As Ramesh notes, Rice’s very close relationship to the Bush foreign policy ought to be a deal-breaker as far as her placement on the ticket goes — in terms of popularity, if nothing else. This being an election and all, popularity is a reasonable measure of utility on a ticket. I am, in some ways, a real fan of Condi’s. She has earned her position by intellect and talent. She chose a substantive and difficult field of studies. She has the manner and demeanor of an intelligent, serious, and elegant woman. Did race and sex play a part in her rise? Maybe those things were a plus. But personal intellect, discipline, and effort played a much bigger part.

The thinking seems to be that, because she is black and a woman, with a very substantive resume, putting her on the ticket would be a real coup in a race against the first black/woman. And it would, if image were the main qualification. However, both substance and hard electoral math are more important.

And there are a few other matters on her record with which we might quibble. For one thing, Condi has no constituents. She brings with her no otherwise unwinnable state, or class of voters, as a governor might. In government, she seems to have risen, as so many do, a step beyond her level of competence. Can anyone name a major foreign-policy accomplishment of hers as Secretary of State? On the negative list, she has imposed a regime of strict moral equivalence between the Hamas/Hezbollah/Gazan terrorists, and Israel, in another failed bid, by an administration that, early on seemed to know better, for any kind of “peace.” She has announced that the plight of the poor Palestinians reminds her of her youth in the segregated South. I find this disturbing because it is sentimental nonsense. She should know better, given that American blacks coming out of slavery were way worse off than Palestinians who have chosen terror, violence and anarchy at each juncture where they might have chosen peace and the improvement of the fortunes of the group by dint of the hard work of individuals. (That, in effect, is what the Rice family chose. As did millions of other American black families. It has transformed our society in a brief 40 years. Precisely those same 40 years have gone by in the Middle East — with a great downward spiral in the lives of those Palestinians unlucky enough to be left behind as pawns.) She has not actually brought the State department to heel (though almost no one does), as an executive. And it is unclear how effective she is in interagency warfare. (And that would be a real skill for a VP to have.)

For another thing, she seems to have even less interest in domestic politics than McCain himself. She would have been a better balance, on the basis of her resume, for Romney. Someone with some interest in the economy would make a sounder choice. Even if you have to waste valuable time introducing that person — a governor, presumably — to the American people.

(By the way — I think that after our all too close personal relationships with Clinton, Obama, and McCain it will be refreshing to have some new faces around to pick on, in the general.)

Whatever she is bucking for behind the scenes, Rice was right to say, as she did last week when asked, on the record, that it is time for “new blood” in Washington.