Who is Susan Rice and Why Did Obama Nominate Her? And is She Related to Condi Rice?
As President-elect Barack Obama announces a handful of nominees today, it's good to see capable, competent, highly-qualified women in the mix. Of course we know Senator Hillary Clinton. And Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, though not a household word, is recognized and respected in political circles.
But who is Susan Rice, and why is Obama choosing her to be the US Ambassador to the United Nations? Is she the younger sister of Condoleezza Rice? or a relative or something?
The woman some Democrats jokingly refer to as "our Dr. Rice" is not related to Condi in any way, shape or form...although both share some interesting similarities:
- Both have a connection to Stanford - Susan attended the university while Condi taught there.
- Both just celebrated their birthdays in November. In fact, they're exactly ten years and three days apart - Condi's birthdate is November 14, 1954 and Susan's is November 17, 1964.
- Both are African American women who have risen to prominent roles in the white-male-dominated field of foreign policy - Condi as Secretary of State in the George W. Bush administration, and Susan as Assistant Secretary of State under Bill Clinton Both had 'firsts' associated with their tenure - Condi was the first African American female Secretary of State, while Susan worked directly under the first female Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, who coincidentally happens to be an old family friend.
- Both grew up in a cultured, privileged household with parents who were college-educated.
- Both attended an all-female high school.
Like Mr. Obama, Ms. Rice has long been a fierce critic of the Bush administration's foreign policy, and she does not look to Secretary Rice as a role model.If her nomination goes through (and by all accounts it should), then she'll get to prove herself as a major player on the world stage in 2009 and beyond as the United States' Dr. Rice and not just the Dems."I don't select role models on the basis of race and gender," she said in a telephone interview. She praised the two previous secretaries of state, Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell, but she said the jury was still out on Secretary Rice's tenure.
Photo of Susan Rice courtesy of The Brookings Institution
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Comments
Thank you for this information on the new Dr. Rice. However, I feel that it is somewhat presumptive and disrespectful on the part of the writer to feel that it is appropriate to address these distinguished women as “Condi” and “Susan”. They are not personal friends of the writer nor are they personal associates of the readers. It is bad enough for male journalists to do this, but professional women journalists should know better. If you think back to the Reagan administration, was his Secretary of State, Dr. Kissinger, ever addressed by his first name?
Good points, Ms. Manigault, and well made. However, I’ll offer this rebuttal:
First, follow the link to my profile of Dr. S. Rice (and Dr. C. Rice) and you’ll see I pay her the respect that is due them. Second, what you read above is a blog, a casual conversation that I have with my readers - thus I assume a more informal voice. To refer to both as “Dr. Susan Rice” and “Dr. Condoleezza Rice” would not only be unwieldy and burdensome but would put both women at arm’s length in the reader’s mind with the more formal use of their title. What matters is that we see them as whole women in the context of their lives - and connect with them in ways that exceed ‘due respect.’ Isn’t that what Obama’s change platform is all about?