ABSTRACT
On September 11, 2012, an attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, killed four U.S. citizens, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Initially, Obama Administration offi - cials described the attack as “spontaneous” not “planned” (Shane, 2012, p. A16). In fact, on September 16, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice appeared on fi ve Sunday talk shows making this argument. At the time, Rice was widely believed to be President Obama’s choice to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. As clearer information emerged that the attack was both premeditated and involved terrorist elements, Rice increasingly came under scrutiny for her statements. Criticism of her, especially from Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and Kelly Ayotte, threatened to derail her nomination. Over several months, Rice met with senators and issued statements explaining her remarks as based upon “talking points provided by the intelligence community” and not “intended to mislead” (as cited in O’Keefe, 2012, p. A1). Still facing intense negativity, Rice withdrew her name from consideration in December. Examining the mediated discourse surrounding Rice’s failed nomination, and particularly the arguments regarding her temperament and lack of diplomatic qualifi cations, this essay posits these arguments relied upon previously existing images of Black women that function as implicit tropes that perpetuate race and sex discrimination. In doing so, commercial news media discourse contributed to the hostile environment that doomed Rice’s possible nomination as Secretary of State.
