CONDI MAY GO?
US News’ Washington Whispers has the following tidbit:
As White House officials try to control the latest fallout over President Bush’s flawed suggestion in the State of the Union address that Iraq was buying nuclear bomb materials, there’s growing talk by insiders that National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice may take the blame and resign. For most insiders, it’s inconceivable that Rice, touted as a future secretary of state, California governor, and even vice president, would go, but the latest revelations that her shop and deputy Stephen Hadley mishandled CIA warnings have put the NSC in the bull’s eye of controversy.
While it’s unclear how serious the talk is inside the administration about the future of Rice or Hadley with the NSC, a few top aides are already suggesting replacements for Rice. They include former Bush administration National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft, NASA chief and former Navy Secretary Sean O’Keefe, and Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Iraq.
I suspect she will stay. While the Niger flap has been mishandled, this is the first time I’ve heard criticism of her performance in office. And she’s obviously a valuable part of the administration.
