New poll can't hurt Condi Rice's GOP veep prospects

It would seem a no-brainer that somewhere on that lengthy list of vice presidential possibilities John McCain is working through, the name Condoleezza Rice resides. And if McCain aides happened to eyeball a poll released today, she may have moved up a few notches.

The survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted during the last few days of March, found that the Secretary of State enjoys a solid favorability rating: 56% expressed a good opinion of her, compared to 29% who did not.

The Pew report notes that Rice not only is "broadly popular" among Republicans (though somewhat less so than three years ago), but gets majority approval from independents -- a stat that would leap out for any astute political operative.

Rice's numbers are all the more impressive when compared with the in-the-tank favorability figures for President Bush -- her mentor and boss whose contentious policies on Iraq and other foreign policy matters she has helped frame and execute in her current job and, previously, as his national security advisor.

In McCain's veep search, Rice offers one obvious plus: in one fell swoop, she would counter (to some degree) the demographic history Democrats are going to make when they nominate either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama for president.

But then there's one obvious minus: having never run ...

for office herself, she's never had to show her chops on the campaign trail or gone through anything close to the vetting process faced by candidates for high-profile posts.

There's also the matter of her oh-so-close association with Bush.

McCain, improbably to many, has thrived even as he has bucked public opinion and, like the president, staunchly called for a continued, committed U.S. presence in Iraq. Still, there's a clear downside to tying himself too closely to Bush and that's why, in this corner at least, we won't be placing any early orders on McCain-Rice paraphernalia.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Ed]

More paid propaganda by the Bushies, issue a paid poll, via entities like the Rendon group, traipse around the globe all to the same results Condi has delivered whether as Nat' Security not remembering the smoking memo labled, "Bin Laden Will Attack US" and lying about torute, by all means nutty neocons, bring her on the ticket, she'll less than 24 hours

[dave]

more propaganda polls can't hurt?
that would depend on how gullible you think people are, and how dangerous you think another neocon puppet tentatively thrown into the race might be.
well, since they already had the nerve to suggest cheney, why not all the rest of the treasonous, criminal gang too?

[Dave]

So what if she has not run for office!! There are 6 books that were printed about Condi Rice in the past year and my female relatives are reading them.

1. Condi is an absolute defender of the 2nd Amendment and speaks about how her own father took a rifle at night to patrol in her Birmingham neighorhood with other fathers in the brutal 1960's. Remember those church bombings and people dying? She knew one of those young black girls who was killed.

2. She has said that race could be a used as a factor for getting a job or college admission, but once you get your foot in the door, you must perform and get your work done. Affirmative action is not be promoted by Condi.

3. She is a Rock Star of the Republican party. If McCain can get her to accept his offer as VP, he has a chance to win California and many Southern states.

[Tim]

To be honest, Sen. Obama can use his argument against Iraq as a way to debate strongly against Condi. Her Iraqi stand is the one which is her achillies heel, and her record is stained.

Plus, as the report stated, she has never ran for office and has not run a full campaign. She's more of a behind-the-scene mover and shaker and that suited her when she was the NSA, and then the Secretary of State.

McCain would be better off with a state Governor as his running mate, all in all.

[Keith]

She'd be an excellent choice. I know the ardent Obama and Hillary backers out there will just out of hand dis any McCain ticket,but the guy is pretty impressive and he is certainly a very moderate Republican. I know his stance on the Iraq war is a turn-off, but at least he's truthful about it. I hate to tell you O's and H's out there, your candidates will find a reason not to bring the troops home after they are nominated, most likely "now we have to stay to clean up W's mess he left us with" but whatever the reason, the result will still be the same. That's why the recently elected Congress hasn't done anything substantive about it either, they don't really want to, it's a political smoke and mirrors exercise.

Anyway back to Condi, she brings an impressive resume to the #2 spot, and she certainly has the REAL experience to back it up. Good choice. I personally think that no matter who wins this election, the USA will be on the road to improvement right away.

[IowaGOPcountyChair]

I think Rice would be a bold choice. Would make more sense than Romney or Huckabee.

[Mark]

Rice is the person who bears the single greatest responsibility for 9/11. As Nat. Security adviser, it was her job to ensure that the White House paid attention to the intelligence assessments. Once the Dems. bring that point home she cannot be an asset.

[Rick]

First off no black person will vote for Condi as she isn't even considered black. She is an "uncle tom" to the minority population, and there are many conservatives who don't like the way she is handling things with Iran and other issues. Also, what state is Condi going to bring McCain? California? New York? Oh wow.. if Republicans are that insane then I just feel sorry for them. The Dem. ticket will either be Obama-Clinton or Clinton-Obama, and I don't see McCain getting hire than 30% of the vote. Thank you Republicans you gave us another Bob Dole.