Susan Rice and How Washington Works by Janaye Ingram

It’s been a busy week for me personally here in Washington. The week started off with an all-day session focused on protecting our democracy. In the past two or so years, the right to vote has come under attack and there have been other laws passed that threaten the principles that I believe the founders of this great nation truly desired for us. The next day was spent focused on the Michigan Right-To-Work legislation that was introduced, passed and signed into law in the blink of an eye. Next up was a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on the school to prison pipeline that robs our communities of so many young, promising people who may just need a little help. Just yesterday, I spent the better part of my day visiting Senate offices along with some of the Black Women’s Roundtable to discuss the treatment of Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice by Republicans. Shortly thereafter and much to the dismay of many, she withdrew her name from consideration for nomination. This was all in a week’s work. It’s this work that I hope will allow me to continue to build a solid foundation here in Washington that will help me far surpass my wildest ambition.

While many media outlets have been focused on the fiscal cliff and rightfully so, no political news outlet worth their salt will let Ambassador Susan Rice’s self-removal from consideration for the position of Secretary of State slide under the radar. Immediately after the 5 o’clock news yesterday, my father called me asking why she “quit” as he put it. In his mind, he thought she all but had the position and he wasn’t the only one. It was the belief of many people that she would in fact be nominated. But if she was nominated, there would certainly be some people who would do everything within their power to make sure she was not confirmed. Unfortunately for us all, they didn’t even wait until the nomination process began before starting the vetting process and putting her on trial in some senses.

It’s an unfortunate situation. While many Republicans know that Ambassador Rice had nothing to do with what happened in Benghazi, that has not stopped them from pointing the finger in her direction for simply being a proxy during news shows after the attack to explain what happened. I won’t say that the intelligence she gave was accurate, because we all know at this point that what she said was erroneous. However, the burden of carrying Benghazi squarely on her back may have factored into her decision to step aside. The confusion over what really happened and why will be examined for days (and maybe longer in some circles), but at the end of the day, the fact that she can no longer be considered for the role is something that does not sit well with me.

Many people don’t realize the inner workings of Washington, the many politics at play and steps needed to get things done, the constant push and pull in many different directions, the need to focus on one thing and then quickly on another. The more I learn that, the more I admire Ambassador Rice, who is not much older than me, but has accomplished so much. Her career path is incredible and the imperfections, the lessons learned are what make me more inspired. When I think about my own aspirations to lead and ascend to higher heights, I know that I am going to have some obstacles. I will make mistakes; I will fall down and hurt myself and maybe others. But more than anything, I will get back up. It’s what my parents have taught me since I was a little girl.

Ambassador Rice did what was asked of her by appearing on those TV shows to talk about Benghazi in the aftermath of the attack. She read and reread the intelligence briefs and she went on the shows saying what she thought she was supposed to. Because of it, she has been knocked around and suffered some bruising to her reputation. But I know without a doubt that this is not the end of Susan Rice’s career. Her star will continue to rise and I am glad to just be witness to it.