Rice 'Deeply Regrets' Okinawa Rape Case

Condoleezza Rice would fit GOP bill perfectly: Joseph Curl

(NEWSER) - How's this for a master chess move? Whoever emerges as the GOP presidential candidate can attract female voters, hush charges of conservative racism, and cover his lack of foreign policy experience all in one stroke: Name Condoleezza Rice as VP candidate. "Her addition to the ticket, which wouldn’t come until late next summer, would dramatically change the dynamics of the 2012 election," writes Joseph Curl in the Washington Times . More»

'700 Club' host sticks foot in mouth again

(NEWSER) - Pat Robertson and his always wacky quotes are back. On the 700 Club Wednesday, after watching a segment in which co-host Kristi Watts discussed Thanksgiving foods such as mac and cheese with Condoleezza Rice, Robertson was simply baffled. Turning to Watts, he asked, “What is this mac and cheese, is that a black thing?” Watts, unruffled, responded, “It is a black thing, Pat!” Hat tip to Mediaite for spotting the clip. Click for more Robertson gaffes . More»

Bashar al-Assad is 'no friend' of the US, says former secretary of state

(AP) - Syrian President Bashar Assad is taking his country to the brink of civil war, says former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. She tells CNN's State of the Union that Assad "is no friend of the United States" and that his overthrow would be a "great thing" for the Syrian people, US interests, and anyone seeking a more peaceful Middle East. Rice is calling for the "toughest" possible penalties against Assad's government. More»

Also, he and Obama have a 'good relationship'

(NEWSER) - The notion that Republicans are "servants of the rich" is "very unfair," John Boehner told Christiane Amanpour today , adding that his job is "to make sure that the American dream that was available to us is available for our kids and our grandkids. And frankly, I've got concerns that it may not be the case." Boehner emphasized his own blue-collar background, while decrying "a government that's taking in 30, 40 cents out of every dollar from our kids to pay for government." Of Congress, Boehner proclaimed "it's working . The founders gave us a committee of 535 people. Frankly, it was designed not to work. My job is to make it work. And it is working." Elsewhere on your Sunday dial, as per Politico :

• Boehner on President Obama : "We've got a pretty good relationship," while acknowledging that "it's been a little frosty the last few weeks."
• Boehner on who he'll endorse : “I'm sure Republican voters around the country will choose a good candidate," he added. "And whatever candidate they choose, I'm going to support."

But detected deadly White House toxin turned out to be false alarm

(NEWSER) - Condoleezza Rice recounted the day that she, President Bush, and Dick Cheney believed they had been exposed to a lethal toxin by terrorists. Cheney suddenly appeared on a secure video conference screen just weeks after 9/11 while Rice and Bush were traveling in China for the APEC summit. He warned them that White House sensors had detected botulinum toxin, and "we all—those of us exposed—were going to die," Rice revealed in an ABC interview . "I remember everybody just sort of freezing, and the president saying, ‘What was that? What was that, Dick?’” recalled Rice, who was national security adviser at the time. “We were just a little unnerved." More»