Though it’s been widely mocked by lefty bloggers, the fact of Condoleeza Rice’s appearance in three short NBC video news segments last week about her exercise regimen is actually interesting. Of course it’s an attempt to humanize a troubled White House, but it’s also the first time I can recall a person in the upper reaches of government (or any other famous non-actor), role-modeling fitness. With obesity out of control it doesn’t seem quite so trite to see someone of her status doing crunches and describing how in the midst of near-constant travel she “does a little bit of stretching on the plane,” requests “fish or something light” from her regal international hosts, and says that working out helps her feel and think better.