Sarah Palin says former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would make a “wonderful” vice president and is more qualified to run the country if called on than President Barack Obama.
“I think that Condoleezza Rice would be a wonderful vice president, and she certainly has much more experience than our sitting president does today,” the former Alaska governor told Fox News’ Greta van Susteren Thursday night.
Palin was responding to a story on The Drudge Report – which Matt Drudge says was leaked to him by the Romney campaign – that Rice has moved to the front of the pack as the presumptive Republican nominee narrows his field of potential running mates.
Rice has repeatedly said in recent weeks that she is not interested in the job. But that hasn’t stopped speculation that — like John McCain in 2008 choosing Palin to run with him on the ticket — Romney might be willing to shake things up as well with a surprise choice.
Asked about Rice’s own pro-choice views on abortion, Palin said, “I would certainly prefer a presidential and vice presidential candidate who had that respect for all innocent, precious, purposeful human life, and showed that respect via being a pro-life candidate.”
But the Fox news contributor added, “We need to remember, though, that it’s not the vice president that would legislate abortion, and that would be Congress’s role. And we’ll keep that in mind.”
Palin said she was impressed with Rice’s experience, “especially in foreign policy, having served under President George [W.] Bush.”
“You know, I think her credentials far surpass Barack Obama’s or [Vice President] Joe Biden’s,” she said.
Palin also commented on reports of Romney being characterized by the Obama campaign as either a liar or a felon based on a Boston Globe report suggesting that he remained in charge of Bain Capital for much longer than he has admitted during his campaign and filed official documents as its chief executive officer.
The Romney campaign has demanded an apology and a correction to the story, but so far the Obama campaign and the Globe have refused.
Palin described the report as “just the tip of the iceberg” in terms of the “brutal” stories and Obama campaign tactics Romney will have to deal with between now and the November election.
But she said Romney was right in “forcefully calling for an apology” concerning “these false accusations.”
“He needs to be prepared, and the campaign can’t hold back in defense of Romney’s record and what it is that he actually believes and stands for. So I'm glad that, in a case like this, he's demanding an apology,” Palin said. “He’s got to take the gloves off, the Romney campaign has got to, in order to effect the change that is needed in this campaign and turn things around for the country.”
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