George Voinovich: “[Dr. Rice]'s performance during nearly 11 hours of confirmation hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee…”

“[Dr. Rice]'s performance during nearly 11 hours of confirmation hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week was more than just disappointing. It was alarming to see an official who played such a central role in crafting U.S. Iraq policy turn vague and uncommunicative when specific questions were asked. Congress deserves fuller responses on critical matters such as U.S. exit strategy, how soon before adequate numbers of Iraqi security forces are trained and the overall rationale for U.S. engagement in Iraq. I share some of those concerns, and so do lots of other members of the Foreign Relations Committee. I think the administration has not been as candid and forthright with us during the last couple of years in regard to some of the questions I and other members of the Foreign Relations Committee have asked. I want to make it clear publicly that I expect more candor from this administration during the next 4 years, particularly with members on the Foreign Relations Committee, so we can maintain a bipartisan foreign policy.”