ABC Lauds 'Hard-Nosed,' 'No-Nonsense' Susan Rice, Obama's New Nat'l Security Adviser
After President Obama appointed U.N. ambassador Susan Rice to be his national security adviser, ABC's Good Morning America lauded Rice on Wednesday as "hard-nosed" and "no-nonsense."
Rice's biggest knock against her nomination for Secretary of State was
giving false information on the Benghazi attacks to no less than five
different Sunday talk shows just days after the attacks. ABC, though,
was sympathetic to her nomination last fall, describing the GOP
opposition as a "buzz saw" and glossing over the fact that what she said was, actually, false.
Wednesday's GMA still couldn't muster the nerve to call the talking points "false," just "very controversial," as White House correspondent Jonathan Karl put it:
"Susan Rice, of course, as you mentioned was the one that went on the Sunday shows right after the attack in Benghazi and talked about it being something that came out of protests in Cairo, a very controversial set of Sunday show appearances."
However, Rice is "no-nonsense," despite giving false information to the
American public. Co-host George Stephanopoulos saw good things in her
future: "she will be a hard-nosed national security adviser."
And Republicans blocked the nomination of a woman who is "tough" and "no-nonsense," Jon Karl reported:
"She is tough. She is no nonsense and, frankly, she was, early indications, the person the President wanted to put over as secretary of state. Republicans made it clear they would do everything they could to block that."
Below is a transcript of the segment, which aired on Good Morning America on June 5 at 7:09 a.m. EDT:
[7:09]
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And Jon, we're just learning now that the
President's national security adviser Tom Donilon is going to be
replaced by U.N. ambassador Susan Rice, of course, in the middle of that
– all that controversy over Benghazi.
JONATHAN KARL, ABC News chief White House correspondent: That's right,
George. Just a few minutes ago a senior White House official told me
that Donilon is out and Susan Rice is in. This will be something that
certainly will capture the attention of Republicans. Susan Rice, of
course, as you mentioned was the one that went on the Sunday shows right
after the attack in Benghazi and talked about it being something that
came out of protests in Cairo, a very controversial set of Sunday show
appearances. She's somebody Republicans don't like very much, but is
very close to the President and now she will be his national security
adviser.
STEPHANOPOULOS: She has been with him right from the start from the
beginning of his presidential campaign. The President even looked at her
for a possible pick as secretary of state, and she will be a hard-nosed
national security adviser.
KARL: She is a no-nonsense adviser. As you mentioned one of the very
first foreign policy advisers on the President's campaign, close to him
even before he officially launched the campaign. She is tough. She is
no-nonsense and, frankly, she was, early indications, the person the
President wanted to put over as Secretary of State. Republicans made it
clear they would do everything they could to block that. As national
security adviser she does not need Senate confirmation, the President is
free to choose whoever he wants.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And speaking of no-nonsense, Jon, Michelle Obama last
night, private fund-raiser at a home in Washington, D.C. confronted by a
gay rights activist, and she was having none of it.
(Audio Clip)
MICHELLE OBAMA, First Lady of the United States: Wait, wait. One of the
things – one of the things that I don't do well is this.
(Laughter)
(Applause)
(End Audio Clip)
STEPHANOPOULOS: And Jon, right after that she basically walked right up to the heckler and went toe to toe.
KARL: This is something else, George. The heckler told us afterwards
that she felt like the First Lady was just a few inches away from her
face. What happened is she came down from the podium, approached the
heckler and said, you could hear a little bit of it in that tape, one of
the things I don't do well is this. Listen to me or you can take the
mike, but I'm leaving. You all decide. You have one choice. George, the
crowd loved it. They started applauding. The heckler was removed and the
First Lady went on with her speech.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Round one to the First Lady.
