Condoleezza Rice Must Go

Following upon the recent revelations that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice chaired meetings of high officials in the White House that planned and directed torture against detainees in Bush's "terror" war, TrueMajority.org, Brave New Films, and Democracy for America have lauched a campaign to oust her from office. The campaign includes videos -- one of which will air after the ABC Democratic Party debate tonight in Philadelphia -- a petition:

Ask Senators Clinton, McCain and Obama to join us in calling on Secretary of State Rice to resign.

America will not stand for a Secretary of State who approved torture and then misled Congress. We call on the Presidential candidates to ask Secretary of State Rice to resign.

After less than a day up and running, the petition has over 17,000 signers. The signature video nicely captures the main points of the scandal, and clearly shows who else was involved, lacking only a major point about the culpability and lies of President Bush. But then, whether the organizers of this campaign realize it or not, the push to drive out Rice will enrage Bush, with whom Rice has a special relationship. Perhaps it will make him do or say something incredible stupid, and incriminating.

Not that Bush hasn't said enough to incriminate himself. But since the power elite (not to be confused with demagogic charges of elitism against Barack Obama) and the bought-off press have done little to report this scandal, it will take hitting them over the head to embrace it, fearful, perhaps, that what shred of public integrity they still have is in dire peril. Or perhaps the American people in their massive bulk will wake up from their fearful stupor and take action against the criminals that are driving their country over a cliff.

Watch the video, then go visit the CondiMustGo website and sign their petition.



A very well-meaning associate has pointed out to me that Condoleeza Rice should not take all the blame. I agree. I laid out my support for the TrueMajority.org/Brave New Films/Democracy for America effort thus in an email to him:

She chaired the meetings. She is also current Secretary of State, and probably vulnerable to the support or lack thereof of her governmental bureaucracy. She has spoken very publicly and internationally on the U.S. not torturing. They have her quoted as giving the CIA a green light. There's less in the reports on the others. Also, I believe, it's meant to gore Bush, as he has a special relationship with her.

I agree with you that Condi must not be alone in getting pegged on this. But let's support every effort to hold the administration responsible, and get some momentum on this story. I promise you, based on my understanding of politics, if this takes off, it will not stop with Condi.