On NBC’s live Wednesday coverage of the GOP convention both Brian Williams and Tom Brokaw used Condoleezza Rice's speech to paint the GOP delegation as close-minded on immigration, education reform and Barack Obama’s background. Right after the former Secretary of State's speech, Williams snarked: "Portions of that speech could have been delivered at next week [DNC] gathering in North Carolina. Some candid talk to tepid applause on immigration." He then added that Rice made the "rare utterance at a GOP convention of the American truism that zip code determines education in our country."
For his part, Brokaw took a shot at the GOP crowd as he chided: "What was so striking to me was one other line that she had: 'It does not matter where you come from it matters where you are going.' Well to a lot of delegates, on this floor, it does matter where President Obama came from. Because they've been very critical of his Kenyan father, who had a different faith than many of them would embrace and they've raised lots of questions about where his ultimate loyalty is." (video after the jump)
The following exchanges were aired on NBC's August 29 live coverage of the Republican National Convention:
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Condoleezza Rice. And it's unfortunate, again, that she was brought on stage just five minutes before the air time tonight of the broadcast networks. It was, portions of that were among the better thought out and delivered of the speeches we'll be able to air. It also strikes me that portions of that speech could have been delivered at next week's [Democratic] gathering in North Carolina. Some candid talk to tepid applause on immigration. The rare utterance at a GOP convention of the American truism that zip code determines education in our country.
I'm joined here by Tom Brokaw, David Gregory, Kelly O'Donnell and let's talk about a few of these things. Tom, first of all, very little mention of all things Bush. The Bush years. The dual wars our nation finds itself fighting. Longest in our country's history. Dr. Condoleezza Rice, one of the architects of those conflicts. Your view of the absence of that kind of conversation?
TOM BROKAW: Her principle portfolio is foreign policy and she was national security adviser in the first Bush administration, Secretary of State. Deeply involved in the decisions first to go into Iraq and then go into Afghanistan. And the execution of those wars. And it was reduced to one line in her speech at the very end about "these were difficult decisions that we had to make. Nothing more beyond that. Moreover she came into the public arena as an expert on Russia. Almost nothing about that. Nothing about China.
And what was so striking to me was one other line that she had: "It does not matter where you come from it matters where you are going." Well to a lot of delegates, on this floor, it does matter where President Obama came from. Because they've been very critical of his Kenyan father, who had a different faith than many of them would embrace and they've raised lots of questions about where his ultimate loyalty is.
