Thanks! Just talking with Mr. Prairie, we have reservations at a nice little cozy Italian restaurant tonight. Little neighborhood place, serves excellent food. Will have chewy bread with olive oil and cheese, caesar salad prepared at the table, probably calimari, and......who knows? Ought to be fun.
I'm off to check out the threads, must get some things accomplished this morning too.
Prairie
Yesterday Colin had a press conference. He was asked how he could still have clout with foreign nations after announcing his resignation.
Powell replied by saying that he thought that he could continue to do a good job for the remainder of his term in office.. He said he had the confidence of the President and other nations know that. Obviously Powell believed as the media believed that Powell had chosen to quit. They media believed the presdient would keep Powel in place until well after the first of the year when the new Senate would take up the confirmation of Condi.
Then today the Bush administration put out the word they want confirmation for Condi to start in 3 weeks. That would mean her confirmation would be complete in a month.
Powell would have less than a month to serve and Condi would be in office by the middle of December. That is obviuosly not what Powell had in mind.
The purpose of this was President Bush telling the world that Powell had been asked for his resignation. That Powell will not be speaking for the Administration.
Apparently Powell has been playing hanky panky with the press in the last year or so.. and Bush is sending a message to the rest of his administration that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
I also wonder about Rummy. Rummy was Cheney's mentor. Cheney appears to be in good stead with the President. Cheney had an avid supporter in Condi. Condi is running state. Cheney and Rummy are very close and Rummy has put out the word that he wants to stay.
It will be very interesting to see what happens in the Department of Defense. There are rumors that Rummy will be gone shortly after the first of the year. But like many rumors, they may not be true.
The conventional wisdom was Powell wanted out. I think it is equally true that the President wanted him gone. It seems to me quite likely that we are going to succeed in Iraq. The preemption policy is going to look good in history. Powell will wait to see if it is, before he starts trashing the President. Being the Secretary of State the President needed to replace in order to defeat Muslim terrorism, is not a good spot in history.
I think Powell will not critcize the President.. not until the outcome in the middle east is clear. That gives Bush the power to put Powell in his place a bit..
It is indeed interesting to watch George W. Bush at work. He is indeed misunderestimated.
Happy Birthday, PB. Have a nice evening out with your hubby.