The Foreign Service Journal, February 2005

F O C U S 30 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 5 game in Washington, D.C. — and in capitals around the world — to fig- ure out whether she is up to the task of being Secretary of State in these troubling times and what her ascen- sion means for America’s foreign pol- icy. There is no question that she has big shoes to fill in replacing Colin Powell. An American hero, he is one of the most respected Americans at home and abroad. It’s easy to understand why. He’s served the nation with honor and distinction in almost every national security job out there, and done it well: soldier; chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; national security adviser and, finally, Secretary of State. Fortunately, Rice comes to the job with several key advantages. After four years in the administration, she knows the president, the policies and the players well. Perhaps most importantly, Rice understands Pres. Bush. She has been at his side since well before the November 2000 elec- tion. (They met in 1998 at a dinner held by former Secretary of State George Shultz.) She began tutoring Bush on foreign policy before the 2000 presidential campaign and is one of his closest confidantes. She often accompanies the Bush family to the family ranch in Crawford, Texas, and spends most weekends with the president at Camp David. It might be said they are of “one mind” on foreign policy issues. That close personal relationship will ensure that she has unparalleled access to the president on foreign poli- cy issues — and will also ensure she is taken seriously right away by foreign leaders. Moreover, with her Perhaps Colin Powell’s greatest contribution to American diplomacy was his leadership and management of the State Department.