Susan Rice withdraws name from consideration for Secretary of State
Washington, Dec. 14 (ANI)
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice has withdrawn her name from consideration for Secretary of State.
Rice said that she did not want to put the administration through a 'lengthy, disruptive and costly' confirmation process.
The move followed weeks of controversy on Capitol Hill over the possibility of her nomination, with Republicans threatening to block Rice from the post over concerns about her September comments on the Libya terror attack, Fox News reports.
According to the report, some lawmakers continue to charge that Rice misled the American people when she said on Sept. 16 that the attack was the result of a 'spontaneous demonstration spun out of control'.
In a written statement, President Barack Obama called those claims 'unfair and misleading', but said he accepted her decision.
"Her decision demonstrates the strength of her character, and an admirable commitment to rise above the politics of the moment to put our national interests first," Obama said.
Rice, in a letter to Obama, said that she remains 'fully confident' she could have served as an effective Secretary of State, but suggested the confirmation process would have hurt the administration.
"That trade-off is simply not worth it to our country," Rice wrote, adding: "I am saddened that we have reached this point, even before you have decided whom to nominate."
Obama is expected to meet with Rice on Friday.
With Rice's withdrawal from consideration, the likely selections for top posts in the administration are starting to come into focus, the report added.