Rice praises Biden; White House ... not so much

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

CRAWFORD, Texas (AFP) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice praised Democratic vice presidential pick Joseph Biden on Monday as "a fine statesman" and a "true patriot" -- praise the White House declined to echo.

"I am not going to comment on the politics of it. I'll just say that Senator Biden is obviously a very fine statesman," she told reporters on her way to the Middle East. "He's a true, true patriot."

Rice said Biden, who voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq but has sharply criticized the war, had been "really very supportive" of her diplomacy as the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations committee.

Asked about her comments, White House spokesman Tony Fratto declined to embrace Rice's use of "patriot" or "statesman," saying instead that...