(CNN) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she knows who she’s voting for in the presidential election, but she’s keeping quiet about her pick.
“Have you decided who to vote for?” CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked in an interview that aired Sunday on “Late Edition.”
“Wolf, uh, yes,” Rice said.
Asked if she wanted to share her decision, Rice simply responded, “No.”
In the wide-ranging interview, Rice praised Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign and said having him as the Democratic presidential nominee has been “great for our country.”
“I do think it says that we've come a long way,” she said when asked to respond to comments from her predecessor Colin Powell, who congratulated Obama for knocking down barriers for African Americans.
“It's interesting that it's from Colin Powell. He knocked down a few barriers of his own. He knocked down the barrier of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He knocked down the barrier to the first black Secretary of State.
“Yes, I've knocked down a few too. It just shows that our country has been doing this for a while, and it's great that this last barrier, perhaps, has also come down.”
Rice also made clear that she has no desire to be vice president.
Rumors of a John McCain-Rice ticket were prevalent in April after Dan Senor, a leading Republican strategist, suggested that she was mounting a behind-the-scenes campaign to be McCain's No. 2
“I tell everybody who will listen … look, I’ve done my part, and I’ve got six months to sprint to the finish, and then I have other things that I want to do,” she said.
Following the end of her term, Rice said she wants to write a book about American foreign policy.
“There are issues that have come to concern me greatly - some that I was concerned about before I came here, like the state of education in the United States - which I think is at the root of our competitiveness. It's at the root of our confidence, and therefore it's at the root of our international leadership,” she said.
“I'll go back and work on issues like that and it will be time for somebody else to take the stage.”
From CNN Politics
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Dr. Rice has been great for America. She performed great her duties; but when viewed in the general context of this administration, Dr. Rice's effort becomes mear reflection of the mediocrity of this administration.
It's a no brainer, she black isn't she.
She will vote republician.
I see you did not print what i wrote before, You don't practice freedom of speech either, CNN.
Aren't felons not allowed to vote?
There's only one reason the Republican secretary of state and former national security adviser won't say outright that she's backing the republican nominee: because she isn't!
Of course you'll vote for the leader...OBAMA.
I'm a black woman who is totally disintersted in anything that this woman,arguably, the worst, most ineffective secretary of state in US history. Co-opted by the republicans like many talented blacks, who saw the fast road to prominence by allowing themselves to be used by the Conservatives. Can you say Clarence Thomas???
I think it is pretty clear, from her stated future priorities, who Secretary Rice will be voting for.
She can't admit publicly she's supporting Obama, but I think she is. She has made favorable comments about him in the past, and she knows as well as anyone the mistakes that have been made. Condi is on board, that is a 'slam dunk'.
Condoloser Rice is for Mc Cain. She is the cover for the boys club when they have to pretend they support divresity. Pity...
Wolf Blitzer is so cheeky - like Ms. Rice is going to tell him (and the rest of the world) who she is voting for.
Ms. Rice should have responded by asking Mr. Blitzer who he is going to vote for. On the other hand his bias during the primary season was apparent.
You know what that means?
there's no need for a vp pick,cuz' there's not gonna be a republican president.obama has many good choices.mccain has mostly lobbyists looking for a return on their financial support.
Hmmm...if she was voting McCain you sure think shed at least say she supports him etc...
Ha! After all her grandparents, parents and self have fought for to enhance the presence of African Americans in politics, it would be a darn shame for Ms. Rice to vote Republican.
If Barack loses, when will the next time an African American rises this closely ot the top? There is no other up and coming African American who even comes close to Barack Obama in intelligence, integrity and innovation. But he is inspiring others.
Leave it to Wolff to ask a stupid question:
Reic has done a great job in her present position, but make no mistake, she like the other 95% will vote for the freek.
They like to claim the country is ready for him. Be prepared for what will happen when he looses, or burry your head in the sand and hope for the best.
Of course she is voting for Obama. She's still smarting from the fact that McCain is not picking her up for VP. On the oher hand, who in his right mind would pick the ineffective Secretary of State of a failed Bush administration to be a running mate? No one. McCain can afford to lose her vote.
You'd have to be pretty slow to don't realize that Rice and Powell are voting for Obama. Black Pride in Obama is running at a fever pitch cause its never happened and McCain isn't even appealing to the Black vote in his party what so ever. If they were voting for McCain then they would just admit it cause he's they're party Nominee but they would never publicly admit they are for Obama cause it would do damage to McCain that the active Sec of State and former Bush Joint Chief of Staff are voting Democrat.
Who would ask her such a dumb Question. She's black, there's your answer.
Ha ha ha ... Vulf Blietzer ....
In fact the choice of Obama as president would say that there is a chance for any brilliant poitician from any race to becom American President. That´s what american future should be about....
I think it is clear who she will vote for....If she were voting for McCain, she would have said so....She is tired of BUSH too!!!
It's obvious who her choice is. If she was for McCain, she would have proudly said so and endorsed her party's choice.
I bet she's voting for Obama...
YES WE CAN!
Obama '08
I wis Conolezzaa would be Mccains vice presidential pick. She is great with foreign affairs.
And talk about breaking down barriers I think she would do great