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.
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Susan E. Rice in a word, "Class". Perhaps the POTUS will refuse to accept her withdrawal, she would make an excellent Secretary of State.
I guess the GOP has won again, most unfortunate!
Maynard This may seem to be a Rep./ Dem thing. They will vent I assure you my reason has everything to do with the heavy investments she has made in Canadian XL Pipeline that this office will have the responsibility to oppose or approve. A true conflict of interest. If you owned any land that has been taken away by their illegal use of eminent domain and money to grease judges. I hope you would see this differently. My family has a 300 acre farm with sandy soil and 5 fresh water springs this has ruined the very reason it was obtained. Not to mention the land value. BTW the land owner has to still pay taxes on their confiscated land.
Katie78 -- I am not a wealthy person but before I retired my 401k was invested in AIG, I really didn't pay attention to that I was simply interested in the yield for retirement. Just before the economic meltdown, I retired rolled my 401k into an IRA. I made money off of AIG which turned out to be one of the biggest contributor to the greatest recession since the depression. There were things going on that I didn't pay attention to, that was my fault.
Ambassador Rice had not been nominated for Secretary of State, therefore, her investment in TransCanada Oil was not a conflict of interest. Please consider the position of Vice President Dick Cheney, former bigwig with Haliburton that received exclusive contracts/work permits to operate in Iraq. Mr. Cheney was a strong voice supporting the invasion of Iraq. He benefited from the no-bid process of Haliburton's success, this is/was and continues to be a true conflict of interest that no one was has found fault. I find this very curious.
Ambassador Rice, if nominated, could have divested from her investments with TransCanada. Now are you saying that she directly was responsible for your families losses or was she an investor in TransCanada which ventured into the Keystone Pipeline Project?
McCain's psy-op did her in; that old bucket of cat poo should hang up his cleats and retire, he's useless.
one thing this shows is that with the situations going in Michigan and now this all of it seems quite fishy ,so the talking points Ambassador Rice got directly from the CIA is somehow her fault because she was scripted ?that's amazing.I have great respect for her no one even knew who she was until the President named her Ambassador ,but for those who don't obviously know how brilliant she was 1.she's a Rhoads Scholar 2.she worked as under secretary for African Affairs under President Clinton I could keep going and going but that's not the point this was a Witch Hunt for sore losers my prayers goes for her and even the losers
If McCain and Graham wanted all of the answers to what actually took place in Bengazi, why didn't they 'man' up and go after those in the intelligence community. Susan Rice didn't take their nonsense, so they deprived the country and the world of the most qualified secretary of state candidate. You lost the election, so let's destroy what we can. These people are far worse than Al Qaeda or the taliban. Hillary will kick their collective backsides when she shows up at 1600...
Yes, and why didn't Senator McCain attend the committee hearing when the Q&A took place, instead he attended a TV interview? Can't receive answers to questions that way, if that was what his motivation was!
Yes, way to go Republicans you stomped and pouted, whined and cried so much that instead of working on the fiscal cliff, working on helping Israel and Palestine finally working toward some semblance of peace, stopping Syria from gassing their entire country we have managed to force Susan Rice to remove her name from being Secretary of State.
But it's nice to know Republicans have standards. You can't use preliminary intelligence reports to appear on talk shows, but you can completely ignore complete intelligence reports and invade countries.
Yo Barack, you want to talk about unfair attacks, how about talking(coming clean) on Benghazi?? Nothing more unfair then 4 Americans being killed/murdered and the Commander and Chief, along with his whole Adminstration, turtle on discussing what happened.
Whats sad is the fact that Nixon was impeached over Watergate for lying and no one even as much as stubbed a toe. Here we have American citizens killed and the first U.S. Diplomat in over 30 yrs killed............and its no big deal. Come on!
This is great news - she got caught lying and had to flee.
Whoopee............
Women and minorities need to never forget what the GOP did to this woman. Never forget and tell your neighbors, make sure they are registered to vote.
I guess a minority woman should be guaranteed to become a secretary of state. Oh wait - she is brilliant too.
Um, she did it to HERSELF by wantonly misleading the American public, and I'm a Democrat and voted for Obama.
paul you pathetic turd muncher. Tell us one conservative/Republican woman you came out and defended when the left attacked and/or villified because of their beliefs. Hypocritic bi7ch.
And yes I know it is a childish comment
Stop playing the race card already... YOU RACIST!
The GOP didn't "do" anything to this woman. The President asked her to go out on the Sunday shows and gave her the talking points. He said it.
go to the cemetaries...read the obits...get them aaaaaaaaaaaall registered we are literally a "sleeping giant" ha ha ha
So what so brilliant - ability to read the report with "available" information. Most of high school students can do that though not all so at least she is smarter than some.
She didn't want to go under the microscope and bailed!
I saw Susan Rice on those Sunday talk shows, and she was extremely misleading about what actually happened. She intentionally described in detail the YouTube video and stated CLEARLY that this embassy attack was a spontaneous reaction to that.
Although I seriously dislike John McCain and think his efforts to chase out Rice are incredibly mean-spirited and ugly, Susan Rice intentionally misled the American public so that Obama could still claim before the election that terrorism had been contained under his watch.
She helped Obama win re-election with her deception, and now she is paying the price. Now if Obama nominates Kerry, the Republicans will be able to seize that opportunity to place another Republican in Congress.
I'm relieved that Obama got re-elected over that elitist jerk Romney, so it was worth the price she paid for the country as a whole, and it's not as if Rice won't have amazing other career paths to choose. Besides, she's worth over $20 million, so I don't feel too sorry for her.
What a bunch of sycophants. The attack by TERRORISTS was an embarrassment to the little boy president and she was fed lies making her complicit to the lies. It's obvious Clinton would not cooperate so they sent a sacrificial lamb.
Ms Rice is heavily invested in the Canadian XL Pipeline that steals US land she has no business being in the post that can oppose or approve of this toxic venture for another countries and their investors gain. It is a blight on America that cuts across our nations largest aquifer and is more toxic than we have been told. All pipelines fail this one already has, it must be stopped.
Glad Rice is out.
Okay, given that, what do you propose we do? all us us buy hybrids? I cannot afford one... Use public Transit? Norfolk NE does not have public transit.... Build Interbans? I Love the idea, but who wants to pay for them....
...And please define "Toxic venture" and try not to be Euthyprho please....
If I were a Professional Woman, I would probably do what most Professional Women do, stick to the private sector and put up with the tail slapping, unequal pay rubbish there as it is more obscurity and probably more money as well.... Without the rabid canine attacks some of the Senators (Hatch, McCain, Durbin, and Boxer) are prone to do.
Really? I was saddened and horrified by her neo-socialism and corrupt ties to Soros. Partisan politics had nothing to do with it other than one side actually spoke the truth.
Not true!! Actually he has NO problem lying himself...Here's just a few of the Obama lies.
Would have the most transparent administration in History
Didn’t know Jeremiah Wright was Radical
Minimum Wage will increase to $9.50/hr
Obama campaign would accept public funding
No more wiretapping of citizens
Guantanamo bay to be closed within a year
I am not somebody who promotes same-sex marriage.
Unemployment rate will be 8.5% without stimulus.
Health Care deals will be covered on C-span
Cut Deficit in Half by end of first term
Obama says he’ll save average family $8,000 in gas
We shouldn’t Mandate the purchase of health care
The Health Care Package will pay for itself
We have run out of places in the US to drill for oil.
ObamaCare Fee is not a new tax
The health care bill will not increase the deficit by one dime.
Fence between US and Mexico is “Practically Complete”
My budget will cut the deficit by $4 Trillion over 10 years.
Romney and Ryan will gut pell grants for low-income college students.
I don’t Have Lobbyists
I’ll get rid of earmarks
Hey fisted redhead, you hear what Yakman is saying. Read all that and defend your sweet baboo
And just think, the POTUS was re-elected by a landslide! Evidently, the majority of the electorate disagrees with you.
Do you have a list of the falsehoods the GOP made in an attempt to get elected and perpetuate the attack on the middle class and organized labor as well?
and you admit to having no morals or ethics yourself by defending him. So how do you take YOUR $$$payment from the gubermint? What public union do YOU belong to? Is $$$ worth your self respect and personal identity or is it a persona that has always gotten you through life and you have no character?
It is always amazing to me the venom and hate in these comments. We are all Americans. We can agree to disagree. Our media is so biased and influenced by those in power that what is reported generally has no basis in reality. It's entertainment, chasing ratings, and ensuring no one in power is offended so their access is not revoked. I will say, however, that Obama did learn to say "NO" and mean it from the conservatives. They are not enjoying their tactic being used against them. Rather entertaining. The election was clear; the candidate forwarding higher taxes on the wealthy won. It is as if the conservatives (some, not all) have forgotten that this election was a greater mandate than both elections of our previous president. Let's get on with the American agenda, not the personal agenda! This was the POTUS's campaign platform and he won. Why are so many surprised that he is acting on it?
I don't believe Susan Rice knowingly lied, but it does seem rather absurd that she did not seem to consider that it was potentially more insidious.
She got caught giving the "party line" as defined by the CIA to help them determine the actual facts on the ground. Republicans seem to be implying that people in power should undermine national security by telling the truth to the press in all circumstances. Quite a different perspective from their stance during the Bush years. Troubling that the GOP would resort to such petty political theatrics on issues of international relations and national security. But then, they are bankrupt on all other issues, so why not this as well.
Susan Rice dropping out of contention for SecState is like Homer Simpson dropping out of contention for the Nobel Prize for physics.
The GOP did not "do her in". She is a lightweight and made a fool of herself on multiple national talk shows.
SecState used to be a position for the absolute greatest minds in American politics. She just plain isn't one.
GOP Scum always seep to the top and foul the nest. A Pyrrhic victory for the party of no. Ms. Rice has more class than McCain, Graham and all the other low lifes in congress. Hopefully, the President can find a suitable post for Ms. Rice to continue to serve the nation. It is no wonder so many people refuse to participate in politics; politics made tawdry by the likes of what passes these days for some senators and representatives. They have no shame.
I watched her at the U.N...she was not affective in that position.
We need someone very very strong at the U.N and also a very very
strong person as the Sec of State...someone 'unlike' Hillary who
is not a spendthrift of billions of taxpayers money...alike Hillary is.
Rice got borked. Hot diggity dog. The public will NEVER receive the real truth about the murder of the ambassador & the SEALS. Obummer will NEVER release the truth, a word that's missing from his vocabulary.
We don't need a public official who will bald face lie to the American people the way Susan Rice did.
And we don't need Gop ( Teabagger's) LIES
1) Boehner
2)Eric Canter
But the usefull id10t's gave us obama, again any way.
Oh, you mean like Cheney and Bush's lies of WMDs? You're absolutely right. We do not need any more of that mendacious trashy behavior.
Oh, you mean like Cheney and Bush's lies of WMDs that led to hundreds of thousands of deaths? You're absolutely right. We do not need any more of that mendacious trashy behavior.
It's fun watching the GOP slowly disintegrate before our very eyes. Just hand them a shovel and they keep digging a deeper hole. Good times!
You may be right about digging their own graves, but they won this round...
Let the Games Begin!!!!!!!!!
"disintegrate before our very eyes"? You fool, whether you like it or not, that's half the country. Since you can only accept "We win, you lose", I must remind you that if you trash and want to destroy half the country, YOU LOSE TOO. Stop hating so much and try cooperating... we'll get a lot further that way.
AMEN--AMEN--AMEN People don't stop to think what they've done. They only live for the moment and want the Gov. to take care of them because most are too sorry to actually work. Wait till the free stuff runs out and see what an angry mob of dems. look like. Well said ARTY.
I'm talking about the brand, not actual people. There is a difference Arty.
Thank you for proving my point. Good day special lady.
tennis5...
You have to make a point before it can be validated. Since you made no points, try again...