Ohh Condi, You Are Precious!

Secretary Rice is currently pushing hard on new efforts to work toward a Palestinian state. But last week, before heading into Mideast matters, she decided to take a humor break elsewhere to lighten the mood-

The Russian government under Vladimir Putin has amassed so much central authority that the power-grab may undermine Moscow's commitment to democracy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday.

"In any country, if you don't have countervailing institutions, the power of any one president is problematic for democratic development," Rice told reporters after meeting with human-rights activists.

"I think there is too much concentration of power in the Kremlin. I have told the Russians that. Everybody has doubts about the full independence of the judiciary. There are clearly questions about the independence of the electronic media and there are, I think, questions about the strength of the Duma," said Rice, referring to the Russian parliament.

Hahahahahahaha! Oh Condi, you are hilarious. I see what you're saying there. {*wink*}

Seriously though, beyond our own domestic concerns, this is exactly why the Bush/Cheney imperial presidency is so dangerous. Just as our torture and war policies have destroyed our moral standing in the world, so has the administration's broader views on power (in which they are accountable to no one, and everything is politicized) destroyed our ability to lead other nations on democratic values. For the Cheneys of Washington DC, getting back at the 1970s trumped all other concerns.

There are legitimate concerns about what is happening in Russia. But who there reacted to Ms. Rice's words with anything but laughter?