If you've been on my Facebook you've probably seen the video I'm about to wax poetic about. You've also probably noticed my unabashed adoration of Condoleeza Rice. I've always thought she was an amazing, accomplished, brilliant woman but she has rekindled my passion for her sort of poise, decorum, and ruthlessness.
The video is a portion of her interview with Lawrence O'Donnell. He's trying to act like the serious journalist that he thinks he is by asking hard-hitting questions. He uses words like, "the biggest mistake in the history of statements made by Secretaries of State" and throws around glittering generalities like they're beads at a Mardi Gras parade all while keeping on his serious "this is an intense interview" face. Then after he's done making accusations instead of asking questions he proceeds to not allow Ms. Rice to actually answer any of them until she puts her foot down and basically says, "What on Earth are you doing? Is this an interview or do you just want to hear yourself speak?" They go back and forth, and back and forth, and it is riveting. She is eloquent and uses facts, and names real names and places and events from history to support her point. Whereas Mr. O'Donnell likes to use popular opinion, widely-held almost entirely false concepts and the crap his bosses told him to spew. Also, the only time she even remotely raised her voice was when he had to stop him from continuing on his ego-stroking diatribe against the answer of her's that O'Donnell already knew he wouldn't agree with.
After watching the video I mentioned to my husband that I sincerely wish a woman like Condoleeza Rice would run for President. I mean who needs jack-of-all-trades, "I'm going to pretend like I'm a politician and a housewife" Palin when you've got the business-minded, incredibly focused, logic driven Condoleeza Rice? He laughed and told me in no uncertain terms that there's no way that's going to happen. He explained that after what the media did to the entire Bush Administration there is no possible way that they're going to throw themselves into the Lion's Den again only to be torn to shreds for the very qualities that the Liberals would love and adore about whomever they endorse. Democrats would kill for a Black woman who is a University Professor, has her Doctorate, and is an acclaimed concert pianist. They loved Bill Clinton's saxophone (no innuendo there, I swear) and he couldn't even play that well.
But Condoleeza doesn't share their self-loathing, hypocritical, uninformed view of the realities of the World... so they butcher her.
In a perfect world they'd appreciate her for being the incredible woman she is, and would be begging for her level-headed, well informed, educated opinion and influence at every turn. But, I guess, in a perfect world we wouldn't have a Community Organizer turned Senator as President.
In Other News, speaking about Condoleeza makes me wonder if you can be a successful, conservative woman who is taken seriously... and have a family. A number of the women in my life that I believe to be the most successful have wonderful husbands and homes but no children. Is it possible to get your Master's degree, move on to a Doctoral program, all while working with a multinational corporation and have a few children through it all? And don't tell me, "Oh! Marie Osmond and Sarah Palin did it!" because they didn't. Marie Osmond was an entertainer... that's not nearly as difficult as earning your doctorate, occupying political offices, teaching at a University, running a company and writing a book. And Sarah Palin... well, don't even get me started.
I'd like to thank @PatDollard for the tip on the Condoleeza Rice interview video. Good looking out.
Anyway, I'm going to go make a pie. Seriously. And contemplate the complexities of gender and it's effect on perceived levels of success.
The video is a portion of her interview with Lawrence O'Donnell. He's trying to act like the serious journalist that he thinks he is by asking hard-hitting questions. He uses words like, "the biggest mistake in the history of statements made by Secretaries of State" and throws around glittering generalities like they're beads at a Mardi Gras parade all while keeping on his serious "this is an intense interview" face. Then after he's done making accusations instead of asking questions he proceeds to not allow Ms. Rice to actually answer any of them until she puts her foot down and basically says, "What on Earth are you doing? Is this an interview or do you just want to hear yourself speak?" They go back and forth, and back and forth, and it is riveting. She is eloquent and uses facts, and names real names and places and events from history to support her point. Whereas Mr. O'Donnell likes to use popular opinion, widely-held almost entirely false concepts and the crap his bosses told him to spew. Also, the only time she even remotely raised her voice was when he had to stop him from continuing on his ego-stroking diatribe against the answer of her's that O'Donnell already knew he wouldn't agree with.
After watching the video I mentioned to my husband that I sincerely wish a woman like Condoleeza Rice would run for President. I mean who needs jack-of-all-trades, "I'm going to pretend like I'm a politician and a housewife" Palin when you've got the business-minded, incredibly focused, logic driven Condoleeza Rice? He laughed and told me in no uncertain terms that there's no way that's going to happen. He explained that after what the media did to the entire Bush Administration there is no possible way that they're going to throw themselves into the Lion's Den again only to be torn to shreds for the very qualities that the Liberals would love and adore about whomever they endorse. Democrats would kill for a Black woman who is a University Professor, has her Doctorate, and is an acclaimed concert pianist. They loved Bill Clinton's saxophone (no innuendo there, I swear) and he couldn't even play that well.
But Condoleeza doesn't share their self-loathing, hypocritical, uninformed view of the realities of the World... so they butcher her.
In a perfect world they'd appreciate her for being the incredible woman she is, and would be begging for her level-headed, well informed, educated opinion and influence at every turn. But, I guess, in a perfect world we wouldn't have a Community Organizer turned Senator as President.
_______________________________
In Other News, speaking about Condoleeza makes me wonder if you can be a successful, conservative woman who is taken seriously... and have a family. A number of the women in my life that I believe to be the most successful have wonderful husbands and homes but no children. Is it possible to get your Master's degree, move on to a Doctoral program, all while working with a multinational corporation and have a few children through it all? And don't tell me, "Oh! Marie Osmond and Sarah Palin did it!" because they didn't. Marie Osmond was an entertainer... that's not nearly as difficult as earning your doctorate, occupying political offices, teaching at a University, running a company and writing a book. And Sarah Palin... well, don't even get me started.
I'd like to thank @PatDollard for the tip on the Condoleeza Rice interview video. Good looking out.
Anyway, I'm going to go make a pie. Seriously. And contemplate the complexities of gender and it's effect on perceived levels of success.
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