Received in email this evening:

Dear Rayne --

This morning I entered the Senate hearing room with a wonderful feeling, knowing that over 40,000 of you stood behind me as I sought to hold Condoleezza Rice accountable for her many actions leading up to the war in Iraq and beyond.  I talked about your support during my opening statement.  And knowing you were with me gave me the energy I needed to keep fighting for the truth.

I hope you had a chance to watch some of Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearings today.  Because if you did, I'm sure you'll share my feelings.

I'm disappointed and I'm frustrated, because I don't think Dr. Rice has been forthcoming in our quest for the truth.  Time after time, Dr. Rice had the opportunity to set the record straight on many issues.  And, on issue after issue, she failed to do so.

She failed to set the record straight on the hyped-up nuclear threat leading up to the war on Iraq; she failed to do it on the total number of trained Iraqi security forces, which is key to the Administration's exit strategy there; she failed to do it on her misstatements about Al Qaida operating in Iraq; and she failed to do it on the U.S. policy regarding torture.  This last issue is the most troubling one, as it was clearly demonstrated that while Dr. Rice speaks out against torture, she actually personally intervened to kill an anti-torture provision in a recent intelligence bill.

So, I'm not going to back down -- I'm going to keep asking the tough questions, illuminating the many inconsistencies, falsehoods, and disturbing revelations in Dr. Rice's previous statements about Iraq, the war on terrorism, and the use of torture -- holding her accountable for the failures of our foreign policy.

Now, in these final hours before our committee votes on Condoleezza Rice's confirmation, you have one last opportunity to make your voice heard in this process.  Demonstrate to Dr. Rice and the United States Senate your dissatisfaction with her lack of candor.  Help me demand the truth and hold Condoleezza Rice accountable.

Tell your friends, family and colleagues to sign my petition today -– in these final hours before the confirmation hearings conclude. 

Thank you so much for standing with me in this fight for the truth.  I can't tell you how much I value your friendship and support.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S.  Please encourage everyone you have to sign our petition in these final hours before Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearings conclude!

===

I've already signed the petition, and gone a step farther.  I've emailed Boxer and my state Senators the following message:

Thank you, Senator, for protecting America's interests.

I have questions I wish someone would ask Ms. Rice during the confirmation
hearings, in relation to her suitability for the State Department:

-- After failing to protect the American public from terrorists in spite
of warnings from the previous administration, and failing to see substantive
inadequacies and conflicts in intelligence, leading us to war, what is it
about your performance in your last job that qualifies you to be the best
candidate to represent the U.S. in foreign policy?  Can we afford to bet
on your work history to date?

-- -- Your work history up to now has not emphasized personnel or
operations management.  What is it about your entire job history that
makes you uniquely qualified to run one of, if not the largest Cabinet
department?  How will you guarantee the American public a positive return
on their investment in the State Department?

-- During your tenure as National Security Advisor, relations with the
rest of the world have been critically damaged, including the perspective
of the U.S. as a human rights leader.  Were this a corporation, this kind
of loss might be represented on the books as negative goodwill.  What
constructive action will you take to remedy this decline, and by what
measures will you assure the American public that you are making progress?

-- Can you share with us a recent failure during your most recent position
and what you did to overcome that failure? (If she can't come up with an
example, point to her article in NYT dd.23JAN03, "Why we know Iraq is
Lying")

Thanks very much again for your patriotism, defending the interests of
American citizens.

Sincerely,

Rice is interviewing for a job, paid for by my tax dollars.  She failed to impress me during her employment as National Security Advisor, paid for by my tax dollars.  I expect a lot better than I'm getting.  Were it up to me, I'd rather hire John McCain for the position.

11:07:35 PM    comment []

The project manager is in the hospital. 

Not life-threatening, not to worry.  Glad he'll be back and at it soon with no real long-term repercussions as far as we know. 

Things were definitely moving along too well, making me suspect a correction was due.  But I hadn't bargained on this kind of a massive hiccup. 

The cosmos has a way of reminding one of priorities.  This reminder was overdue.  If you haven't done so, you need to audit your personal health and lifestyle.  The project manager needed to do so and didn't, got the cosmic reminder that he needs to eat better, stop smoking, get more and better exercise...for starters.  What about you?  Chances are very good that the cosmic reminder you might get won't affect just you.  Think about it.

Blogging could be spotty, depending on how things fall into place this next week.

12:38:05 PM    comment []