Condolezza Rice leaves Perth after whirlwind visit

[depakid]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

The world's most powerful woman kept up a hectic pace on her visit to the booming city of Perth, though the world may well have wondered what she was doing there.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the West Australian capital late Thursday as a personal guest of Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith. Mr Smith, who had invited Dr Rice to visit his hometown at their first meeting in January this year, flew in with his new acquaintance aboard her US Air Force B737.

...After a stroll in the park with Mr Smith, some serious questions and a photo opportunity with a group of schoolboys who turned up for the occasion, Dr Rice was whisked off to board her flight, bound for New Zealand.

Mr Smith has maintained that Dr Rice's visit was unofficial - an act of courtesy that was all about hospitality. He said the visit would help to further relations between the US and Australia and put Perth in a positive light. He was not asked what could be achieved from a visit by a representative of a largely discredited US administration in the twilight of its term in office.

Read more: http://news.smh.com.au/national/rice-leaves-perth-after-whirlwind-visit-20080725-3koz.html

[Demeter]

1. She's Probably Seeking Political Asylum

[Newsjock]

2. 'The world's most powerful woman'??

Betty White was in Australia?

[Vidar]

3. Would that Betty were; she spreads good will & has championed

many worthwhile animal causes altogether a much worthier ambassador than Condi--"the mistress of murderers' row".

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. "Whirlwind" because if she stayed too long someone might have made good on that arrest deal

[thereismore]

5. Crocodile shoes? nt

[Arctic Dave]

6. She had to pass on the word for the Aussies to start

firing up the shredders and stoak the furnaces.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

7. I wonder how much that stroll in the park cost in jet fuel

[Honeycombe8]

8. "The world's most powerful woman"??? lol lol. Everyone knows ...

Everyone knows the world's most powerful woman is Hillary Clinton. (And I say that as a firm Obama supporter.)

Rice couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag. She is possibly the most stupid and ineffectual Sec of State we've ever had.

[dysfunctional press]

9. i don't know what the region's politics are...but i've always liked perth...

never been there, but it seems like a cool place for a city. maybe it's the isolation.

[depakid]

11. WA is generally well to the right of the rest of the nation

The Perth area actually added a couple of Liberal (right wing) constituencies during the the Rudd and Labor landslide of 2007.

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith of course, is a Labor PM (and the previous Labor leader Kim Beazley was also from Perth).

At least one Aussie I know speculates that Condi has a crush on Smith, LOL, because he's good looking, sophisticated and urbane- quite the opposite of her current boss.

[Trajan]

10. That power is slipping away ....

Might as well enjoy a taxpayer funded junket to the South Pacific while you still can ...

Then again, Miss 'Major Petrochemical Industry Sycophant That Has An Oil Tanker Named For Her' is set for life ..... She has done her duty to God and Corporation: Chevron has been swimming in YOUR money now for decades, and Miss MPISTHAOTNFH also helped drop the level of royalties paid by, and taxes exacted from said major petrochemical corporation so they can enjoy unfettered access to the blood and treasure of the American people .....

Im sure she doesn't think one whit about the pain people are in ....