So I’m going to give him a little free advice.

While watching C-SPAN2’s Book TV, which featured Dick Morris at a speaking engagement about his book Condi vs. Hillary. He was asked a question that he partially avoided. While he was able to bounce back most questions like a tennis champion, this one he could not fully address. The question was near the end of the Q&A session and was the following: (I’m paraphrasing, but this was basically the gist of the question) “How will Condoleezza Rice ever get enough votes, when she has never been elected to a public office, is female and Black?”

First regarding her never being elected to a public office. Dick Morris had to acknowledge she has never been elected, but he was able to point out that she has been head administrator over several multi-billion dollar institutions. Including heading the State Department now. He also pointed out that the office of the President is an Administrative position. What he failed to mention is that people like George Washington, Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower and William Howard Taft were never elected by way of a public vote to any office prior to becoming President. (I include George Washington in my list because he was never elected to an office by public vote in the old colonies.) For the sake of his point, Mr. Morris probably did not want to touch the Commander-in-Chief aspects, but being National Security Advisor she’s already made recommendations that involve our Armed Forces! Also her never being elected has it’s positive aspects. She has never been influenced by special interest groups. She does not need to feel that she might ?owe? any state any share of pork for past votes! In a sense she is PURE from the outside influences that have tainted so many Presidents and other politicians!

Regarding her being female, Dick Morris totally avoided this part of the question in his response. What he should have mentioned is that in a race between Condi and Hillary, both of them are women. So that mutes the point of her being female. Against a man, her being female could prove to be more of a benefit. Given the ?soccer mom? vote has been an influential swing vote. In a race against a man it might help her, if some women vote on the basis of gender. It’s bigoted, but still a factor to consider. If people would vote against her based on gender others will vote for her because of gender. So a woman running for President may have a base of support in her gender. States across the nation have elected women to positions of leadership in statewide votes. A national election is nothing more than winning the majority of various states’ electoral college votes. So a woman should not see any issues in running for President simply because of her gender and may even receive additional votes because of it.

The last part of the question was also avoided by Mr. Morris. And it probably is the easiest to respond to. Condoleezza Rice being a Black woman may cause some bigots to vote against her. But for every vote she would not get from bigots who don’t want a Black to be President, she would gain from some minorities that in their own bigotry want a minority as President, just because she is a minority. When Sean Hannity asked Dick Gregory if he would vote for Condi to be President he said YES, because he would be helping to make ?history?. Making history does not give anyone any extra abilities to run a nation, but some people will allow race to influence their vote. And Dick Gregory is a big time racist bigot! Dick Morris has mentioned often that he feels Condi could get the majority of the Black vote if she ran for President. I personally think she would get about 30-40%. And even at that amount, she would bring in a higher percentage of Black voters than any Republican Presidential candidate since Richard Nixon. Many Black voters are in key swing states! Blacks have won statewide elections even in Deep South states like Georgia. Where the Attorney General, Commissioner of Labor and State Supreme Court Chief Justice are all Black and were all elected in statewide elections. The Chief Justice of GA’s Supreme Court is a Black woman, who was just reelected in 2004.

I’ve also heard people complain about Condoleezza Rice’s stance on abortion. While she is not for the Federal Government banning abortion, she is against the Federal Government being involved in the issue at all.

Which means it would again be a state’s rights issue, like before the Roe versus Wade decision by the US Supreme Court. For now, all Pro-Lifers want Roe v. Wade overturned! And given Condoleezza Rice’s view of the Federal Government not being involved, that is consistent with overturning Roe v. Wade! So she is a candidate that Pro-Lifers should consider voting for.

Now I’ve said a lot in defense of Dr. Rice. But I must say that I personally do not think she should run for President in 2008. I think she should be VP on a ticket first, then make a run for President. If she ran in 2008, I can’t say I would definitely vote for her. It would depend on the field of candidates. I do know in 2004 if she was running for President instead of George W. Bush, given the 2004 field of candidates I would have voted for her. And being an Independent, I did review all candidates in 2004. The Constitution Party and Libertarian candidates both looked good, but not good enough.

update (12/7/2005 11:54AM ET): La Shawn Barber is wondering if this match-up will ever happen. There is no doubt Hillary will get the Democratic nomination. The only question is whether Condi will remain firm on her position to not run.

Shay of Blog Booker Rising is asking some questions about things I answered in this post. I must say that I find Shay’s lack of faith in Conservative voters to endorse Condi to be a bit disappointing. If Condi does run, she will realize Conservatives love Condi and will vote for her.