Russ Feingold: “today, as I did in the Foreign Relations Committee, I cast my vote in favor of the confirmation of Dr. Rice to be…”

“today, as I did in the Foreign Relations Committee, I cast my vote in favor of the confirmation of Dr. Rice to be Secretary of State. I did so not because I endorse Dr. Rice's views but because, barring serious concerns about a nominee's qualifications or serious ethical lapses, the President has the right to appoint Cabinet officers who share his ideology and his perspective. In keeping with Senate practices and precedents, my inclination is to give the President--any President--substantial deference in his Cabinet choices. I do not agree with many of the President's foreign policy choices. But as President, he generally has a right to a Cabinet that shares his perspective and agenda. However, I want to be clear that I was troubled by some of Dr. Rice's statements in the hearing. Our most senior diplomat, our emissary to the entire world, should be able to represent our core values. Dr. Rice's failure, and the failure of the administration, to categorically reject tactics that the average American would acknowledge to be torture is more than disappointing. It is dangerous, and it is shameful. I also want to restate my view that the President's foreign policy over the last 4 years has been, on many fronts, misguided and self-defeating.”