Condoleezza Rice’s moment has come. She’s the last surviving member of Bush’s dream team and she is running much of the show. But who is she? Several recent articles have tried to answer that question.

David Samuels looks at Rice and her policy challenges in one of the longer features to run in The Atlantic Monthly. He paints a complex picture that might have some people changing their mind (either way) about Rice.

Joe Conason reviews Marcus Mabry’s new book on Rice. She never looks back, says Mabry, and that lack of reflection has cost the U.S. dearly.

Marcus Mabry questions Rice’s loyalty to Bush: “One of the secrets to the spectacular rise of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is that every boss she has ever worked for was convinced that she shared his worldview. And each, after she left his employ, was left scratching his head as he saw Rice make a 180degree turn away from the core beliefs he thought they shared.”

Armstrong Williams looks at Rice’s life and work and sees a person of great strength who should be an inspiration to all people - American or otherwise.