Resource Analysis 2 - Condoleezza Rice: An American Life

       In her biography Condoleezza Rice: An American Life, Elisabeth Bumiller illustrates and analyzes Rice's life growing up, her introduction into politics, and later her position as a leading lady in US politics as Secretary of State. Beginning with her ancestry and childhood, Bumiller emphasizes the influence Rice's upbringing had on her development into the powerful black patrician that she is today. Descending from both white slaveowners as well as black household servants, Rice grew up seeing herself as a part of the nation's founding culture. At the least, "her ancestry was a crucial part of the self-confidence that fueled her rise" (4).

       Rice's political career sparked in the years 1989-1991 as she served in President George Bush's administration as Director, and then Senior Director, of Soviet and East European Affairs in the National Security Council, and a Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. In this position, Rice impressed Bush who later nominated her to be Secretary of State in 2004, the first African-American female to acquire such a title. As Secretary of State, Rice championed the expansion of democratic governments as she reformed and restructured US diplomacy as a whole. "Transformational Diplomacy" is the goal that Rice describes as "working with our many partners around the world... and building and sustaining democratic, well-governed states that will respond to the needs of their people and conduct themselves responsibly in the international system" (63). Though Rice did implement this diplomacy, there is great debate over what benefits really resulted, especially in the Middle East where the US push for peace was becoming more and more complicated and frustrating. Despite being a strong woman with a vast amount of opportunity to implement her political rank in foreign nations, inside the White House Rice "did not so much as prod the process as get drawn along in its wake" (183). When asked about the purpose of the war in Iraq, Rice refused to comment on the situation, stating that "the president has made up his mind, this is not a productive use of our time" (185). As seen through her firm loyalty to President Bush as well as her inability to take her own positions, Bumiller's biography highlights the critical views of those who see Rice as ignorant in her approach to foreign diplomacy.