Irritatingly dismissive, in a poised, diplomatic sort of way

You'd think that as a former NSC member and the current secretary of state that Madame Dr. Rice might want somewhat faster feedback on the screw ups. Or maybe not.

MS. COURIC: Not only are Americans questioning the U.S. role currently in Iraq, but they're questioning the decision to go there in the first place. . . .In retrospect, with the benefit of hindsight being 20/20, is there anything you believe now, sitting where you're sitting, that the Administration should have done differently?
SECRETARY RICE: Oh, I'm certain, Katie, that when you look back over it, there will have been many things that we could have done differently. It's the nature of big changes like this.
MS. COURIC: What is -- specifically, what is the biggest thing?
SECRETARY RICE: Katie, I will leave that to the people who will write dissertations about things that could have been done differently -- some of which I'll probably supervise when I go back to Stanford. [link]