Here’s my flashback on Susan Rice.
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” – Walter Scott
I have to hand it to Roger Kimball of PJ Media.com for reminding us of this well-known quote by Walter Scott in his post, “Susan Rice Is a Horrible Liar, ‘Incidentally’ Speaking.” ‘Incidentally’ is a reference Rice made when asking about the identities of various U.S. citizens, “incidentally” swept up during surveillance actions.
Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice will certainly be called to testify regarding alleged surveillance of the Trump transition team, but some expect her to “take the Fifth.” (USNews.com)
As President Obama’s national security advisor, Rice requested “detailed spreadsheets” from spy agencies of intercepted phone calls with unmasked associates of Donald Trump in legal conversations with individuals.
“Unmasking is typically the job of professional intelligence analysts, not senior White House officials,” the Wall Street Journal reported this week.
Two weeks ago, Rice told Judy Woodruff on PBS NewsHour. “I know nothing about this. I was surprised to see reports from Chairman Nunes on that count today.” Later, however, while appearing with Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC, Rice claimed that any notion she used her powers to harm Trump during her review of intelligence on possible Russian interference in the election was false. “Absolutely not for any political purposes – to spy, expose anyone. “I leaked nothing to nobody,“ she told Mitchell.
“By virtue of using a double negative, was Rice actually admitting that she had leaked something to someone?” suggested TK Whiteman in Conservative Firing Line.
“It’s unbelievable of the level and degree of the administration to look for information on Donald Trump and his associates, his campaign team and his transition team,” said Col. James Waurishuk (Ret.) an NSC veteran, “This is really, really serious stuff.”
Perhaps Rice is best known for her appearance on five Sunday morning network news shows insisting that the attack on our Benghazi compound was the result of a U.S -made video rather than a pre-planned terrorist attack.
Rice’s comments on the talk shows were met with shock and disbelief by State Department employees in Washington. The Senior Libya Desk Officer, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said, “I think Rice was off the reservation on this one.”
I remind you that it was Rice, who insisted that Army Deserter Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl “served the United States with honor and distinction.”
I opened this post with a Walter Scott quote so fitting of Susan Rice. I close with an on-point quote from the talented writer at National Review:
“The national security advisor is not an investigator. She is a White House staffer. The president’s staff is a consumer of intelligence, not a generator or collector of it. If Susan Rice was unmasking Americans, it was not to fulfill an intelligence need based on American interests; it was to fulfill a political desire base on Democratic-party interests.” – Andrew McCarthy
