NO Diversity of Thought from Puppetician Condolezza Rice
/Straight talk is what you expect from Colin Powell, who has always enjoyed a
good reputation among African-Americans, despite the abysmal ratings
Bush receives. That's why so many were disappointed at Powell's role in
pushing the fantasy of Iraq having weapons of mass destruction to the
United Nations as a rationale for war. For the first time, it suggested
he went against his own convictions in order to please his boss.
Previously, Powell was regarded as one of the few members of the Bush
administration with the stones to tell the president what he thought.
It was widely reported Powell told Bush that if he invaded Iraq, it was
tantamount to what he called "The Pottery Barn rule." As in, "You break
it, you own it." Well, no one disputes that Iraq is certainly broken
today. Now Powell is out, to be replaced by Condoleezza Rice, a black
woman so closely linked to Bush's ideology that some speculate they can
finish each other's sentences. It's a frightening scenario for those
who reasonably expect Bush's senior advisers to offer a diversity of
opinion when it comes to matters of war and destruction. That won't
happen now. Diversity is a word used often for the Bush administration
these days, with some suggesting more blacks should appreciate his
appointment of several high-profile minorities to cabinet positions.
Not so fast. It seems the Bush administration has never been as diverse
as some claim. A Newsday analysis of diversity claims made by
Bush at the same UNITY convention where Powell appeared found that
Bush's overall record of diversity pales when compared to the standard
set by his predecessor, Bill Clinton. An analysis of the roughly 2,800
political posts that form a presidential administration found Bush
lacking in significant areas.
- Blacks held 7% of administration jobs under Bush, less than half of the 16% they held under Clinton.
- Women won 36% of Bush's appointments, noticeably fewer than the 44% of Clinton's. [more]
