# Possible replacements for Powell **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 15, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869 "2004-11-15T15:49:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/1 "2004-11-15T15:49:23Z")
I think Bush will go for Condoleezza Rice and I also think she’d make a superb Secretary of State. Admittedly that’s just instinct on my part, she’s an unknown quantity in many respects. She certainly stands head and shoulders above the other likely candidates though. (Unless Bush pulls a surprise rabbit out of the hat.) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/2 "2004-11-15T15:54:51Z")
Just also heard mention of former Missouri senator John Danforth, who is now US ambassador to the UN. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/3 "2004-11-15T16:05:01Z")
Observation of US politics these days seemingly requires one to be grateful for deviations from the worst case scenario. Dear sweet providence, please not Paul Wolfowitz. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/4 "2004-11-15T17:03:49Z")
This is a tough one, but I don’t see Condi being tapped. She already wants out, and Bush needs someone who can dig in and be counted on for the duration. Condi is close to burn-out, and probably would not be effective. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/5 "2004-11-15T17:13:36Z")
They’re already saying that Bush is going to name Condi for the post. The rumor mill sounds really positive. I hope not. Ms. Rice just doesn’t seem competent for the post. I’m not denigrating her, but she’s a cold war scholar (and pianist), not a diplomat. And she hasn’t done a great job at NSC keeping the different agencies she’s supposed to be coordinating in line; it’s often been a bit of a food-fight. I’d hope we can get someone who’s an expert on MENA and skillful at diplomacy. Arrafat’s passing could be a huge opportunity to move the Isreal/Palestime situation to a different, hopefully better, level. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/6 "2004-11-15T19:34:16Z")
According to [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/15/powell/index.html) it is going to be Dr. Rice. I see Condi as nothing more than a toady and sycophant. The purge of the non-believers has begun. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/7 "2004-11-15T19:44:24Z")
Better her as SoS than of defense. I think she will do what Bush wants, and I think that anyone that would be a really great SoS would not be appreciated by this administration. She seems to really be on the same page as the president. I have a lot of trouble even thinking about Ms. Rice. She looks a lot like my sister in law who is a very dim bulb indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/8 "2004-11-15T19:46:54Z")
If Rice is nominated, then she will have to go through confirmation hearings. While I certainly don’t see the Dems blocking her, they will ask a lot of questions about the Iraq War, 9/11, etc etc, and basically give the Dems a public forum for redebating the US foreign policy of the last 4 years. One wonders if one more public debate about the war is really what the Bush admin wants right now. She also seems a weak choice since she is closely associated (rightly or wrongly) with the unilateralist stance the US has taken in the last few years. Whether or not one thinks this stance is a good or bad thing, it seems rather, well undiplomatic, to make her our chief diplomat. My guess is that Bush will find another token moderate, not a hawk like Rice, to fill the post and replace Powell. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/9 "2004-11-15T20:29:06Z")
Does anyone see a potential problem with having a female as the chief negotiator in foreign policy during a time when one side of the process is likely to be Arabs? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/10 "2004-11-15T20:39:44Z")
Being a diplomat in the Bush administration is like being a refrigerator repairman at the North Pole. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/11 "2004-11-15T21:58:56Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > Does anyone see a potential problem with having a female as the chief negotiator in foreign policy during a time when one side of the process is likely to be Arabs? I don’t know that it’s particularly relevant. Is there any evidence that Albright ran into problems because of her gender? And even if she did, is the message that we want to send that we will bow to their cultural peccadilloes in shaping our government? I’d suggest no. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/12 "2004-11-16T00:14:19Z")
Well, all 3 cable News channels are saying it’ll be Rice. Sounds like it’s pretty much a done deal. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/13 "2004-11-16T00:40:40Z")
CNN is reporting she may be nominated as soon as tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/14 "2004-11-16T00:52:20Z")
[http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041115/ap\_on\_go\_pr\_wh/bush\_cabinet\_32](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041115/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_cabinet_32) ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/15 "2004-11-16T04:07:28Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > If Rice is nominated, then she will have to go through confirmation hearings. While I certainly don’t see the Dems blocking her, they will ask a lot of questions about the Iraq War, 9/11, etc etc, and basically give the Dems a public forum for redebating the US foreign policy of the last 4 years. One wonders if one more public debate about the war is really what the Bush admin wants right now. The Democrats in the Senate won’t do anything of the kind. They’re far too fucking stupid to do it correctly if they even make the attempt. > [@](#): > > She also seems a weak choice since she is closely associated (rightly or wrongly) with the unilateralist stance the US has taken in the last few years. Whether or not one thinks this stance is a good or bad thing, it seems rather, well undiplomatic, to make her our chief diplomat. And the Bush Administration has shown a concern for being diplomatic…when? This is about pushing out moderates. It’s going to take a decade to undo the damage this adminsitration has done to the government. > [@](#): > > My guess is that Bush will find another token moderate, not a hawk like Rice, to fill the post and replace Powell. Why bother with a moderate? He doesn’t need to be reelected. Now this administration can replace every single moderate in the government and silence any internal opposition. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/16 "2004-11-16T04:08:31Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > Dear sweet providence, please not Paul Wolfowitz. He’s rumored to take Rice’s vacated spot on the National Security Council. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/17 "2004-11-16T04:19:38Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > He’s rumored to take Rice’s vacated spot on the National Security Council. CNN (again) says Steven Hadley, Rice’s deputy, will take her place. Maybe Wolfowitz would take Hadley’s place? Or perhaps he’ll step in for Rummy as Defense Secretary in a year or two. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/18 "2004-11-16T04:20:23Z")
No, I believe it will be Steven Hadley. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/19 "2004-11-16T04:29:01Z")
By putting Condie in at State could they possibly be grooming her for '08? Could we see a Condie-Hillary face off? I actually hope not. I think Rice could be a distressingly popular candidate if she can just resolve the pro-choice thing within her own party. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869/20 "2004-11-16T04:39:05Z")
I think there’s at least a reasonable chance that Condi will run in '08. Now that she’s been chosen Secretary of State, I think that probability goes up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-replacements-for-powell/274869.md?page=2)