Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has moved former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the top of his possible VP roster according to reports that first came out Thursday night. If true, Rice is a choice that could inject some much needed enthusiasm into the GOP’s campaign.

In an April CNN poll of Republicans, respondents favored Rice overwhelmingly and she drew the highest level of support as Romney’s potential running mate. The poll also revealed that Rice had the approval rating of 8 -10 Republicans.

As a former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser under George W. Bush, Condoleeza Rice would certainly change the direction of the conversation. 

In contrast to the 2004 election when national security was the focus of the campaign, this year the economy, with unemployment hovering about 8 percent, has been front-and-center. And Romney has struggled at times to demonstrate his commitment to free-market principles.

But it appears the Romney campaign is changing gears and wants to remind voters that the president is also America's commander in chief. Apart from the GOP debate sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute last fall, national security and foreign affairs have been largely absent from the 2012 presidential election discussion.

At a time when the economy seems to be the most visible threat to our security, it’s not clear if Americans will see this choice as a distraction. Still Rice is a symbol of international proficiency that should not be overlooked.

The Independent Women’s Forum honored Rice for her service in 2006 when we presented her with the Woman of Valor Award. It’s then that she discussed “the non-negotiable demands of human dignity:… the rule of law and limits on state power, free speech and tolerance of difference, freedom of worship, equal justice and property rights and finally, but not last, respect for women.”