Via the Anchoress. I wish more in the Admin. would defend themselves like this --asking people what makes them say such poisonous things. The NYT did a story, "Rice Defends Bush’s Race Record and Calls for Rebuilding Fairly," in which she says some good stuff. Like this, when she was asked about foreign leaders questioning her about race relations in the U.S.
“You go to any other meeting around the world and show me the kind of diversity that you see in America’s cabinet, in America’s Foreign Service, in America’s business community, in America’s journalistic community,” Ms. Rice said. “Show me that kind of diversity anyplace else in the world, and I’m prepared to be lectured to about race.”
And this, after acknowledging that there are still pockets of racism in the South. But [emphasis mine]:
Ms. Rice rejected as “poisonous” any suggestion that President Bush himself would discriminate racially against any victims of the hurricane and said that his record on education, including aid to historically black colleges and the setting of standards for schoolchildren, demonstrated that he believed passionately in racial equality.“I find it very strange to think that people would think that the president of the United States would sit deciding who ought to be helped on the basis of color, most especially this president,” she said. “What evidence is there that this is the case? Why would you say such a thing?”And this:
Ms. Rice said she was first impressed by Mr. Bush in the 1990’s, not because of any foreign policy issues, but because he spoke of “the soft bigotry of low expectations”and the phrase meant something to her. She recalled being told by a high school teacher “that maybe I was junior college material” and added: “I know about the soft bigotry of low expectations. And it’s not in this president. It is, however, deeply ingrained in our system, and we’re going to have to do something about it.”
I would love to know what became of the teacher who told this woman she was junior college material? She speaks many languages, is a concert-level pianist, left behind an ice-skating career, and knows everything there is to know about football. . . .in addition to the whole litany of foreign policy accomplishments that are more well-known. . . . In other words, she has excelled at everything she's ever touched.
