Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (and three other administration veterans) discuss what President Obama will inherit — and what to look out for.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (and three other administration veterans) discuss what President Obama will inherit – and what to look out for.

Condoleezza Rice sought to strike a positive chord during the first visit by an American secretary of state to Jenin, a once-infamous hub of Palestinian militancy.

Condoleezza Rice sought to strike a positive chord during the first visit by an American secretary of state to Jenin, a once-infamous hub of Palestinian militancy.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Middle East with a somewhat diminished vision of trying to keep Israeli-Palestinian negotiations alive.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Middle East on Thursday with a somewhat diminished vision of trying to keep Israeli-Palestinian negotiations alive.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Middle East on Thursday with a somewhat diminished vision of trying to keep Israeli-Palestinian negotiations alive.

The U.S. Secretary of State’s trip was the latest in a series of visits by top-level officials in the Bush administration, which sees the violent clashes in Mexico as a threat to U.S. security.

The U.S. Secretary of State’s trip was the latest in a series of visits by top-level officials in the Bush administration, which sees the violent clashes in Mexico as a threat to U.S. security.

North Korea increased pressure on the U.S. to conclude a deal on dismantling the country’s plutonium program and announced plans to restart a nuclear complex.