The Cowardice of Dr. Condoleezza Rice

Dear Dr. Condoleezza Rice,

Before I get to the root of my disappointment, I will share that I have been profoundly impacted by your career and government service. I have looked at your path and have tried to model it in my own pursuits in the field of International Affairs and Foreign Relations. I have tremendous respect for you, Dr. Rice, despite being on the opposite end of the ideological spectrum with respect to politics and your worldview on international affairs. After the Donald Trump’s Access Hollywood comments were released, you took to Facebook and called upon Donald Trump to withdraw as the Republican nominee for President of the United States.

Enough! Donald Trump should not be President. He should withdraw.
 As a Republican, I hope to support someone who has the dignity and stature to run for the highest office in the greatest democracy on earth.

Unfortunately, your comments came too little too late and truly exhibit the cowardice that many in the Republican establishment carry. I am baffled that you, whose biography shows that you served as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State have just found that Donald Trump’s latest comments being the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

I am shocked that you are not outraged by Donald Trump’s apparent connection and affinity with the Russian Federation and its leader President Vladimir Putin. Dr. Rice your political career has been built by your study and expertise of the Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation and you know all too well how complex the relationship is between Washington and Moscow. Yet, Dr. Rice you remained silent for most of this presidential campaign as your party’s standard bearer toys with authoritarianism and becomes a puppet of the Kremlin.

I know Dr. Rice, you always say that you are no longer in government and politics but I assumed that you were still a patriot at heart, one who truly believes that our republic must be protected and defended. I know that you know that the Kremlin is no friend of the United States. I know that you know that Putin romanticism needs to be actively countered. There are many patriot Republicans who also remained silent as the mutiny known as Donald J. Trump navigated the GOP primary and is currently just one election away from potentially becoming President. I guess I expected more from a person I have admired and a person who inspired me to pursue international relations. Your outrage is a little late Madame Secretary.

Sincerely,

JVB