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Be Brave, Mac: Pick Condi for VP

Rice remains popular despite links to Iraq policy: New Yorker

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 10, 2008 9:00 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Ditch the banal short-list and pick a running mate with pizazz—like Condoleezza Rice, Hendrik Hertzberg urges John McCain in the New Yorker. The best-liked Iraq war planner would trigger an "avalanche of positive publicity" on her personal success story, and let GOP voters crack a race-gender ceiling without having to choose. The trick would be ducking her failed record in office, Hertzberg writes.

The secretary of state has stumbled badly, "downgrading terrorism as a priority before 9/11" and "ignoring the Israel-Palestine problem until (almost certainly) too late." But she remains popular with voters and GOP leaders, and would keep up President Bush's push for black public officials. "This may turn out to the most positive legacy of his benighted Presidency," Hertzberg writes.

Condoleezza Rice and John McCain attend a press conference in this undated file photo.
Condoleezza Rice and John McCain attend a press conference in this undated file photo.   (AP photos)
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, shakes hands with Republican Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., before they spoke to reporters about Iraq, Thursday, April 12, 2007, at the end of their meeting at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, shakes hands with Republican Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., before they spoke to reporters about Iraq, Thursday, April 12, 2007, at the end...   (Associated Press)
Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., holds a press availability with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Thursday, March 6, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., holds a press availability with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Thursday, March 6, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)   (Associated Press)
Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, gives the thumbs-up after answering student questions at a University of Pennsylvania campaign stop in Philadelphia as Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. applauds, Monday, Nov. 19, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark Stehle)
Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, gives the thumbs-up after answering student questions at a University of Pennsylvania campaign stop in Philadelphia as Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman,...   (Associated Press)
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John McCain • Condoleezza Rice • secretary of State • vice president • running mate • rebels • Election 2008 • Iraq war

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