Rice Gives U.K. Secretary Tour of Home State
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice spent this past weekend giving British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw a tour of her home state, Alabama.
ED GORDON, host:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spent the past weekend in her birth state, Alabama, on a trip she insisted had nothing to do with readying herself for running for office. But the rock star reception she got may have increased speculation that she will eventually be a candidate for something. NPR's Allison Keyes traveled with her.
(Soundbite of applause)
ALLISON KEYES reporting:
From the ovation she received as she took the stage at the University of Alabama's Blackburn Institute in Tuscaloosa...
Children: (Singing) Oh, we love you because you are so special.
KEYES: To the adoring reception at her north Birmingham grammar school, Brunetta C. Hill, it was clear that Rice was home. Traveling with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Rice insisted that she was not on some pre-campaign junket. Rice says she was just trying to show the foreign secretary a part of America that most diplomats rarely get to see.
Secretary CONDOLEEZZA RICE (State Department): It's awfully important to understand how complex America is and how different it is than just the East Coast.
(Soundbite of music)
KEYES: That point was made at a ceremony honoring the four young black girls killed in the 1963 Ku Klux Klan bombing at Birmingham 16th Street Baptist Church. One of the victims, Denise McNair, was Rice's playmate. Rice's father's church, Westminster Presbyterian, was just blocks away, and many who knew her attended the dedication. The ceremony was a reminder of just how much Birmingham has changed in the past 42 years. Condoleezza Rice has tried to downplay her personal story but many at the ceremony were pleased to see Birmingham honor one of their own, a product of the city's tight-knit black middle-class enclave.
Unidentified Man: Today's coin toss being performed by US Secretary of State and Birmingham native Dr. Condoleezza Rice.
(Soundbite of cheering)
KEYES: As warmly as Rice was received in the community where she grew up, the predominantly white fans at the University of Alabama football game against Tennessee seemed equally impressed with her. Tailgater Buzz Jones(ph) nodded thoughtfully as he considered whether Rice ought to run for president.
Mr. BUZZ JONES: I read where she said that she's not interested in any political office, but, you know, she could very well down the road be a viable candidate.
KEYES: But there were a few odd notes in what seemed to be an impeccably scripted series of events.
Sec. RICE: God bless you...
Unidentified Woman: Thank you.
Sec. RICE: ...and take care of yourself.
KEYES: At a camp for evacuees from Hurricane Katrina 20 miles from Birmingham, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was just the guy traveling in Rice's wake. He introduced himself to Joyce Delahoussaye, who seemed confused until she placed his accent.
Ms. JOYCE DELAHUSE: Oh, yeah, you're the English guy.
Mr. JACK STRAW (British Foreign Secretary): I'm the English guy. That's it.
KEYES: Then she introduced him to her son Randy.
Ms. DELAHUSE: He's Mr. England.
RANDY: Oh, OK. How are you doing today?
KEYES: There were also a few who greeted Rice's visit with skepticism. Betty, who wouldn't give her last name, is a 1970 graduate of the University of Alabama. She sat through Rice's appearance there with crossed arms. She's a Democrat who was against the war in Iraq and questions Rice's support of President Bush.
BETTY: I'm wondering why now, why all of a sudden now we're doing this PR presentation for him. Is that because his numbers are going down, because people are not for him like they used to be?
KEYES: With the seemingly endless number of photo opportunities, this visit had the look of a campaign, but when asked to take a vow to never ever to run for public office, Rice replied...
Sec. RICE: I said in every way that I know how that my goal is to be a good secretary of State for a president who has an ambitious agenda with our friends around the world. And I don't know how many ways to say no.
KEYES: Many who came to cheer for her during the visit vowed to vote for her if she ever changes her mind. Allison Keyes, NPR News.
GORDON: This is NPR News.
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