Mercy, Ms. Boxer, How DO You Talk!

Pat Oliphant gets it right.

Oliphant and I have long shared a similar view on the National "Security" Advisor. Condi's charm continues to elude me. When people in the media go on to excuse her many failings with gracious comments on her marvelous background and her loyalty to Jr., I scratch my head in wonder. The woman may know something about Russia (which hasn't been too obvious lately, either) but she has always been completely out of her depth in the Mideast. Whatever people are seeing in this incompetent , ineffectual liar, it's over my head. Her performance yesterday in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was satisfyingly true to form: full of dissembling and specious argument, and defensive posturing when called on her own record. "I would hope we could have this conversation without impugning my credibility or integrity"? Please, lady. That may work with the pre-K minds that usually surround you, but the fact is, nothing can erase the many transcripts we have of your bald-faced lies and backtracks. I mean, look.

Shorter Condi:

"We didn't know how many troops we'd need and we didn't look into it. We didn't secure the weapons sites and other crucial areas after invasion and didn't try even when we saw the looting and heard the reports. We aren't sorry there were no WMDs because even though you have the transcripts in which I insisted they were there and used that as the reason--the sole reason--for invasion, once we couldn't find them we made up a lot more after we stuck our fingers in the wind, and how dare you call me untruthful because of it? We never had an exit strategy and don't see a need to create one because we're in no hurry to get out, mostly because we have no idea how to extrcate ourselves. We're not sorry for any of it and we see no mistakes, and if we had it to do all over again, we would in a heartbeat. I can't tell you when we'll know we've been successful in Iraq, but I'll know it when I see it."

Yes. This is who we want bearing our nation's seal to other countries and building bridges around the world. More of the same, but worse. At least she'll do Colin the favor of looking great by comparison.

Update: Well, the fools are up doin' it again, as Tonio K. sang. Approved by the committee, and headed for a shoe-in confirmation by the Senate. The Democratic culprits: Joe Biden (DE), Paul Sarbanes (MD), Chris Dodd (CT), Russell Feingold (WI), Bill Nelson (FL), and Barack (nice start) Obama (IL). Get out your crayolas and talk to them.