Susan Rice ‘very open’ to joining Biden administration

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Former National Security adviser Susan Rice views Mike Pompeo's faith and role in government as a bad mix

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has often spoken publicly about his Christian faith. Former National Security advisor Susan Rice believes there is cause for concern if Pompeo is not representing all religions as America's top foreign policy official.

Susan Rice, former President Obama’s White House national security adviser, said Wednesday she is “very open” to joining the Biden administration as she praised President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Rice, during an interview on MSNBC Wednesday, was asked whether she has been approached to join the Biden Administration and if she would be willing to serve should the president-elect tap her for a role.

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“I’m not going to get into any kind of personnel issues,” Rice said, adding, that she has “said many times and in different contexts that I am very glad that we have Joe Biden and Kamala Harris coming to the White House.”

“They are going to bring compassionate, responsible, effective leadership, and if they think I can be helpful to them in any particular capacity, I’m very open to serving,” Rice said.

Sources close to Biden told Fox News this week that Obama is pushing for the president-elect to nominate Rice for secretary of state.

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In 2008, Rice served as United Nations ambassador for Obama, and later became his national security adviser in 2013.

Rice was said to be on the shortlist of Biden’s potential running mates over the summer, before he eventually chose Harris to join him on the ticket.

After the Biden campaign announced Harris would serve as vice president in a Biden administration, Rice applauded the choice, while saying that she would “help them govern when the time comes.”

“I’ll do everything I possibly can to help Joe Biden become the next president of the United States and to help him to succeed in governing in whatever form or fashion he wants,” Rice said in an interview with NBC News August.

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When pressed, over the summer, on whether Biden had promised her a different role in his administration, Rice said: “I’ll let Joe Biden answer that question, but let me say—I’m proud to serve him in any way he’d like.”

She added: “I’m ready to serve. I’m excited about this.”

Some Democrats, though, have raised concerns that she could face a tough confirmation battle in a closely divided Senate after her involvement in the Benghazi attacks, but sources close to Biden dismissed those concerns.

In the aftermath of the attacks on Benghazi, Libya, which killed four people, then-U.N. ambassador Rice appeared on TV in place of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to recite “talking points” from a CIA memo. She said the attacks were spontaneous and the result of an anti-Muslim video made by an American. This theory was later debunked.  

Sources close to Biden also said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., is jockeying for the role. His appointment would not deplete Democratic ranks in the Senate due to Delaware’s Democratic governor. Coons sits on the Foreign Relations Committee. 

Other potential picks include Tony Blinken and Willliam Burns, both former deputy secretaries of state, and Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.