NYT: Secretary Rice, the New Globetrotter

[kskiska]

(snip)

She is up well before sunrise at the hotels where she is staying, and like her boss, President Bush, works out on an elliptical trainer, sometimes in her room and sometimes in the fitness center. She also uses free weights and an exercise bicycle. She obsessively eats light, gets a full night's sleep and cannot stand to be late - indeed, she likes surprising people by arriving early.

(snip)

As secretary, she says her calling is "transformational diplomacy," meaning the goal is to transform the world, not simply to deal with it, - to press American "values" as well as American interests while insisting to sometimes skeptical audiences that those two goals do not conflict.

To many listeners, especially in Europe, her words come across as visionary but bordering on shrill, messianic or sanctimonious.

A European diplomat, grimacing at the sharp words directed at Iran - she called its human rights record "abysmal" and worthy of being "loathed" - wondered whether they would help or hurt the Europeans' effort to negotiate with Iran. "I'm uncomfortable with her lack of subtlety," he said.

(snip)

But throughout this trip, Ms. Rice has used free moments to work on what aides say will be her most important speech, in Paris, before a large audience of intellectuals.

Aides are talking excitedly about it as "the hottest ticket in Europe," as if she were confronting the lion in its den. Ms. Rice, some speculate, may even speak - in French. One thing for sure, the words "freedom," "liberty," though perhaps not "fraternity," will be there, in abundance.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/07/international/middleeast/07rice.html?pagewanted=2&oref=login

[madrchsod]

1. i am profoundly dumber

by reading this....it will take years before i recover

[Javaman]

2. "transformational diplomacy" aka your opinions don't matter.

I can almost see the strings being pulled to move her mouth by moron*

[Supersedeas]

7. transform your opinions or else

[VegasWolf]

3. I didn't know that she was good at b-ball! n/t

[diamond14]

4. PUFF PIECE for bush*...masks the reality, condi is pissing off everyone

from the puff-piece.....

"To many listeners, especially in Europe, her words come across as visionary but bordering on shrill, messianic or sanctimonious."



and this:

"To make sure she is heard, Ms. Rice gives a slew of interviews at each stop. She also directed that several staff members be moved off her plane to make room for an expanded press contingent, and she handed out AUTOGRAPHED pocket atlases to the correspondents to signal her intention to be on the road a lot."

[PartyPooper]

5. She is such an embarassment to the US.

Benjamin Franklin, among other predecessors, surely is turning over in his grave.

:wow:

[pdurod1]

6. Princess Rice: "Obi Wan Sharoni, you're our only hope"

[Spazito]

8. There is little respect for her in diplomatic circles...

she will be treated courteously in public and dismissed in reality. The world knows this woman is simply a 'tool' of the neocons and has no 'creds' in the arena she is now entering.

[plasticsundance]

9. Agreed ... typical bullshit puff piece

Are allies are not happy with her, so the NYTimes puts down a double layer of total sycophant crap. Worthless and clueless.