it's been denied.... was in the AOL news report :-X
WASHINGTON (Aug. 4) - Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday dismissed as ''nonsense'' a Washington Post report that he and his deputy Richard Armitage planned to step down in early 2005.
''It's nonsense. I don't know what they are talking about. I serve at the pleasure of the president,'' Powell said according to a State Department transcript of an interview with Radio Sawa, a U.S.-funded Arabic broadcast to the Middle East.
''The president and I have not discussed anything other than my continuing to do my job for him and this is just one of those stories that emerge in Washington that reflects nothing more than gossip and the gossip leads to a rash of speculation about who might fill a vacancy that does not exist.''
The Post said Armitage recently told national security adviser Condoleezza Rice the two would leave on Jan. 21, 2005, the day after the next presidential inauguration, even if President Bush is re-elected.
''The story has no substance and the so-called conversation that took place between my deputy, Mr. Armitage, and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, did not take place,'' Powell said. ''And therefore the story has no source or basis in the beginning; and most of it is just all gossip and speculation.''
The Post said Powell, a retired four-star general and former chairman of the U.S. military Joint Chiefs of Staff, had indicated to associates he would leave for personal reasons rather than policy differences. Powell has often been at odds with more hawkish members of the Bush team like Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz.
The Post said Powell indicated a commitment made to his wife was a key factor in his desire to serve only one term.
Rice and Wolfowitz are the leading candidates to replace Powell, The Post said. Rice appeared to have an edge because of her proximity to Bush, it added.
Privately some officials gave some credence to the report, saying it has been assumed Powell was likely to leave after four years. But they noted Powell has always said he served at the pleasure of the president.
''My gut tells me that he will leave at the end of this term,'' said one official.
Another official noted there is typically much turnover between presidential terms, which could happen again if Bush were to win re-election in 2004.
The Post story is not helpful to Powell, who could find his effectiveness diminished if he is seen as a lame duck for the remaining 18 months of Bush's current term.
In Crawford, Texas, where Bush is on vacation at his ranch, White House spokesman Scott McClellan attributed the story to the Washington ''rumor mill.''
He added: ''The president thinks he's doing an outstanding job and ... looks forward to Secretary Powell continuing to work with him in our foreign policy realm.''
Coincidentally, Powell and Armitage were to fly to Texas to meet Bush at his ranch on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a session scheduled two weeks ago, like one last August.
