We've talked about the Rice factor in our current presidential politics, and whether Americans would vote for any woman. I'm still not convinced that she wouldn't be the #1 choice to replace a retiring Dick Cheney (which, I admit, is not a likely scenario since he's W's impeachment insurance, and if he were going to retire, it would have been after his drinking dead-eye shooting accident), but the pressure apparently is increasing for her to run in her own right (which raises the question of whether her "right" is the same as the wingnutty neo-fascist-Christianist right that seems to be calling the shots in Washington these days).

Reports ABC:

A disparate group of Internet gurus, political junkies and foes of Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is pushing a Rice candidacy even though President Bush's top diplomat has said repeatedly that she has no desire to be president.

But the Republican also has declined invitations to rule out a bid in 2008, spoken about the likelihood of a minority winning the White House in her lifetime and taken steps to soften her image words and deeds that have provided a glimmer of hope to her fans.

I happened to see this on Ann Althouse's site. She says, "Run, Condi!"

I wanted to comment there, but apparently she's set her blog to receive comments from Blogspot users only (and I feel it's rather pointless to post using an account that has lain dormant for coming up on two years now), so I'll just say here....

I cannot think of a more underwhelming choice than between Condi Rice and Hillary Clinton -- especially for what would be the first woman president of the United States. Condi's confirmation hearings for Secretary of State made me want to scream, while every time Hillary opens her mouth I have to consider getting some bicarbonate. I don't trust either of them.

I can think of more appealing possible candidates on either side, even women. (Egad! Is it possible?) Can we talk Christie Whitman? Barbara Boxer? They've bucked their party lines and took stands on important issues (the environment and torture, respectively), and that tells me that they know what they believe and buys a lot more of my respect than the prevarications of convenience offered by Rice and Clinton.

Yes, I suppose we have to expect that all politicians lie. But I'm not inclined to support a candidate just because she's well entrenched in her party machine. Just the opposite, in fact.

Then again, when I look at the likely alternatives.... No wonder so many people just don't vote.

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