From Politico:
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the Republican presidential candidates can – and must – learn about foreign policy basics while on the campaign trail.
Asked in an interview aired Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” about the basic foreign policy gaffes that Republican presidential candidates Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann have made, Rice asserted that a potential president needed – at a minimum – to master the basics of foreign policy.
“I would say to the candidates, you don’t have to know the ins and outs of foreign policy because nobody would expect that kind of exposure. But the basis of foreign policy, you can – you can master those during the campaign. And it’s important for the American people to know that you care enough about these issues to do that,” Rice said.
The former Bush Cabinet official noted that it was crucial for Republican presidential candidates to know the historical role America has played on the world stage.
“A potential president has to know the role of the United States of America and that it’s an exceptional role, that we have, in fact, been willing to bear a lot of burdens over the last 60 plus years in order to promote a balance of power favor – that favors freedom,” she said.
Some of the ones we have seen seem to know nothing and are proud of it. How can we be a world super power if the president has no knowledge of foreign policy? Even as candidates, these people are being watched around the world. Especially to those who don’t understand the democratic process fully, those who are unprepared simply embarrass the United States when they refuse to learn the basics.
A candidate has to be more than a set of sound bytes and cutesy expressions. A presidential candidate has to be able to communicate that he or she has a clear understanding of America’s role in world affairs and where the rest of the world is coming from. Right now our focus is on domestic policy but that is not to say that next week, month or year the focus will not switch drastically. All our candidates will have to pass muster. Some clearly are not ready to do so.
Yep. What she said.
Problem is….I wish that the current office holder would too……something about Hawaii being asian….? 😉
Or his view on the Muslim Brotherhood and the Arab “Spring” or the legality of attacking Libya…..
So…you know..the bar isn’t that high.
Actually, the President gets very high marks from the American people on his handling of foreign policy. Most Americans supported the killing of bin laden and other Islamic terrorists, the toppling of the dictator Quadafi, and successfully concluding the Iraq war.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/150650/Obama-Improves-Foreign-Affairs-Struggles-Fiscal-Matters.aspx
Obama’s foreign policy-related approval ratings all improved from their prior readings. This probably reflects the events leading up to the Nov. 3-6 poll, including the killing of Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi on Oct. 20 by opposition forces in that country — an event signaling the likely conclusion of the United States’ military involvement there. The poll also followed President Obama’s Oct. 21 announcement that he will be pulling nearly all U.S. military forces out of Iraq by year’s end. A Gallup poll conducted Oct. 29-30 found 75% of Americans approving of that decision.
Cargo, stop the finger pointing. She was pointing a finger at her own party. You will never get it when you don’t see your own flaws and only look at someone else’s over which you have no control.
Condoleeza Rice is one of the few people coming out of the Bush administration who I feel has some decency and American ideals. Actually, I think the Bushes might also. They just surrounded themselves with incredibly morally bankrupt people. That was a hard balancing act for her. That is simply an opinion….I won’t go to the wall with it.
“Yep. What she said.”
And I agreed with her.
I just added to it.
@Starryflights
Most Americans are woefully ignorant of the Constitution and foreign affairs. They just look at what’s reported in the news, that same news business that is cheerleading for Obama.
So, OF COURSE, he’s getting high marks. The public believed him when he said that we were getting out of Libya in a few weeks and then dropped it. The public has no knowledge of how that conflict was, arguably, illegal. And I said that he got credit for killing Bin Laden, etc.. And successfully concluding the Iraq war was an automatic schedule from Bush’s policy. The only thing he screwed up is that he wanted to keep troops there but failed. I notice that you don’t mention the surrender in Afghanistan.
But the press tried to bury Fast and Furious. The press tried to bury his remarks on Netanyahu. The press down plays China’s and Russia’s reactions to his statements on Iran. The press ignores how he angered Britain and cozied up to Chavez. Where’s his leadership? Oh..that’s right….he’s off junketing again in Hawaii….or as he calls it…Asia. I notice that the press mentioned that gaffe….barely. If it had been a GOP candidate or President…it would have been on 24 hours a day for a week…..
The press, the press, the press. Now why?
Most Americans aren’t Constitutional lawyers. Would you consider yourself an expert in Constitutional law?
How else do we get foreign news except through the press? We don’t. The military isn’t necessarily in the Know either. (if they are present) There is no greater
sensorcensor (geez) in the USA than the military.Cargo, do you really think that Obama thinks Hawaii is ‘Asia?’ Why do you keep bringing it up? Could he have misspoken? Did you do that to poor George Bush also? Did he correct or did he lie about it? Was he headed to Asia when he said it? How about coming home from Asia?
So Americans are stupid, is that what you think, Cargo? Thanks for sharing.
I bring it up as an example of the double standard. He gaffes and its ignored. A Republican gaffes and its on 24/7.
And yes…the press. They fail in their job of informing the public. When I stay away from the internet…and use only the mainstream press as a source….its amazing what is left out of the news or the slant its given. Unless one is a political junky….most people don’t follow up.
Actually, the news one gets in the military is really good. The news incoming is not censored. When I was in Kuwait, I had access to lots of foreign press and the internet.
While I’m not a Constitutional expert, I believe that I pay much more attention to it and to its applications as per the government than most Americans. Since I pay attention to politics, history, and to 2nd Amendment legal battles, I believe that I am much more familiar with Constitutional issues.
@Starryflights
There are SOOOO many jokes in that as it applies to today’s politics…but I’ll answer seriously.
Yes. Americans are stupid. They ignore at their peril their politics and their government, regardless of party. They vote for candidates that promise nothing more than “hope and change” even when, after voting, they support the positions of the opponent when those positions are attributed to Obama. They vote for candidates like McCain, because he’s …well…I don’t know what his attraction is. They vote for candidates because they are more handsome on TV. They keep voting for crooks in office. They allow Congress to get away with actions that, for them, would be illegal. They continue to believe that there is such a thing as a free lunch. They continue to vote for free money and free stuff even though their great grand children now owe taxes. They support the politically correct idea that a country can have an open border and still stay the same. Americans tolerate poor schools, believing that more gov’t controls will improve them. They remove the study of History and Government for the pablum of “social studies” and still expect American children to understand today’s world. They do not teach the Constitution. They teach the idea that there are rights that force OTHERS to provide for you. They teach the idea that the government is your master, not your servant. They teach about man-made global warming as a “settled science”, brooking no dissent…..by the way…if that’s the case…if science can be “settled” then the SECOND faster than light neutrino discovery should be a major shock…..
So, yes…Americans ARE stupid. Because they have all the information that they need to make better decisions and they ignore it. When Dancing with the Stars is more important than Fast and Furious…yes…Americans are stupid.
@Cargosquid
I forgive people who correct. Do you really think that is important? That is gotcha. There are misspeaks and then there is woeful ignorance. Do you think that Cain on Libya was a gaffe? Bachmann and the mass murderer was a gaffe.
Cain and Libya….gaffe…
He was tired. Apparently it was a looong day…but…that’s part of the job.
Bachmann….don’t know that one. Haven’t paid any attention to her.
why not? Bachmann was a front runner. She works hard and tried to be on top of her game.
Cain … I don’t think that was a gaffe. That was simply not being ready for the presidency. He needs to work on so many things before he should even consider that role.
@Moon-howler
Because I wasn’t paying a lot of attention at that time. Nothing she said jumped out. Same with Santorum.
Nor am I now….if it hadn’t been for the “scandals”, I wouldn’t being paying that much attention now. It’s too early in the primary season. We need some of these candidates to drop out. Huntsman, Bachmann, Paul, Santorum….they won’t get the nomination. Paul may attract enough delegates to be a spoiler.
The various debates are idiotic. Better time would be spent if the candidates had 2 or three debates and spent the rest of their time giving speeches outlining their positions with short question time afterward.
So, I wasn’t interested in Bachmann. She never tripped a trigger on me to attract me to her positions. I like Cain because he’s a complete outsider with a business sense that seems inclined to use “straight talk.”
I like Newt because he’s intelligent, can debate, will not suffer idiot reporters, and can admit mistakes.
Perry…meh. Mainly because he’s moderately conservative. But he can’t think on his feet. His executive experience in Texas is helpful.
That’s my top three.
I’m not happy with any of them, but I’d settle with one of those…..
I see Romney as Obama-lite. At one time or another, Romney has supported every action that Obama has. If Romney wanted to be President, he should actually primary Obama. I think that he would win the nomination……he’d be the darling of the “moderates.”
Palin/Cain 2012 !!!!!
If you want someone who isn’t an insider and who is intelligent why not look at Huntsman. Unlike 2 out of your three choices, he speaks English quite well in addition to mandarin Chinese. He has executive experience as he was twice governor of one of the most conservative states in the union. He also has family values without beating people over the head with them. Perhaps I am trying to say he is a good family man. He lives it rather than talking about it.
To date, no Republican has been able to tell me specifically why they don’t find him acceptable. Truthfully, I find the three people you mentioned disingenuous buffoons. And as for change, Newt has changed more times than I can count. Interesting that he is allowed a political make-over and Romney cannot. I have no feelings about Romney one way or the other other than he and Huntsman come across presidential and I cannot say that about the others. The others are more or less entertainers.
Newt is allowed because he started from conservative principles and has admitted, bluntly, that he’s made mistakes in the areas that we find objectionable. Romney is a weasel, always trying to play both sides.
Huntsman, while appearing qualified, has no charisma, does not generate excitement. He is like McDonnell. Boring but competent. If McDonnell was running, I wouldn’t be overly excited about him.
Perry was a front runner only because his image was better than the reality and he was the anti-Romney. However, Newt’s performance in the debates is being noted. He’s the one with decent answers and refused to accept some of the asinine premises put forth by the idiot moderators. A debate between Obama and Gingrich would be great. And Obama would lose. Obama reminds me alot of Perry. He’s lost without prepared remarks. And even then, he makes mistakes.
For such a supposedly great speech maker…he sucks. He talks down to the audience and lies constantly. Easily verifiable lies. At least when Clinton lied….it was hard to pin him down.
Don’t blame the media on this one, this is from Fox News. More Republican idiocy in foreign affairs
Herman Cain Suggests Taliban is Running Libya
WASHINGTON – Herman Cain suggested Friday that the Taliban were
playing a role in Libya’s new government. The comment initially was
seen as another foreign policy misstep from the Republican
presidential candidate, but aides later pointed to a one-time Libyan
rebel leader who fought in Afghanistan to back up Cain’s claims.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/18/herman-cain-suggests-taliban-is-running-libya/#ixzz1eRL6uKck
LMAO – the fact tha Libya and Afghanistan are on different continents, among other things, makes Cain’s claims laughable. This guy really needs to go back to running pizza parlors.
Hey Starry…. He confused Al Queda and the Taliban……which in some cases are indistinguishable.
So….he’s right on the TYPE of person that’s running Libya. Al Queda. And your boy helped.
Even AFTER that was pointed out to him.
And the last time I looked….FOX is part of the media…..I don’t separate them out.