She was given the chance to set the record straight on our inconsistent policy towards Central America.

The fact is, we've lost so many lives over it.

clearing the air and, as Senator Biden said, starting from a fresh page here would have been wonderful.

I hope if nothing else Dr. Rice now gets the difference between her role as the National Security Advisor where she wasn't in any way responsible to come before Congress, but went to the American people and sold a war.

So a lack of candor in the past is bad enough. And here we have a continuing assault on reality.

I think it just shows that this is not an issue that you feel very comfortable with.

I just think it is a sad day for us.

We will lose credibility. So I hope you can think about that as you, I believe, will try to restore credibility for this country.

And it was appalling. Despite this fact--despite this fact--I'm sure you're aware who traveled to Iraq to meet with Saddam Hussein one month after we became aware of this.

I think that Senator Murkowski raised some of those because--I'm so happy she's on this committee because we can really work together on issues affecting women and children and families.

In my mind there is no doubt that Dr. Rice has the resume and the intelligence, and the experience to be Secretary of State.

I am very upset at certain things that occurred, and I want to tell you what they are.