Boxer v. Rice - The exchange

Here's a link to the exchange between Barbara Boxer and Condi Rice. Which reminds me, when I was down at Stanford speaking with some colleagues, about two or so years ago, they said, "I don't know about Rice, we are scared. We were scared of her when she was here." For those of you who don't know Rice was provost at Stanford before embarking on the current line of work.

As one of the comments under the prior link suggested, perhaps Boxer could have been more confrontational indicating that she had been elected to represent the people, whereas Rice had not. Sort of separates the men from the boys, don't you think?

Personally, I love the whole line of the comic strip "The Boondocks," by Aaron Mcgruder where they are trying to find Condi a date. It had me in stiches...don't know what it has in terms of pertenance here, but hey. if you need a yuk, check them out.

Slice from Boxer:

Well, Mr. Chairman, again I thank you. I am -- Dr. Rice, I was glad you mentioned Martin Luther King -- it was very appropriate, given everything. And he also said, Martin Luther King, quote, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." And one of the things that matters most to my people in California and the people in America is this war in Iraq.

Now, it took you to page three of your testimony to mention the word "Iraq." You said very little really about it, and only in the questioning have we been able to get into some areas. Perhaps you agree with President Bush, who said all that's been resolved.

... SEN. BOXER: Well, you should read what we voted on when we voted to support the war, which I did not, but most of my colleagues did. It was WMD, period. That was the reason and the causation for that, you know, particular vote.

But, again, I just feel you quote President Bush when it suits you but you contradicted him when he said, "Yes, Saddam could have a nuclear weapon in less than a year." You go on television nine months later and said, "Nobody ever said it was" --

MS. RICE: Senator, that was just a question of pointing out to people that there was an uncertainty. No one was saying that he would have to have a weapon within a year for it to be worth it to go to war.

SEN. BOXER: Well, if you can't admit to this mistake, I hope that you'll --

MS. RICE: Senator, we can have this discussion in any way that you would like. But I really hope that you will refrain from impugning my integrity. Thank you very much.

SEN. BOXER: I'm not. I'm just quoting what you said. You contradicted the president and you contradicted yourself.

End Slice:

If you ask me, Boxer was too easy on her.