Conservatives are digging deep to cook up new creative excuses to disqualify U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice–so deep they are pulling at straws with a book the diplomat wrote in 1986 on black history education, drawing to the somewhat obvious conclusion that Rice is in fact an African-American woman who believes it’s important for other Americans to understand black history.
For months, Republicans in Washington have baited excuses to oppose Rice as speculation builds on whether she is to join President Obama’s cabinet to replace Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. But the latest saga in conservative attacks aimed at the U.N. ambassador transcends the typical political discourse to implicitly suggest that Rice’s race somehow disqualifies her from assuming the position.
The conservative outlet The Daily Caller dug deep into the supposedly incendiary archives of Rice’s past to unearth a book she wrote in 1986 while interning for the Black Student Fund. In the Caller’s article, the book A History Deferred is used as evidence against Rice’s character for advocating black history education to all students, even (gasp!) white Americans.
The Caller’s headline blares: “Susan Rice in 1986 book: Make white students learn black history.”
It goes on to suggest it’s Rice who is the racist. Because why? Because she wants Americans to learn about black history. They top off the article with an old photo of Rice sporting natural hair.
What’s next? Perhaps something pulled from her middle school art project?
Amanda Sakuma