WASHINGTON, December 13 (RIA Novosti) - The United States ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told NBC News on Thursday that she is withdrawing her name from consideration to be the next secretary of state.
“If nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly – to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities,” Rice wrote in a letter to US President Barack Obama, which was obtained by NBC News.
Rice went on to say that she was saddened by the partisan politics that have surrounded her possible nomination as secretary of state and “that trade-off is simply not worth it to our country.”
Rice was one of the front-runners to replace Hillary Clinton as the nation’s top foreign policy official.
Rice’s request to no longer be considered for the position comes after she received intense criticism from Republicans for her comments following the September 11 attack on a US consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
She said the preliminary information she received following the assault indicated it was triggered by an anti-Muslim film instead of what was later determined to be a premeditated strike by an organized terrorist group.
US ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the attack that has raised many foreign policy and national security questions, including the US government’s response to the assault.
As more details emerged about the consulate attack, Republican critics accused Rice of intentionally misleading the public since the attacks happened so close to the November presidential election.
Obama has defended Rice and said her critics should “go after me” instead and support her.
In a statement on Thursday Obama said he accepted Rice’s decision to remove her name from consideration, “while I deeply regret the unfair and misleading attacks on Susan Rice in recent weeks, 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.”
“The position of secretary of state should never be politicized,” NBC reported Rice as writing in the letter to Obama. “I’m saddened that we have reached this point, even before you have decided whom to nominate. We cannot afford such an irresponsible distraction from the most pressing issues facing the American people.”
Now that Rice is out of the running, Democratic senator John Kerry is being mentioned as a possible candidate for secretary of state.
