Susan Rice’s cowardly critics; Even some liberal pundits are providing ammunition for John McCain

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8. Good, Joan Walsh Smacks down Dowd and Milbank!

Secretary of state is a diplomatic role, but it doesn’t require a doormat. It’s true, Rice is no fragile flower. She’s only a professional acquaintance, someone I’ve met just three or four times, but one of those times was at a week-long working conference on women and children, where she was smart, kind, funny, tough, opinionated and diplomatic. That doesn’t mean she should be secretary of state; it just means it wouldn’t be hard to write a piece refuting Rice’s anonymous critics – had Dowd or Milbank looked for them.

I know, they’re columnists, they don’t have to – but it’s sad they’re carrying water for Rice’s cowardly rivals and doubters. No doubt Republicans are enjoying having so-called liberals with which to bolster their unfair, sometimes unhinged attacks on Rice – now with the imprimatur “Even those liberals at the New York Times and Washington Post agree.” Righties used Jeffrey Rosen’s Sotomayor slam the same way, adding “the liberal New Republic” to her list of detractors.

How relevant is it that both Rice and Sotomayor, two women of color, both wound up derided as bullies who aren’t qualified? Hard not to notice; I’ll let the reader judge what it means.

Thanks for the article, DonViejo!