Rice helps break record while boosting political profile
Washington (CNN) - Condoleezza Rice is helping House Republicans set a new fundraising record.
The former secretary of state and national security advisor to President George W. Bush is headlining Wednesday night's annual March fundraising dinner for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Last year's NRCC dinner, which Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker keynoted, brought in a record $14.4 million dollars. A GOP source with knowledge of this year's event told CNN the amount raised at Wednesday’s dinner is expected to bring in $15.1 million.
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The money from the fundraiser, which is being held at the National Building Museum, should be a boost to the NRCC, which was outraised last year by $15 million by the rival Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Democrats need a net gain of 17 seats this November to win back control of the Republican-led House, a feat political handicappers say is unlikely in part due to the shrinking number of competitive congressional districts.
Rice's appearance comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia's annexation last week of the Crimean peninsula, which was an autonomous region of Ukraine with a large pro-Russian population.
"At a time when there’s such a focus on America’s leadership on the world stage, who better to hear from than former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice," said Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, the chairman of the NRCC.
"She is living proof that our country is the land of opportunity. We are very grateful that she is our keynote speaker and appreciate her help making this event such a success."
Rice's keynote address at the dinner, a much coveted speech which is often reserved for possible Republican White House hopefuls, is just the latest example of her increasingly political profile.
In recent weeks, Rice headlined a fundraiser in Kentucky for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who faces a primary challenge from the right as he runs for re-election this year. She also keynoted the California GOP's annual fundraising dinner, and starred in a TV campaign commercial this week for Dan Sullivan, who's running for GOP Senate nomination in Alaska.
Sullivan’s spot pushes back against attacks by conservatives against the former Marine, who served under Rice in the White House and at the State Department.
The former secretary of state has also weighed in on the controversial issue of immigration reform, supporting reform efforts which many conservatives in her party oppose.
Rice kept a low public profile after stepping down as America's top diplomat in early 2009, at the end of Bush administration. She pretty much stayed out of any involvement in the 2010 midterm elections, but began getting more involved in 2012, including a well-received speech that summer on foreign policy and education at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.
But Rice, who runs the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in California and serves on a number of corporate boards, has said she has no interest in running for public office.
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"Nobody could have imagined they would use airplanes as weapons."
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But that's EXACTLY the scenario you used to insult your Italian hosts at the G-8 summit in Torino in July 2001, when you INSISTED that the dauphin prince be housed on a private yacht in the middle of the harbor, all roads into Torino closed, and all air traffic within 100 miles of Torino rerouted so nobody could use airplanes as weapons against him.
It’s not really Condoleezza Rice helping set a new fundraising record; it’s how bad this version of the Democratic Party is, the American public / voters have had enough.
Why no remarks from her speech? Has she become radicalized like the rest of the party? It saddens me to see prominent African American leaders supporting the GOP at a time when the GOP are behind efforts of restricting voting and racial divisiveness. If I were a republican with MORALS, today's republican party will make turn to an independent.
SHE is presidential material. Worlds apart from Hilary. Condoleeza is a brilliant woman of integrity.
I hope she stay's there , she won't be missed at Stanford .
Maybe Condi and Rummy " Donald Rumsfeld and sing a Duet together !
The Way We Were ?
I understand that Rice used to be a pretty good figure skater. Why doesn't she run for POTUS? Rice just might be the most formiddable response to a Hillary Clinton nomination.
Keep out of hillary 2016 cause she was liedher story what happenef about murder 4 amercian at benzghinia
freedom
SHE is presidential material. Worlds apart from Hilary. Condoleeza is a brilliant woman of integrity.
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Rudy NYC
I understand that Rice used to be a pretty good figure skater. Why doesn't she run for POTUS?
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Between her lies to the 9/11 commission and her "let them eat cake" Broadway show viewing/shoe shopping trip while New Orleanians drowned in their attics, she isn't fit to run for Podunkville Sanitation Supervisor, much less higher office.
Name. willard
Keep out of hillary 2016 cause she was liedher story what happenef about murder 4 amercian at benzghinia
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I've now idea what you're trying to say, but 4 dead in Benghazi is a drop in the bucket in the face of 4,000 dead on 9/11. Then there's that 2005 New Orleans fiasco, but I digress.
Malory wrote:
Rudy NYC
I understand that Rice used to be a pretty good figure skater. Why doesn't she run for POTUS? Rice just might be the most formiddable response to a Hillary Clinton nomination.
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Between her lies to the 9/11 commission and her "let them eat cake" Broadway show viewing/shoe shopping trip while New Orleanians drowned in their attics, she isn't fit to run for Podunkville Sanitation Supervisor, much less higher office.
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Oh, I agree. Most any Democrat could beat her. She's Bush. I'm just saying that Rice might be the best response to Clinton. It would be a weak response, for sure, but she's still just might be the best that Republicans could come up with.
Bullock – Glad to see you're back. Fox finally has someone of your caliber to help them get their message out.
Condi had an oil tanker named after her, and Ghaddafy had her picture on his walls.
Are the Koch brothers invited?
As The Mighty Sparrow would say:
"She ugly yes,
but she's wearing an expensive dress"
@freedom
SHE is presidential material. Worlds apart from Hilary. Condoleeza is a brilliant woman of integrity.
She is part of the Bush oil posse you imbecile. All she wants is more phony wars to kill our kids and enrich her controllers.
the leftist liberal war on conservative women continues. why do you hate these intelligent women so much? because they threaten your concocted war on women fantasy?
What deals did she accomplish as Secretary of State? Uh, well, umm, but, but.... NOTHING!
She should be tried, along with everyone in the shrub administration, as a war criminal. It's obvious that she didn't do a good job and many have died because of her.
@Jeff Brown in NJ on your response to @freedom . . . . couldn't have said it better myself!