Garvey's Ghost: Black Talk

Kerik and Condeleeza

In an earlier set of posts I discussed why I and many others objected to Condeleeza Rice being appointed as Secretary of State or even continuing to be National Security Advisor. Many, if not all black conservatives and not a few white ones rose to defend the honor of Dr. Rice accusing black and white liberals of intellecutal parochialism, racism and only capable of puerile logic. Unfortunatly is appears that Al Sharpton has thrown his hat into this arena. I have been a pretty staunch supporterof Rev. Al, but how he says it's ok to call out Justice Thomas but not Condeleeza, smacks of the political opportunism that many have labelled him with. If this is the road Sharpton wishes to travel than I will be more than happy to unhitch my horse from that cart. But this isn't about him. This is about Condi.
Apparently Kerik has been removed from nomination to the top Homeland Security post because he apparently hired a nanny who was in the country illegally AND he failed to pay taxes on her salary. The latter makes sense since paying taxes to a person who shouldn't be here would simply point them out. But anyways, the administration has said that the presense of an illegal alien by Mr. Kerik

quote:
White House officials were clearly annoyed at Mr. Kerik for not determining the nanny's immigration status before this week but said they had no evidence he had sought to mislead them. "It was Kerik's screw-up, it was that simple," the official said. "But it's a mistake you can't tolerate with someone who has oversight for immigration."

Well now, if that is the case: that failure to determine immigration status of an individual makes them unfit for a top Homeland Security post. Then shouldn't it also be the case that a person who failed to heed the many warnings about imminent threat of attacks on US soil, or failed to inform the president of that information or failed to even know about the information, shouldn't that person be unqualified for National Security advisor much less Secretary of State?


Let's take the Black conservative position that race should not be a factor. If we remove race then if Condi, is good enough with her clear failures as National Security Advisor, then Kerik should be good enough regardless of some illegal nanny that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual execution of Keriks duties.

Silly and puerile isn't it?

[edit 12-13-2004] Oh now we find out that Kerik has apparently cheated on his wife with two women at the same time. Interesting, but still doesn't mean much as far as qualifications to run a department. And if such things were important to the American people then Bush, with his AWOL issues, would not be president.

[edit 12-13-2004] Apparently their are issues of kickbacks and possible Mob connections. So I will have to take back this comparison of Condi and Kerik, though I still think Condi is not qualified for her current or new appointment.

Links:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/politics/12kerik.html?hp&ex=1102914000&en=0d3204c719c9e91e&ei=5094&partner=homepage