5 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A Progressive's Review of the Condie Piece, May 31, 2006
This review is from: Biography - Condoleezza Rice (A&E DVD Archives) (DVD)
Yes, Condie is impressive. This documentary illustrates how she is a mistress of all trades: academics, accounting, public policy, musical performance, etc. Still, I was disturbed that Biography produced a work that was so gushy and uncritical.
There are many who are wowed by Condie, but many others hate her. Janet Jackson ripped her to shreds when she imitated her on "Saturday Night Live." This Biography mentions that Condie received an NAACP award. However, Aaron McGruder, creator of "Boondocks" and another recipient, was horrified to receive an award at the same time as her, and he stated his resentment publicly. This documentary mentions that she succeeded as a staff member at Stanford University. However, many have criticized her for doing nothing to promote or maintain diversity at the campus. I went to graduate school with a number of Stanford alums and not a single one of them, regardless of their racial identity, said anything positive about her. When Bush the Younger first ran for office, Condie boasted that she was "a Europeanist" and implied that she would completely ignore the developing world. It was an offensive, and possibly self-loathing, comment for which no one really took her to task, not to mention its naïveté. When Janet Reno had a national position, the Far Right dogged her for not having a husband or children. In this documentary, no Far Right interviewee condemns Condie for never finding a man or producing children, and these were not individuals influenced by feminism's promotion of women's right not to be mothers and wives. This documentary concludes with interviewees saying Condie would probably CHOOSE to pursue other interests rather than run for office. However, Condie has never run for office: she's been appointed. I think it is highly unlikely that she could win an elected seat. Among Powell, J.C. Watts, Thomas, and others, there has not been a strong track record of Black conservatives winning seats or staying in their seats for long.
This documentary shows many photos of Rice with Powell. However, he is never interviewed and their relationship never detailed, though Bush the Younger and the Elder love speaking about these two in the same breath. Many of Condie's Far Right cronies (who happen to be wealthy, white males) were interviewed. They were dry, rigid, colorless stuffed shirts just as she is. Those interested in this work may also love Frontline's work on Karl Rove.
Biography has produced this sycophantic work on Condie, yet I have not heard of them covering amazing African-American women on the left such as Barbara Lee, Donna Brazile, or Eleanor Holmes-Norton, just to name a few. This documentary is clearly meant for parents that may want to encourage children to select Condie as a role model. Despite Biography's obvious bias here, as a viewer I haven't changed my position. I hope that African-American girls can learn about true heroines like Harriet Tubman, Dr. Angela Davis, or Dr. Jocelyn Elders, rather than just ol' Condie.
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