In passing so was the wish for Newt to be the nominee instead of Romney who, as I expected, turned in a hopeless lackluster campaign made worse by his choice of Ryan who ran an even worse campaign.
The objection to Rice, then and now, was from the right, that she is "pro-choice" and from the left "she is a hawk on the middle east"
With the first, the party has chosen, with the massive support of Christian conservative voters, a nominee who is more centrist on the abortion plank. Further the views of a the vice-president in such matters are of no real import in respect of any possible change in the abortion laws on a federal basis.
As for the perceived strident views on dealing with the radicals in the middle east (and now in America) the views of the left after San Bernardino and Orlando are of absolutely zero interest. I would wager that a solid majority of voters would accept both Trump's and Rice's standpoint on such matters.
Although secondary to national security Rice is an excellent counter to Hillary's "woman card" and the DNC's attack on Trump's administrative experience-she would be a quality "Biden" to Trump. The accusation of Trump "pandering" for the woman vote would be easily countered by the post Orlando need for the strongest, most experienced hand, regardless of gender in dealing with the threat.
When Trump asked the crowd in Florida (in Tampa prior to Orlando) who they thought would be a good VP pick Rice's name came up (to much applause). If he did it again post Orlando I would imagine the applause would be raucous.
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Original article;
Now that the Florida polls show Gingrich the front runner, as Sarah Palin predicted would happen, perhaps it is time to look ahead to who might be his vice-president.
I wrote earlier that I thought Governor McDonnell of Virginia would be ideal as his state is very important for the electoral votes it could bring. However I think he has put himself out of the running by having endorsed Romney in South Carolina, which showed poor political judgement on his part,
Newt Gingrich for President teamed with Condoleezza Rice for Vice President would be a seminal, once in a generation-if not a century-pairing for the G.O.P. I hesitate to define this team as a Republican Party ticket as it transcends party labels in so many ways. So much so, that party designation, although obviously a necessity, interferes with the otherwise unimpeded visibility of the majestic transcendence of the nation transforming, actually nation fulfilling, power it represents.
Rice, as a former and highly respected Secretary of State would add vast experience in foreign affairs, and her substantial business background and academic achievements would bring gravitas and respect. Rice retained, throughout the contentious Bush years, the goodwill of the public and a non-rancorous relationship with both the opposition and in general, the media. She has the common touch and projects a winning air of good humor, warmth and humanity.
These are excellent qualities and on those alone the Republican Party could choose no better with the nation being well served. But above and beyond these sterling attributes Rice would bring, in her very person, the ability to change America for the good and forever.
The Gingrich/Rice ticket would have every possibility of sweeping the South via a coalition of conservative whites, and a percentage of blacks disenchanted with Obama, who might not normally vote for the G.O.P. For the South to help a elect a black to the second highest office in the land would put the final seal on the end of the long history of racial divisiveness. This, following on from Obama's 2008 election would set a template for all levels of society.
It would of course immediately negate any charge that Gingrich, a southerner, was anti-black, and shut up the Dem rabble-rousers.
With Rice on the ticket all attempts at creating at racially charged atmosphere, as is currently being attempted, Alinsky style, in some quarters on the left against Tea Party supporters (and by inference Gingrich) would be circumvented. There is no doubt the 2012 campaign would be highly charged and the inclusion of Rice would be of outstanding benefit to the nation as it would allow for a reasoned discussion of issues unclouded by heated emotion.
Having a women as one of the standard bearers would give the 51% majority section of the population the opportunity to have the female viewpoint, and qualities, represented at the highest level of government by a women of outstanding achievements. This too would put a final, positive seal on an historic process which only became a possibility as recently as 1920. For the G.O.P. the ticket might mirror the result of the 1920 election, where women had the full vote for the first time and the result was a Republican landslide.
Rice, as America’s first female vice-president would mark social progress towards gender equality. She would also be the embodiment of the Jefferson/Jackson tradition of the interests of common man as all important. Rice as the first black female VP would heal America's social wounds. A new, exciting country able to face a future of unlimited possibilities will have been born.
