best ones are always too smart to run?

 

 

Because and I"m sorry to say this, but the U.S. is still stuck on looks - I hate to say it - but Europe is way far ahead of us in that regard. They pick their leaders for their brains - not looks (and I"m not talking about royalty) e.g. Thatcher and Angela Merkel, etc.)

 

 

I'm not sure I 100% agree with that. We've had some pretty unattractive presidents and that shouldn't stop Rice, she is attractive. I agree with the premise that she may be too smart to run because politics has gotten so personal and destructive. This is demonstrated by some of the big and even some of the small races that we are talking about on different threads today and how foul they have gotten.

[pollyannaish]

Areafiftyone

 

I think there is a very good reason why it is that way. We directly elect our presidents, while they choose their prime ministers from the party in power in parliament. If you think of the closest thing to that in our government, you get Pelosi and Reid. I guess you could argue that Pelosi was elected on her looks (because it sure as heck wasn't her brain!) but you can't say that about Harry.

 

I would say that PM's in those countries are often chosen based on their ability to consolidate power effectively, just as they are in our congress.

 

I would also say that Hillary Clinton is arguably the most electable woman in the country right now and she is not at all exceptional looking. The left would have us believe that the only reason Sarah Palin is popular is her looks, and in my opinion her looks are an outlier and that is certainly not what makes her popular. It is her charisma and ability to connect with a crowd.

 

Anyway, I just think we often deem people who are charismatic and good at connecting as good looking—whether they actually are or not. And it's that connection thing that people vote for. In fact, I think that is one of the strangest things about Obama. He is actually not particularly good at connecting and isn't particularly charismatic. I just think the general populace was so desperate for a change, that they projected their own wishes onto a cardboard cutout. Nothing short of that would have worked because any hint of a real person would have been deadly in the last campaign. Many people needed an emotional savior...and now that they find out it was a facade, they are angry.

 

I believe that will really change in the next election.