[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 135 (Saturday, November 20, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11773-S11774]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            CONDOLEEZA RICE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I come to the Senate floor to applaud 
President Bush on his nomination of Dr. Condoleezza Rice for Secretary 
of State. She is an outstanding choice, and the American people are 
fortunate to have a public servant of her talent and intellect.
  During her tenure as National Security Advisor, Dr. Rice has been a 
steady and trusted confidant to the President. In her role of crafting 
policy and helping guide decision making, she has demonstrated 
extraordinary skill. But this should come as no surprise.

[[Page S11774]]

Dr. Rice is a woman of remarkable accomplishments. Throughout her life, 
she has applied her razor sharp mind and steely determination to reach 
the highest peaks of achievement.
  Dr. Rice was born in 1954 in Birmingham, AL. By the age of 3 she was 
already a piano prodigy playing hymnals for her family. By age 5, she 
was playing beside her mother on the church organ bench.
  At 19, Condoleezza earned her bachelors degree in political science 
cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Denver and a year 
later, her Master's from Notre Dame. And at the young age of 26, having 
earned her Ph.D., Dr. Rice became an assistant professor at Stanford 
University.
  A decade later, Dr. Rice was elevated to the post of Provost, 
essentially the chief operating officer of the University.
  From 1989 to 1991, Dr. Rice served the first Bush administration as 
Director, and then senior Director, of Soviet and East European Affairs 
at the National Security Council.
  During this time, Dr. Rice brought her considerable expertise in 
Eastern European affairs to the administration's handling of the 
collapse of the Berlin Wall, Germany's reunification, and the 
transition of the Soviet Union to the Russian Federation. This, 
combined with her years of foreign policy experience, particularly in 
the post 9/11 context, make her distinctly qualified to lead the 
Department of State.
  As the President said in his announcement, we are a Nation at war. As 
Secretary of State, Dr. Rice will have the responsibility of advancing 
democracy and freedom across the globe, not only to protect us from 
attack, but to fulfill America's unique moral purpose.
  Outlaw regimes must be confronted. Dangerous weapons proliferation 
must be stopped. Terrorist organizations must be destroyed. Dr. Rice 
has both the ability and experience, from fighting the Cold War to the 
War on Terror, to meet these daunting challenges.
  Dr. Rice possesses a rare combination of management and 
administrative experience, public policy expertise, high academic 
scholarship, and not least importantly, a graciousness that will serve 
America's interests well. In these difficult and challenging times, 
America needs a leader of her caliber.
  Dr. Rice has said that growing up, her father John, and her mother, 
Angelena, taught her that in a country where racial segregation and Jim 
Crow were an ugly fact of life, she had to be twice as good to get 
ahead. I think it is fair to say that she has surpassed this high 
charge.
  Dr. Rice is an author, classically trained pianist, ice skater, and 
tennis player. She speaks Russian fluently and is an avid fan of 
football. We are grateful that she has set aside, at least for the 
moment, her ambition to become Commissioner of the National Football 
League.
  A woman of deep faith in God, liberty, and freedom, Condoleezza Rice 
will protect and serve our national interests. I should also note that 
Dr. Rice would be the first African American woman to serve as 
Secretary of State.
  I urge the Senate to give Dr. Rice their strong support. I hope and 
expect to see her confirmed swiftly so she can begin addressing the 
urgent threats and challenges that face our great Nation.

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