Is Secretary of State Rice a Partisan Hack?

On a lot of levels, Condoleezza Rice is a very admirable person. She is obviously highly intelligent, has a great work ethic, and has a background suiting her for her position. On another level, however, she comes across as a partisan hack.

Raw Story is reporting that the night before Barack Obama left on his foreign trip, Secretary of State Rice issued a directive to American embassies that barred them from arranging certain visits for presidential candidates visiting foreign countries. Here is a quote from the Raw Story article:

The night before presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) left for Afghanistan, Iraq and Western Europe for a tour of US bases overseas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice issued a cable to US missions forbidding them from holding events for presidential candidates or arrange meetings for them.

Rice issued no such cable prior to foreign excursions by presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

In a cable sent late Thursday, according to a copy leaked to the Washington Times, Rice enjoined American diplomats to treat the candidates as "members of Congress visiting in personal or semi-personal capacities," but "with additional restrictions based on rules related to political activity."

"Provide de minimis assistance to the candidate with logistical arrangements," said the cable, according to the Times. "If the campaign staff wants to rent a bus for press, tell them where they can rent a bus."

Rice didn't issue the same demands in advance of travel by Sen. McCain. McCain visited the Middle East four months ago -- but officials told the paper they didn't make similar demands because he was part of an "official congressional delegation."

What's amazing about stories like this is that the Bushies are partying like's it 2003 and they are ruling the world. Unfortunately for them, the media is getting on to their partisan hackery. What worked back in the day, won't work now.