Posted on 08/07/2004 3:11:45 PM PDT by wagglebee
Traditionally cabinet officials do not speak at the conventions -- or other campaign events. Secretary of State Colin Powell will not break the unwritten rule despite his status as the most popular Republican in the country, according to the Washington Post.
"As secretary of state, I am obliged not to participate in any way, shape, fashion, or form in parochial, political debates; I have to take no sides in the matter," Powell told the Unity: Journalists of Color Convention last week.
In a recent NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, Powell was viewed favorably by 69 percent of respondents -- compared with 49 percent for President Bush and 39 percent each for Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
During the convention, Powell may spend some of the time on vacation and perhaps catching up on travel to non-hot spots, according to State Department officials.
Rumsfeld and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice will also be no-shows at the New York convention.
"By tradition and custom, the national security adviser does not actively participate in campaign or political events," said Sean McCormick, a National Security Council spokesman.
THey already have, as I found on one of my visits to DU.
(They're also CONVINCED Kerry has this in the bag, even going so far as to speculate about what will happen to their website after Kerry is sworn-in.)
Powell has integrity. I repsect this man and am thankful for his service to our nation and 6 Presidents.
Kind of a non-story, isn't it? President Bush's cabinet members will follow the universal custom and not attend the convention?
You beat me to it by only about 3 hours.
Harpo won't vote Republican until the day Specter runs the party. And even then she'd have to be at gunpoint.
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