Condoleezza

It's not exactly relaxing if you are struggling to play Brahms. But it is transporting. ... It's the time I'm most away from myself, and I treasure it."- CONDOLEEZZA RICE, secretary of state and pianist, on playing chamber music [THE NEW YORK TIMES]

There was a showdown of epic proportions tonight on "30 Rock. "  Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made her long-awaited appearance on the show and did not disappoint.  After exchanging barbs with ex-boyfriend Jack Donaghy who's played by Alec Baldwin -- Jack apologized for "drinking with Karl Rove on Valentine's Day" and Rice confessed the identity of her favorite movie: "'Mars Attacks!' is awesome" -- the duo engaged in a music battle.  It was piano vs. flute and no chords were barred.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has unveiled a new hairstyle - a longer, softer look that frames her face and is being called an improvement over her previous style. "It's a little bit classic Oprah [Win- frey]," says Lesly Simmons, who works in public relations for the American Red Cross in Washington and has her hair styled at Rice's favorite Silver Spring salon, Avatar. "I like it. I think it flatters her, and it's not too dramatic. It looks very classic." Elevating any black woman's hair to Winfrey-status is the highest of praise.

If you're like me, you're excited about Condi Rice's upcoming appearance on NBC's sitcom "30 Rock. "  After all, what's not to like? One of America's smartest people on the country's funniest TV show = endless possibilities.  We know that Condi had a brief affair with Jack Donaghy (played by Alec Baldwin). But why limit the former secretary of state to a love interest role? With her intelligence, talent and concert pianist skills, there have got to be more ways for Condi to help the "30 Rock" cast than merely becoming yet another notch in Donaghy's belt.  Condi could do anything from saving "TGS" to saving the country. So I started brainstorming and here's what I came up with.  Here are my top five picks for what Condi should do on "30 Rock":  5)

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday that the United States would seek clarification from Russia about an American military report that it had helped pass information to Iraq before the 2003 invasion, but she declined to make any specific allegations. "I don't have any reason to doubt or confirm the report at this point," Rice said on Fox News Sunday. "I do think we have to look at the documents and look very carefully." She added that the administration would "take very seriously any suggestion that a foreign government may have passed information to the Iraqis" before the invasion and that "we will raise it with the Russian government."

THOSE E-MAILS on the March 19 "Amiri Baraka disses Condoleezza Rice" column continue to pour in. (Love that Internet.) Most were supportive of the national security adviser and defended her against Baraka's reference to her as a "skeeza," a derogatory street term for a woman. As if to prove that America's lunatic fringe is alive and kicking, some seconded Baraka's motion. "I beg to differ with you," one man wrote. "Although `skeeza' is a street term, I think it aptly defines Rice. In my opinion she and [Secretary of State Colin]

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent outreach to leftist Latin American leaders was a wise move at a time many of those political leaders are increasingly resisting Washington's regional policy goals. Ms. Rice's latest remarks indicating the Bush administration's willingness to work with newly elected, left-leaning presidents signals Washington's acceptance of Latin America's changing political dynamics. It also suggests awareness by the administration, after several early stumbles, that trying to isolate popular leaders with political views it opposes is more likely to further weaken U.S. credibility in the region.

JERUSALEM -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, pressing for progress in peace talks ahead of a visit next week by President Bush, said yesterday that an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of the year is an "achievable goal." Rice's upbeat remarks contrasted with more pessimistic assessments voiced by leaders on both sides, and her talks in Israel were overshadowed by a new corruption investigation against Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Talks were revived in November at a conference hosted by Bush in Annapolis with the goal of reaching an agreement by year's end. But since then, there have been no visible signs of progress.

SECRETARY OF STATE Condoleezza Rice's recent visit to Haiti was a welcome move by the Bush administration at a time when the beleaguered Caribbean country could benefit from U.S. diplomatic engagement. Less than two months away from presidential and legislative elections scheduled for November, it is facing serious security challenges and problems registering voters, the population is dangerously polarized, and the American-backed interim government is loosing credibility. Ms. Rice urged the provisional government to work for "open, inclusive and fair" elections, a tough challenge given Haiti's history of bloody elections, the disqualification of 22 of the 54 presidential candidates, and widespread allegations of fraud in the registration process.

WASHINGTON -- Condoleezza Rice faces not just the 9/11 commission but the specter of Richard A. Clarke, the disgruntled former White House counterterrorism expert who did his best to undermine the credibility of his former boss when he testified before the commission March 24. The main thrust of Mr. Clarke's testimony was that Ms. Rice and the entire Bush team were insufficiently attentive to terrorism as an imminent threat. And the media played right along, parroting Mr. Clarke's criticism with front-page news stories questioning Ms. Rice's pre-9/11 judgment.

JERUSALEM -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, pressing for progress in peace talks ahead of a visit next week by President Bush, said yesterday that an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of the year is an "achievable goal." Rice's upbeat remarks contrasted with more pessimistic assessments voiced by leaders on both sides, and her talks in Israel were overshadowed by a new corruption investigation against Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Talks were revived in November at a conference hosted by Bush in Annapolis with the goal of reaching an agreement by year's end. But since then, there have been no visible signs of progress.

JERUSALEM -- With help from an Egyptian cease-fire proposal for the Gaza Strip, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice persuaded the U.S.-backed Palestinian leadership yesterday to resume peace talks with Israel. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had halted the negotiations Sunday over an Israeli incursion into Gaza and had rebuffed Rice's entreaties Tuesday to change his mind. But after speaking to Abbas by telephone yesterday, Rice announced here that the talks are back on track.

LONDON -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice huddled with British officials yesterday to sketch out new goals for the troubled allied effort in Afghanistan at a time of deepening concern over the direction of the six-year-old conflict. She met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband ahead of top-level meetings of the Western alliance in the months ahead to settle on a long-term course for the mission. Rice acknowledged that the allies need to strengthen their leadership, add combat troops, crack down on the Afghan opium trade and extend the authority of the country's weak central government farther into the heartland.

"I think everyone's still in bed," sighed Adee Telem as she gazed across the deserted St. John's campus. Telem works for One Voice, an Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation group; early yesterday she was hoping to round up some local idealists in time for the midday rallies outside the Naval Academy, where the peace talks were being held. The 26-year-old Owings Mills native and her colleagues figured that St. John's College was a prime place to look, even through the few students stirring there were plugged into iPods and slurping blearily from cups of coffee.

JERUSALEM -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice returned to Israel yesterday for the third time in six weeks, seeking to nudge the Israeli and Palestinian sides closer together in advance of a U.S.-sponsored peace conference. But Rice, after a day of meetings with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, acknowledged that her two-day visit is unlikely to produce agreement on a hoped-for joint pre-conference statement of mutual goals. "They're still working. And like with anything of this kind, you know, they're going through some knotty discussions," Rice said.

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkey's foreign minister urged the Bush administration yesterday to replace its words with action as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Ankara for meetings aimed at preventing Turkey from attacking Kurdish militants in northern Iraq. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, expressing his country's frustration with continuing attacks, said, "We need action. ... This is where the words end and the action needs to start." With Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan scheduled to meet with President Bush in the White House on Monday, Rice went to Turkey with hopes of setting a diplomatic course for easing the conflict among the Turks, the Kurdish militant group PKK and the Kurdish regional government in Iraq, which the Turks think supports the militants.

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration will seek $10.6 billion more in aid for Afghanistan, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday, in another sign that the White House is deepening its commitment there in response to growing concerns over a Taliban resurgence. The proposal came in a week when the Pentagon announced plans to extend the deployment of 3,200 troops in the country and amid a broad rethinking of the U.S. strategy for Afghanistan. The new aid, which would be spent over two years, would mark a substantial addition to the $14 billion the United States has spent in Afghanistan since the invasion that toppled the fundamentalist regime five years ago. About $8.6 billion of the new spending would be used to train and arm Afghan troops and police, and $2 billion would be for reconstruction, including roads, irrigation, electricity and other infrastructure, Rice told reporters during a trip to Brussels, Belgium.

JERUSALEM -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began a new round of Middle East peace talks yesterday with an acknowledgment that her three-month-old initiative is starting slowly and going back over basic issues that divide Israel and the Palestinians. Rice, who met yesterday with top Israeli and Palestinian officials, described her method as a "step-by-step" approach that requires spending time on such tasks as sitting patiently with leaders from both sides to learn their views.

CAIRO, Egypt -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice received measured support from Egypt yesterday for an Israeli-Palestinian peace conference despite widespread doubts in the Middle East that it will result in a lasting deal or improve security in the region. Rice's trip to Cairo was a diplomatic effort to convince Arab capitals to attend the Bush administration's summit, which has no official date but is expected to take place before year's end in Annapolis; Israeli officials have said it is expected to begin Nov. 26. Egypt has been skeptical of the idea for weeks, but after meeting with Rice, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told a news conference that he backed the plan.

JERUSALEM -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sought to play down expectations yesterday as she began several days of shuttle diplomacy designed to nudge Israelis and Palestinians closer to the bargaining table in advance of a Middle East peace conference. Rice met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and was expected to go to Ramallah today for a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. "I don't expect ... that there will be any particular outcome in the sense of breakthroughs," Rice told reporters on a flight from Moscow to Tel Aviv, Israel.