THE CABINET

he had looked into Putin’s soul. When King Ab- dullah of Jordan first proposed in the summer of Condi Gets 2002 that Bush launch a road map to peace for the Arab-Israeli conflict, Rice tried to block it but later became a fervent backer. In 2000 she Her Shot scorned the use of U.S. troops for nation building, She argued the hard-liners’ case on but has undertaken monumental military recon- Iraq. But the next Secretary of State struction projects in Afghanistan and Iraq. remains an ideological puzzle Critics say that more often than not she simply By MASSIMO CALABRESI has settled into orbit around the real power cen- ters of U.S. foreign policy: Vice President Dick n one of the photo albums in her west Cheney and his ally Defense Secretary Donald Wing office, Condoleezza Rice keeps a picture Rumsfeld. “She’s getting this job because she’s Iof herself and President George W. Bush in a not a threat,” says retired Lieut. General William rowboat on a pond at the President’s ranch in Odom of the conservative Hudson Institute. When Crawford, Texas. Bush is standing at one end, Rice tried to impose order on prewar planning, peering over the edge at the bass in his stocked Rumsfeld ignored her. Vice President Cheney fishing hole. Rice is sitting at the established a broad and powerful other end, visibly uncomfortable. Despite four years as one shadow National Security Council She may love talking sports with of the Administration’s early in the Administration and the President, but she’s no fan of used his close relationship with the water. “She can swim, but she most vocal advocates, Bush to drive White House deci- doesn’t like it,” says a friend. “She Rice has shown sion making. and the outdoors are only on dis- few fixed Few Democrats want to be on tant acquaintance.” ideological beliefs. the record voting against the first It is a measure of Rice’s success black woman named Secretary of at building their relationship that Bush is com- State. Still, Rice will undoubtedly be grilled about fortable testing her, even during the off-hours. She her record and management. She faced criticism started out as his tutor on foreign affairs when he for placing counterterrorism low on her list of was still Governor of Texas. Now that Bush has priorities in the nine months before 9/11. And she nominated Rice to replace Colin Powell as his shares the blame both for letting the now dis- Secretary of State, the question is where she stands credited allegations that Saddam Hussein was on the foreign policy fights of the day. Despite seeking uranium in Africa get into Bush’s 2003 four years as National Security Advisor, Rice has State of the Union speech and for hyping the sig- shown few fixed ideological beliefs. nificance of high-strength aluminum tubes Iraq On several issues, Rice has changed positions tried to buy abroad. Despite these concerns, how- dramatically, shifting from a hard-nosed student ever, Rice is virtually certain to be confirmed by the of realpolitik to a true believer in Bush’s vision of Senate. ■ spreading democracy. She originally rebuffed attempts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Questions build relations with the Administration but then 1. Whom will Rice replace as Secretary of State? accepted him as an ally after Bush famously said 2. On what issues has Rice changed her position?

Cabinet Shuffle Within a month of Bush’s re-election, nine members of his Cabinet announced their resignations. In addition to Colin Powell, they include: Tom Ridge, Secretary of Homeland Security; John Ashcroft, Attorney General; Rod Paige, Education Secretary; Donald L. Evans, Commerce Secretary; Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services; Ann Veneman, Agriculture Secretary; Spencer Abraham, Energy Secretary; and Anthony Principi, Veterans Affairs Secretary.

12 time, november 29, 2004