Houston Democrats

Check out this exchange with Russert:

MR. RUSSERT: But it’s more than just seeing violence on the screen. Would you not agree—accept the notion that Americans, who only 32 percent approve of the president’s handling, have seen some misjudgments: no weapons of mass destruction, a misreading of the level, intensity of the insurrection, whether we’d be greeted as liberators, sectarian violence, cost of the war? There were a lot of misjudgments made that the American people also witnessed.

DR. RICE: Undoubtedly, Tim, there are many things that could have been done differently, and I’m certain could have been done better. But when you’re involved in an enterprise this big and this complicated, there are going to be misjudgments. The real question is, do you adjust when you see a different situation on the ground? And in numerous circumstances, we have had to make adjustments.

I think those adjustments have been in the right direction, but there are also some misjudgments that were not made. There were those who said that it would be best just to overthrow Saddam Hussein and then put in an Iraqi strongman who could govern. That would have been a disaster for the progress of the Middle East as a whole and for a democratic foundation for, for the Middle East. There were those who said, “The Iraqis will, will really never be able to, to do this. Let’s go in with a huge footprint and do—leave nothing to the Iraqis.” What we’ve done is to steadily build Iraqi political capability and competence and confidence over this period of three years. [emphasis mine]

Although Russert was sheepish and obsequious in tone, he was asking Rice if she understood that only 32% of Americans approve of the President's handling of Iraq. Yet Timmy also turned the question in a lollipop through the passive constructions, "have seen some misjudgments" and "[t]here were a lot of misjudgments made. . . ." Rice slipped only once during this response when she said, "we have had to make adjustments." Otherwise, she performed her best Texas-step in order to remain in the passive mode.

This is a case of style revealing substance. This is Rice talking about policy she defended for the past four years, both as National Security Advisor and as Secretary of State. This is Rice representing the President. Misjudgements were made? Who could have done that?