By Tracy Connor, NBC News
Embattled U.N. envoy Susan Rice is dropping out of the running to be the next secretary of state after months of criticism over her Benghazi comments.
“Today, I made the decision that it was the best thing for our country, for the American people that I not continue to be considered by the president for nomination of secretary of state,” Rice told NBC’s Brian Williams.
“I didn’t want to see a confirmation process that was very prolonged, very politicized, very distracting and very disruptive because there are so many things we need to get done as a country and the first several months of a second term president’s agenda is really the opportunity to get the crucial things done.”
Rice noted that President Obama’s second-term agenda included “comprehensive immigration reform, balanced deficit reduction, job creation.”
She added, “And to the extent that my nomination could have delayed or distracted or deflected or maybe even some of these priorities impossible to achieve, I didn’t want that and I much prefer to keep doing what I’m doing which is a job I love at the United Nations.”
The full interview with Rice will air on tonight’s “Rock Center With Brian Williams” at 10p/9c. Excerpts will also be broadcast on Nightly News at 6:30 pm ET.
Obama said in a statement that he accepted her decision and regretted “the unfair and misleading attacks” on Rice, who was considered a front-runner to replace Hillary Clinton as the nation’s top foreign policy official.
Criticism over remarks
Rice has been under intense fire from Republicans for initially characterizing the Sept. 11 assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, as a spur-of-the-moment response to a crude anti-Muslim film.
“What happened in Benghazi was in fact initially a spontaneous reaction to what had just transpired hours before in Cairo, almost a copycat of the demonstrations against our facility in Cairo, which were prompted, of course, by the video,” Rice said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” five days after the attack.
“Opportunistic extremist elements came to the consulate as this was unfolding. They came with heavy weapons, which unfortunately are readily available in post-revolutionary Libya, and it escalated into a much more violent episode.”
As more details emerged suggesting it was a premeditated terrorist action, GOP critics accused Rice of misleading the public at the height of the presidential campaign.
She countered that she went with the best information available about the attack, in which Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed.
“I relied solely and squarely on the information provided to me by the intelligence community. I made clear that the information was preliminary and that our investigations would give us the definitive answers,” she said on Nov. 21 at the United Nations.
By then, Obama had already expressed strong support for Rice, warning Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to stop slamming her and vowing to block her confirmation.
“They should go after me,” he said at his first press conference after his re-election.
Despite a series of closed-door meeting with Capitol Hill lawmakers to drum up support, Rice continued to face questions from senators key to her confirmation.
After a Nov. 28 sitdown with Rice, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she couldn’t yet endorse the veteran diplomat and raised a new point of concern: her role in protecting American embassies in Kenya and Nairobi that were bombed by terrorists in 1998.
Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) suggested Rice was seen as too much of an Obama loyalist and the GOP preferred “someone of independence.”
Attack on critics
In her resignation letter to Obama, Rice took aim at her GOP critics.
“The position of secretary of state should never be politicized,” she wrote.
“As someone who grew up in an era of comparative bipartisanship and as a sitting U.S. national security official who has served in two U.S. Administrations, I’m saddened that we have reached this point, even before you have decided whom to nominate. We cannot afford such an irresponsible distraction from the most pressing issues facing the American people.”
Obama praised Rice as “an extraordinarily capable, patriotic, and passionate public servant.”
“While I deeply regret the unfair and misleading attacks on Susan Rice in recent weeks, her decision demonstrates the strength of her character, and an admirable commitment to rise above the politics of the moment to put our national interests first.”
McCain and Graham, among Rice’s loudest critics, said they would continue to press the administration on Benghazi.
“I respect Ambassador Rice’s decision,” Graham said in a statement. “President Obama has many talented people to choose from to serve as our next secretary of state.”
The withdrawal leaves Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) as a possible candidate for the job, and Republicans have said he would have a smoother run.
"I think John Kerry would be an excellent appointment and would be easily confirmed by his colleagues," Collins said last month.
Rice, 48, has been the United States’ permanent representative to the United Nations since 2009, after serving as a senior advisor to the Obama campaign, working at the Brookings Institution and holding other diplomatic and national security positions dating back to 1993.
Leave a Comment:
Thats too bad. The US lost a good person for the job. Its a shame how many good people choose not to get involved, or quit, because of the crap like this. People refusing to be fair, or honest. Its sickening really. I can only hope the American voter see's what kind of slime some of these people are, and what they represent. You wonder why politics is broken? Scumbags who arent ethical or honest, and dont have a shred of integrity.
Its never what others have done, and certainly no excuse for anything you do, its what have YOU done. Always. And what do you stand for. It sure as hell isnt honesty or fairness. (that was to her accusers)
You are right, lets boot the Democrat slime right out of the country, it's getting really bad. Honestly, honesty??? SHe lied, why is that so hard for you to understand.
After reading a few of these comments it is no wonder the Dems and the gop in Washington can't agree on anything. Never seen so much vitriolic partinsanship as you see here. By the way, she wasn't the person for the job and neither is Kerry so keep looking.
The withdrawal is unfortunate but now the Republicans(the bitter one John McCain in particular) can actually do the peoples work and avoid a fiscal fiasco. yeah do the real work which they were hired to do....
They are saving the US from the potus you elected.
Bye bye LOSER! Another crap Dumb-o-crat!
You are the loser! Your whole party is losers, Dumb Bo!
Look another inteligent post by the lefties, thanks for the help, you make the right look good, keep up the posting.
i am eritrean
good day for america.........
she is getto african american lady
she has no respect for office.
this lady have no respect for america or world....
she has no respect
good day for america
good day for eritrea
good day for people of ethiopia
I guess even Eritreans can be racist.
And you are nothing but a loser with an opinion no one cares about.
Bill Richardson would be a good choice for Sec. of State. Possibly Jon Huntsman, altho this would put him in the front-running R contender in 2016...the neocons would have a fit were this to happen.
Anybody but Kerry, we don't LizzyWarren looking bad when Brown returns, we have to keep that from happening.
Alaska Girl, her incompetence goes back to the Clinton Administration and Africa. Really, just look it up before you go into your standard blasting of Repubs. You hurt your credibility.
She made the right call. The confirmation process if she were nominated would have been destructive when we have so many other important issues in limbo. Whether or not she lied or simply made an error in judgement, the fact is her credibility would always be in question. I'm sure she wishes she'd never gone on that show. Hopefully John Kerry will now be nominated, confirmed, and we can move forward knowing we have someone with the right qualifications to replace Hillary...who most likely will be our next president.
Hillary as President? Hardly. I think our first female President should not have a 50 year history of being a doormat for sexual predators.
Yaaaaa boy, specially seein as she leid true her teef.
GRAND OLD PARTY IS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just starting, and glad to help.
I wish that someone could look into the background of senators McCain and Graham!
I have no doubt that there is something in their past that they don't want anyone to know about!
Such as, I wonder how many american GI's were killed in Viet Nam after McCain was captured and gave up information to the enemy!
Thanks for playing. Please try again. Bam!
ELdon, bad boy go to your room, how many times have you been told to understand what you are talking about, before you onen your mouth.
ELdon something else, would you please try to make that statement directly to McCain, I'd love to see him kick your douchy ass. DB
None.
What a stupid, assinine, ignorant comment about a man who sacrificed and suffered for his country.
This is a great lost!!! This is why I don't like the GOP!!
We don't like you either. Bam!
Because we won't let the lies stand????? What kind of values do you have?????
Look Benghazi wasn't the only embassy attacked on that date multiple embassy's were attacked all over the Muslim world. Some were actually attacked because of that video. But Benghazi come to find out was attacked by terrorist. The point should be to capture the one who did it not crucify the UN ambassador. What is funny to me is that she is the ambassador to the UN and has no power when it comes to embassy security that is the state department and Clinton. But the GOP is scared or Hillary popularity so the attack Rice.
Also when the WMD claims where made by the Bush administration and we went to war in Iraq we lost thousands of troops and Condaliza was all for it. But no one claimed to oust her are secretary of state.
The GOP wanted this attack to be Obama's, Jimmy Carter moment but it back fired in the debates in front of the whole country
Senator McCain was going around on lots of talks shows backing up the WMD threat and no one is calling for his resignation
Kinda a double standard don't you think
No as we are now starting to prove, they were sent to Syria. Also Condy Rice and others were under pretexts, this one set out to propagate the illusion that the Taliban was under Obamas control, whereas the truth was they were attacking the embassy, and Obama and others gave no assistance.
Good!!! She should pull out of ANY nomination process!! She LIED to the American People! Just because Obama can LIE, and does, doesn't mean that she should be able to get away with it! After all he is the "SUPREME" leader. (In his eyes anyway).
Unfortunate for her that it didn't come to pass. Unfortunately as they say, Elections have repercussions....business as usual in DC.
The Pary of NO did it again. What a bunch of numb nuts. They really ARE arrogant. I can only hope that immigrants will continue to become Dems so we can finally get these losers out of Federal office.
At that point moron they can toss your dumb ass too, carefull what you wish for. Dope
Then we will have the dictatorship Obama wishes for. Remember his comment that he can't get anything done due to the Judiciary and Congress. Go back to Civics 101 and learn about our three branches of government.
I know all about the 3 branches--and they are not working. What we have is a government being controlled by the minority with allegiance to the real wanna-be dictators, the 1%. Notice you Reps in this discussion: I did not use cuss words or call anybody names.
She either knowingly lied to the American people or allowed herself to be a stooge for the administration and exhibited no backbone when it became apparent. Either of which disqualifies her from the position.
I am amazed at all the people who think the Republicans are the only partisan party. You must not have been around for the hearings for Supreme Court nominees Clarence Thomas and Robert Bork. The Democrats, who position themselves the Party of diversity treated Clarence Thomas so poorly it was disgusting. Sent someone to Capital Hill with a story of sexual harrassment that was never proven, all because he is a black man who does not toe the party line.
@ jan joyce Our wounderful Goverment Never lies to us right. you must be one of the morons who voted obama in.
Screw the pooch, then blame the other party, she is just like her boss. and hers.
How can anyone go on the way she did for 5 days and still say this, the Democrats now think they are untouchable.
The house will fall apart as these idiots pat themselves on the back, soon they will be begging for help. Soon yes, even today dems scheme to get waivers from Obama care, knowledge will set us free, and the medias can't protect Obama much longer.
She lied for days and days. And who could believe her from day one. Attacked with RPG's because of a Youtube video? Are you kidding me! If you believe that, you are one of the mice following the pied piper. This administration has blood on its hands. They knew these people were in trouble and they did NOTHING! They intentionally let them die.
Agreed, Veteran. Blood all over their hands!!
Another human being down the flusher. We only want robots today that never make any mistakes and only fall within certain defined parameters. Keep flushing good people down and only keep the stupid rich ones in there for the status quo.
John Kerry a good choice ? NOT. Tried to cheat Massachusetts out of half a million dollars in taxes on his yacht. But he got caught !
Go back a little farther, he was a traitor to his Viet Nam buddies.
She did not lie she reported what she was told by the CIA this is total BS a non story which the media covered like the truth they should have been seeking. The only reason the Teapublican/GOP made such a big deal about this is they think the President will nominate Sen. John Kerry leaving his MA seat open for Scott Brown to step into.
Saddened by partisan politics? Say what? Partisan politics is a redundancy. What, she's registered as an independent? She's out front on the Sunday talk shows pushing the administration's not necessarily completely factual version of the Libyan embassy attack and imagines herself above the fray? She was likely a shoe-in before Obama and she herself shot her in the foot with that little act of apparent callous indifference.
Poor sad pathetic GOP sheeple, keep haten and blaming. You lost!! NOW get over it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!