Should the President go ahead with the Rice nomination for SoS?

[pscot]

He hasn't sent her name to the Senate yet, so in theory he could drop her without further ramifications. Some Democrats seem to want to avoid a fight. On the other hand, if he backs down he gives the Republicans a much need morale boost and looks like he can be rolled. This is likely to set the tone for other nominations. What do you think?

[DURHAM D]

1. I think it is the President's decision

and he will give it a lot of consideration; something DU and the general public doesn't seem to get.

[HereSince1628]

2. I think Obama should nominate someone he believes SHOULD be SOS.

The made-up ash flinging and tooth gnashing of republican senators be damned.

What are they going to do differently? Filibuster?

[IDoMath]

3. Of Course!

He needs to stop letting the GOP set the agenda. Put her up there and let a *real* debate occur.

[pscot]

4. That's my view also

[bigtree]

5. it's a big party

. . . lot's of superbly qualified folks out there who would sufficiently challenge the republican party and serve as an unquestionably progressive choice.

[pscot]

6. Would she not be a progressive choice?

And how much does that matter for SoS?

[leveymg]

7. Please read this, and you tell us what you think:

"Susan Rice Vocally Supported the Iraq War, and Every Mid-East War Since"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021895778#post44

[bigtree]

9. her oil company holdings just don't sit right with me

. . . tens of millions of dollars invested in their success. I'm not some arbiter of progressiveness -- certainly not to many folks here - but I think she reflects the mostly centrist tendencies, motivations, instincts, ambitions of President Obama in military and foreign affairs.

[union_maid]

8. If he wants to, but was it ever decided?

I'm not even clear where the conventional wisdom that she was the preferred choice came from. I was actually thinking about asking someone about that. Even assuming she was on the short list, that doesn't mean it was anything like for sure. If she's the president's first choice, I'm sure he'll factor all the controversy into his final decision. I don't really know which way that'll cut for him, though. I think that after all this one thing is sure. Whomever he picks will get a fight from the Republicans. Just for form if nothing else.

[truebrit71]

12. I'm not sure he's ever said "she's my pick"...this might just be the Prez doing the old...

...ninth-level ninja mind-chess thing again....

You know, get them all worked up over this "nomination" and then nominate someone else entirely....OR..nominate her at the same time as he picks Chuck Hagel to run the CIA..and let the gop try and argue their way out of that pickle..

[RomneyLies]

10. Absolutely! n/t

[TwilightGardener]

11. Kind of torn--not sure how the tar sands/oil/gas investments

issue will play out. The whole Benghazi thing is manufactured bullshit, but there might be a conflict of interest with the whole Keystone dealie that would need to be addressed.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. No. Someone who is not a neocon would be preferable.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021895778

[cynatnite]

14. Only if he thinks she can get it...

It would be a loss for the administration if he did submit her name and her nominiation is filibustered.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. Yes.

Fuck FOX News.